Ep 400: E-commerce returns and sustainability

Serial returners might think they are environmentally conscious, but new research shows they contribute a disproportionately high amount of emissions compared to other online shoppers. Assistant Professor Heleen Buldeo Rai from VUB Mobilise discusses:

• Increasing purchases and increasing returns
• The very high return rates for fashion
• Higher returns online compared to in-store purchases
• How to define "serial returners", including minimum threshold of purchases
• Environmental awareness of serial returners
• What causes serial returners to return goods bought online?
• Does the e-commerce sector have to take responsibility for encouraging this behaviour?
• Returns policies and consumer behaviour
• What tools could e-commerce retailers use to reduce returns?
• Retailer practices for resellable returned items
• Resale potential of returned items
• Sustainability implications of returns, and of serial return behaviour
• The distances returned items have to travel
• Serial returners are responsible for a disproportionate amount of emissions

The research "Consumer heterogeneity behind e-commerce returns and emissions" can be downloaded via a link on the Postal Hub Podcast website - thepostalhub.com