In September, a documentary was broadcast on public television entitled 'Op Volle Retouren' (Returns at Full Speed). This documentary reveals what happens to items that are returned highlighting how easy it has become to return products and the significant downside of this trend.
Fast and Convenient
Online shopping is incredibly convenient, and everything is designed to make the process as easy as possible for us. There are even webshops where you can order at 10:30 PM whether it's a book, makeup, shoes, or even a dishwasher and it arrives at your doorstep the very next day. “Fantastic!” you might say, and of course, it is but it also has a downside.
23 Million Return Packages
The percentage of returns is growing at an incredible rate. Out of a total of 335 million online purchases in 2020, 23 million items were sent back. Percentage-wise, this might not seem like much (6.8%). However, that is a staggering 23,000,000 packages (written out in full, it looks even more impressive) that were returned sometimes even unopened. As the documentary clearly illustrates: “To survive the cutthroat competition, webshops have made returning items as easy and cheap as possible. The customer is no longer king; they have become an emperor.”
Most people are aware that a customer may return any item within a specified cooling-off period (legally 14 days). This rarely leads to discussion and is well-regulated by law. However, the conditions under which an item may be returned and specifically what may or may not be done with an item during the trial period is often unclear to many. This is exactly why we want to be as transparent as possible with our customers from the very start.
100% New and Unused
Our return policy is a frequent topic of internal discussion. Not because we want to make concessions quite the opposite. Customers who buy from Weids Living & Sleeping can be 100% certain that the item they receive is brand new and completely unused. The discussion is actually centered around the reactions of customers whose returns we have had to reject. Human hair, pet hair, folds, creases, stains, and less-than-fresh odors quickly reveal that the item in question was used in a way that we cannot and will not accept. A small portion of customers is understanding and accepts the rejection without issue. More often, however, the reactions are quite harsh.
This usually begins with a very sharp confrontation via phone or email and often ends with one or more negative or even spiteful online reviews. To us, this feels very unfair and, to be perfectly honest, it truly saddens us.
#BeKind
No matter how unjustified it may be, it is particularly difficult when new and potential customers confront us about these negative reviews. It makes us feel like we're starting at a disadvantage. Fortunately, our customer service colleagues are excellent at resolving these situations through open conversation, but it would be much better if we could interact with more harmony. In any case, we do our absolute best to provide honest advice and conduct our business with integrity.
Finally, we encourage everyone to take a moment to watch the aforementioned documentary: Op Volle Retouren. In our opinion, it offers a fascinating insight into the trials and tribulations of product returns.
