In a PriceRunner survey of 400 shoppers who have been purchasing items online between one in five years found that close to 40 percent of survey respondents were not satisfied with returning items they had purchased online.
The main reasons given for returning an item online were, an item was damaged, the wrong item was shipped and the item was an unwanted gift or a duplicate.
Other reasons cited for returning items include incorrect size, fit, color or a change of mind. Respondents said that clothes, shoes and apparel were the most likely items to be returned when compared with other consumer goods.
PriceRunner also examined the frequency of returns and found that 51.1 percent had never returned an item purchased online, 16.7 percent said they had returned an item once, 15.3 percent twice, 5.5percent three times and 7.9 percent had returned items five or more times.
One trend that emerged from the survey was a connection between how long someone had shopped online and the frequency of return. The longer a consumer had shopped online the less likely they were to return an order.
Survey respondents were also asked to explain what irritated them the most about the item return process. The two most common answers were, ” having to pay the shipping costs for returning the item”, and the time and hassle it takes “standing in line at the post office” to return an order.
“The PriceRunner survey findings reflect a general sentiment in the marketplace that online retailers’ return processes have room for improvement,” said Dan Gerler, founder and CEO of Onlineshoes.com, the nation’s first online shoe retailer. “While our customer service team is equipped with extensive product and sizing information that reduces the likelihood of returns and exchanges, it’s inevitable some customers will change their mind about orders in hindsight. We accommodate this reality by offering a simple, unconditional 90-day return policy and year-round free exchanges. These courtesies lower the purchase barrier for first-time shoppers and build long-term loyalty with repeat customers.”
