Belgian e-commerce wants to get rid of ‘serial returners’

The new annual survey by the Belgian e-commerce federation Becom shows that the Belgian consumer expects webshops to pay attention to sustainability, writes HLN. 85 percent of online shoppers even call it one of the most important criteria. “When it comes to sustainability, the conscious shopper first thinks of an efficient method of shipping (44 percent), a collection point (40 percent) and the use of environmentally friendly packaging (35 percent)”, says Greet Dekocker, operational director of Becom.

Nearly three quarters of respondents (73 percent) say they almost never return a package.

Reward for not returning

The problem lies with the so-called ‘serial returners‘ or serial returners, Becom knows. Two thirds (66 percent) of returners who often return clothes, deliberately order different sizes, colors or models to try out. A concentrated minority is responsible for almost all returns in this way.

Becom initially advocates a legislative framework to, among other things, ‘serial returners‘ to be tackled more strictly. “The customer must be aware that such behavior may lead to Europe making returns payable. However, charging for ‘unjustified returns’ is not a panacea,” Dekocker believes. “We ourselves believe more in rewarding customers who do not return, with a purchase receipt for example.”