With the dramatic increase in the use and accessibility of online shopping, returning an item has become more and more common, and with many contributing factors to this element of the parcel delivery service returns to the UK’s top retailers are on the rise. This could be costly for large businesses as every return can count as a loss. Therefore the advertising of a product within stores and online should be clear and concise in order to prevent this growing problem. Here we are going to look at the contributing factors to this dramatic increase in the number of parcels that are returned per year.
Inadequate Advertisement
One of the main reasons for parcels being returned is the fact that with services such as shpock and eBay, it is easier than ever to post up your own adverts to sell things that you own. This is increasing the number of returns that are being made as the items could be damaged before selling or perhaps the advertisement had an image that was not what they have received. This, therefore, leads to a large amount of returned items as it is within the customer’s right to send the parcel back.
This can also be a common cause for returned items to a large store as the advertisement of the product may not be up to scratch. With many new products released every month the advertising needs to be as effective as possible in order to prevent this from happening. This could affect businesses as every return and refund can contribute to a loss of money at the end of the financial year, therefore it is important to ensure that you are fully aware of the products that you are buying and selling before making the purchase.
No Images
More individuals than ever before are turning to the convenience of, e-commerce sites. This, therefore, presents problems as most rely on images of the product to see what they are buying before making the purchase. However, with some sites, the images are either misleading or are not present at all. This can lead to returned items as the customer is unaware of what they are purchasing before they invest in the item, therefore when it arrives they are more likely to be unhappy and ultimately return it.
Faster Delivery Process
The faster delivery process is also contributing to an increase in returned items, as items can be delivered damaged due to the rush of people wanting parcels quickly. This, therefore, means that the items are more likely to be returned. Alternatively, the faster delivery process could be contributing to the increase in returned items as it allows customers to send items back within a specific time frame. This could potentially lead to people buying clothes that they think they would like and returning them the next day due to the smallest of faults, as the process is easier than it has ever been before.
As the world of online shopping continues to increase, it is inevitable that businesses will be faced with a higher return rate. This is because people are not physically in the store able to try clothes on before they purchase. This contributes to a higher return rate as customers are receiving clothes that do not fit or do not look the way they did when advertised online. Don’t forget that everyone’s screen resolutions can be different, so the image that they see could be an entirely different shade to the product itself!
All of the above factors, in addition to the increase of accessibility when it comes to returning parcels, are all responsible for an increase in the number of items that are returned each year. Therefore it is important to ensure that you have done all your research before buying an item online so that you have less of a need to return it once it has arrived. Happy shopping!
