Shifting Trends In E-Commerce Returns Require New Tactics

E-commerce has been something of a wild card for the last few years — to say the least. But the challenges that have cropped up from shifting buyer behaviors have a bright side. They could be presenting online merchants with new, exciting growth opportunities. Recognizing (and addressing) how online shoppers’ needs have changed will go a long way with your customers. But in order to make the necessary improvements, you have to know the three most essential components of the customer experience.

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Good for the planet, and for business

Sustainability and the circular economy continue to garner significant attention across the extended value chain, and rightly so. Climate change should be top of mind for all of us. It’s often shrugged off, like most macro challenges, but it’s a very real issue.

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LEARN TO SHIFT RETURNS FROM HASSLE TO COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

If asked about your top three e-commerce challenges, returns would most certainly be in the mix. They’ve been the bane of most merchants’ operations for at least the last few years — although, to be fair, returns always seemed like a hardship. But what if we’ve been thinking about them the wrong way? It’s time to look at returns as an opportunity, one that — if tapped correctly — could be a boon for your business. Transforming the pain of returns into a true competitive advantage requires focusing on three key initiatives:

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How To Leverage The Customer Experience In A Wilder Online Marketplace

In the long list of experiences forever changed by the pandemic, shopping has earned a spot close to the top. 

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ALRIGHT E-COMMERCE MERCHANTS, TIME TO TIGHTEN UP RETURNS

Dealing with returns means dealing with waste and margin loss. You can’t stop that, it’s true, but it turns out you can control how much. Now that the economy is normalizing, there’s time to focus on your pain points. The e-commerce boom turned out to be a returns boom as well. Addressing the logistical issues this caused for your business starts with setting goals for more manageable returns.

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HOW A LITTLE TECHNOLOGY COULD MEAN A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY

A major national retailer was in trouble. Quality issues with their shipments were delaying speed to shelf and negatively impacting their customers’ buying experiences, resulting in profit erosion. They needed a solution. Having a flexible data platform means better transparency, and more control. And in this case, both were exactly what this retailer needed to upgrade their inbound and outbound shipment quality, killing three birds — delay, poor experience, and waning revenue — with one solution.

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In-store vs. Online. What’s Driving Where Shoppers Buy?

Shoppers were predicted to spend heavily during the 2022 holiday season. Despite economic pressures, that turned out to be spot on. The surprise? How much of it didn’t happen on the couch. More than half of online shoppers returned to in-store shopping last season. According to our recent research, online shopping remains beneficial for most merchants — but with in-store shopping back on the table, shoppers are being more selective about where and how they spend their money.

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Smarter Returns Build Better Shopper Loyalty

Merchants used to stand out through location, price and the in-store shopping experience. But the online marketplace changed everything — and continues to rewrite the rules of shopper engagement.  A purchase is just the beginning.  Optimizing the post-purchase experience is the best way to strengthen shopper loyalty and outpace the competition. 

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Tracking Change in Reverse Logistics Value Recovery

MOUNTAINS OF INVENTORY CREATE A SLIPPERY SLOPE FOR RETAILERS Nearly every retailer was blinded by the blizzard of change kicked off during the pandemic. It started out innocently enough. For many of us, online shopping became a welcome interruption from the doldrums of lockdown. And when packages arrived, the delivery reminded us we were still connected to something beyond the confines of our homes.

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