In the digital shopping landscape, parents like Ludovic rely heavily on online purchases, benefiting from hassle-free return policies. With an average of five returns monthly, convenience drives a surge in return packages in France. Major retailers embrace generous policies to attract customers, while smaller businesses struggle with costs. To mitigate losses, some brands are introducing return fees, and many returned items are redirected for resale, transforming returns from a liability into a potential asset in e-commerce.
Online Shopping Trends Among Parents
In today’s digital age, Ludovic, a father of an 11-year-old daughter, finds shopping to be a breeze as he relies on online platforms for about “80% of his purchases.” When it comes to clothing that doesn’t fit, he has no reservations about initiating returns. He appreciates the fact that the websites he uses offer free return shipping, making the process hassle-free. Recently, he faced an issue with ill-fitting pants, which he promptly packaged up and printed a pre-paid return label provided by the retailer.
The Impact of Generous Return Policies
On average, Ludovic returns five items each month due to mismatched colors or materials. He notes, “We simply return it and get a refund or exchange it. There’s no hesitation.” Such convenience has contributed to the doubling of return packages in France over the last five years. Retailers often provide generous return policies, allowing customers up to a month or more to decide, all with no extra cost.
But why are major online retailers so willing to process refunds? Sophie Aubard, co-founder of Layloh, explains that it’s a strategic marketing move to attract and retain customers while standing out from competitors. However, this approach is primarily feasible for larger retailers who can absorb the costs through high sales volumes. For smaller businesses, like Fred Aston’s fashion store in Tours, free returns could lead to significant losses. Aston shares that the shipping costs alone range from 8 to 10 euros, making it unmanageable for independent shops.
When factoring in the associated costs—staff time, packaging, and shipping—the overall expense of processing a return can reach up to 20 euros. To combat potential abuse, some well-known fashion brands have begun implementing nominal return fees for customers. Meanwhile, companies focused on optimizing return logistics are finding ways to mitigate losses. Charles-Henry d’Ocagne, general manager of Clic logistic, notes that they handle around 30 million products annually for various clients.
In instances where items like a kitesurfing sail are returned, they often don’t go back to the original retailer. Instead, they are sent to warehouses for inspection and potential resale at a reduced price, helping brands limit their financial losses. With returns being such a significant aspect of e-commerce, they are now viewed as a potential resource rather than just a financial drain, with statistics showing that one in three items is returned.