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According to data from returns technology provider ZigZag, 43% of UK returns in the wake of Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2023 were paid for by the consumer.
Over the past year, there has been a trend amongst retailers of moving away from the free returns model that has been very popular up to this point. Many e-commerce consumers or those wishing to return goods via post rather than in-store can now expect to pay a small fee, or have to become part of a membership scheme to get free returns.
In September 2023, Logistics Manager reported that fashion retailer H&M had introduced a £1.99 return fee per parcel for non-member customers. However, this return fee does not apply to items deemed faulty or incorrect, or to the return of goods in-store.
This trend is further evidenced by other retailers having already adopted similar policies. For example, Zara has charged a £1.95 return fee since May 2022, while Boohoo has charged £1.99 per parcel returned for non-Premier customers since July 2022.
Al Gerrie, ZigZag’s CEO, shared his thoughts on the upward trend in paid returns: “With more and more retailers moving to charge shoppers for returns, it’s no surprise that almost half of returns were paid. However, this is a positive sign for retailers as it shows that shoppers are willing to pay for returns, allowing them to recoup some of the losses returns bring. Read more
Source: LOGISTICS MANAGER
