The festive season is over. Now’s the time people are returning packages. But as global returns provider Zigzag points out, customers are trying to keep spending down.
The company’s CEO Al Gerrie tells Post & Parcel: “This influx of returns at the beginning of January is not surprising in the current economic climate and indicative of how consumers are trying to keep spending down. Whilst we’re not expecting returns to be up 42% over the whole of January, these figures show we can expect to see one of the busiest January’s ever for returns.”
Gerrie adds that it’s possible consumers may be returning parcels in January to purchase them cheaper. He states that it’s unsurprising that 48% of returns during the festive season were paid returns.
Reviewing the Christmas period, the global returns company finds that sizing continues to drive returns in fashion wear. This accounts for 49% of all returns globally. Gerrie adds that the returns are possibly due to consumers purchasing several sizes of a particular item with the intention of trying them on at home – and returning items that don’t fit.
Zigzag has the returns solution
A global returns provider, Zigzag’s returns platform is for both customers and retailers. The company was founded in 2014 by Al Gerrie and Laurence Guy. Zigzag works with partners such as Royal Mail, DHL, and FedEx. Zigzag’s platform integrates with a retailer’s system and gives customers an easy solution when it comes to returns. Zigzag is compatible with major e-commerce platforms.
Here are some features of the platform:
- Exchange items instead of refunds – a way to keep customers happy
- Its reporting hub gives insight so that retailers can reduce their returns.
- Customers can choose their parcel carrier and warehouses.
Slashing returns
In November 2023 Reuters reported logistics providers UPS and FedEx were expanding returns services to help retailers bring down the cost of returning items like shoes and other items.
UPS acquired software and reverse logistics company Happy Returns late last year. Los Angeles-based Happy Returns provides no-box, no-label returns to merchants and customers. Its network consists of over 10,000 box-free return locations in the US.
Returns policy is a must have
Logistics company Meteor Space says returning items has become an expected part of online shopping. Hassle-free returns are the way to go. In an article about returns, the company states: “Online shopping is significantly different from shopping in-person at a brick-and-mortar store. Your e-commerce buyers don’t know how the product looks in real-life, how it will fit them, how different it may look in real life, how the colors may vary in real life, and much more.”
Five common reasons for item returns:
- The customer ordered the wrong product or size.
- The merchant shipped an incorrect product.
- The product was damaged.
- The item arrived too late.
- The product did not match the description.
About the author
Sharl is a qualified journalist. He has over 10 years’ experience in the media industry, including positions as an editor of a magazine and Business Editor of a daily newspaper. Sharl also has experience in logistics specifically operations, where he worked with global food aid organisations distributing food into Africa. Sharl enjoys writing business stories and human interest pieces.
