Returned items are a problem for most retailers, but they are even more complicated for ecommerce merchants. Effective ecommerce software can eliminate some of the difficulties related to entering the item back into the system, but the whole process of having a product shipped back and received can feel arduous. Yet many customers expect the option, particularly for segments like apparel. An garment might not fit, or the consumer may not like how it looks once worn. 

Clothing retailers Henri Lloyd and Fits.me both experienced problems with clothing returns, according to Internet Retailing. Once they added a virtual fitting room, however, the problem decreased considerably. This feature allows shoppers to see how the clothes will fit based on the measurements entered into the system. Fits.me reported that since adding this capability to its website, its return rate dropped from 15.3 percent to 4.5 percent. 

Fits.me added that it was able to notice the decline because of its point of sale system, which could cross-reference returns with the original purchase. The more information merchants have available to them, the better they can understand the effects of their decisions on their operations. 

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Friday, November 1st, 2013 at 9:37 am .