Recently, ZigZag, a provider of returns management solutions, released its first report reflecting the current status of returns, analyzing the returns trends of the 130 largest retailers in the UK. The report shows that 61% of online shoppers are willing to pay for returns; 33% of the retailers surveyed said that return services require fees, which is 17% higher than in 2023.

ZigZag CEO Al Gerrie said that the most important service part of returns is to provide shoppers with convenient options. Therefore, the model of paid returns and free returns is likely to continue. In-store returns can alleviate the relevant logistics costs and can also be an incentive for consumers to purchase membership cards, so the free return model will continue to develop.

The report shows that most retailers (68%) provide a return time limit of 28 or 30 days, and only 12% of retailers provide a return window of 60 days or longer. However, they will adjust their return policies during the peak season, and 42% of retailers will extend the return time to prevent excessive returns from affecting their business. ZigZag believes that it is crucial for retailers to pay attention to consumer needs during the "Black Friday" and Christmas promotions, and adopting a flexible return window is a good way to relieve business pressure.

Providing easy returns is important. ZigZag said that 21.5% of UK retailers will offer in-store returns in 2024, and this proportion will rise to 82% among large retailers with more than 20 stores. Gerrie said that returns are no longer just a logistics issue, it has become an important issue in corporate boardrooms and has a considerable impact on the financial stability of retailers. As more retailers recognize how consumers react to different return policies, industry standards for returns management have continued to improve in the past few years.

ZigZag said that given the unpredictable nature of consumer spending, retailers should adopt strong return policies that are guided by customer satisfaction and retention.