Published
Apr 5, 2019
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Asos tweaks returns stance, fashion sector is still best for returns

Published
Apr 5, 2019

Asos is starting to deal with the problem of serial returners by getting tougher on customers who look like they’re buying, wearing once, then returning goods and the company has threatened to suspend accounts if such behaviour is detected. But at the same time it's also increasing the time available to make returns from 28 days to 45 days.



New Look may have its problems, but it's a winner when it comes to shipping policies


So it's no surprise that a new study shows fashion retailers rate highly compared to other online sellers for returns, as well as offering the best overall shipping experience. The study comes from ParcelLab, which took an in-depth look at the shipping and delivery processes of the top 100 online retailers in the UK.

Interestingly given the latest move from Asos, it scored highly. But under-pressure New Look was ‘Overall Winner’, while Asos was hailed for ‘Best Checkout Experience’, The Fragrance Shop for ‘Best Shipping Process’, Zara as ‘Best for Delivery’ and Chain Reaction Cycles for ‘Best Returns’. 

The study revealed that 77% of online clothing, footwear and accessories stores include a returns label with their deliveries, which is more than any other category, and 6% provide a downloadable form. 

However, the fashion category fell down in terms of passing on delivery costs to customers. Only 8% offer free shipping regardless of purchase price, worse than any other sector, and that can be blocking shoppers from buying from various fashion sites.

“Ease of returning goods can help boost conversion rates, with 67% of online shoppers checking a retailer’s online returns policy before they buy, according to UPS research,” said Tobias Buxhoidt, founder and CEO of ParcelLab. “Unfortunately however, various studies show that shipping costs are a major ‘conversion killer’, so by failing to offer free delivery, fashion retailers are damaging the great work their returns policies are doing.”

He cited ComScore, which has found that 61% of customers are ‘at least somewhat likely’ to cancel their purchase if free shipping is unavailable. Over a quarter of the UK’s leading online sellers in this category offer no free delivery option, let alone free returns.

DISAPPOINTING POST-PURCHASE EXPERIENCE

Overall, ParcelLab also found that the post-purchase experience provided by the leading 100 UK online retailers (48 of which were fashion names) was disappointing, with only four providing customers with personalised information about the status of their orders. But while 27% didn’t communicate with shoppers at all during the delivery period, the number fell to 14% for fashion retailers, so they’re clearly more enlightened on this subject. Meanwhile, only 12 of the 100 offered free shipping on all purchases, and five of those were technology sellers.

“Providing personalised post-purchase support not only keeps customers informed and happy, building loyalty, but also provides the opportunity to share offers and suggest complementary purchases, increasing sales,” said Buxhoidt. “And when you consider that our research shows that 70% to 80% of personalised post-purchase messages are opened and result in 0.5% to 1% of customers immediately making a new purchase, it’s clear that by not doing this, UK retailers are missing out on millions of pounds in potential sales every month.”

Of the 100 retailers surveyed, only 11 communicate with their customers directly during shipping, with the other 89 either letting the parcel carrier do that job, or not bothering at all. That may save time for the retailer, but it also means it misses out on the chance to offer personalised shipping information or send out branded communication to boost brand awareness. 

The research also showed that only seven of the UK’s 100 largest retailers offered a same-day service, and when this was offered it was expensive.

“Retailers are no longer defined by their products, but instead they are differentiated by the service they provide from initial visit right through to returns,” said Buxhoidt. “Therefore, if a retailer wants to consistently outgrow its competitors, they need to build strong customer loyalty through above-average customer experiences. This is just as important after checkout as before, if not more so.”

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