“There’s a large carbon footprint associated with shipping things to and from customers,” online clothing retailer Richard Clews told Lifewire via email. “Between this and the extra expense online retailers have to take on to process returns, I don’t think it’s right to buy something just to send it back later.”
Return to Sender
Online shopping is extremely convenient, especially if you work from home. With next-day or same-day delivery, it’s almost as good as walking to the store and trying something out in person. “Return policies now play a big role in how people buy things online, providing a competitive advantage to those retailers that can provide the easy path to return items,” Vipin Porwal, founder of online shopping app Smarty, told Lifewire via email. The numbers back this up. Tobin Moore, CEO of returns solution provider Optoro, told CNBC that online buyers return three times as many products as in-store buyers. That results, he says, in almost 6 billion pounds of landfill waste every year.
B-Stock and Open Box
The answer is to resell those returned items. We’re familiar with open-box or b-stock items, and they don’t have to be a gamble if the retailer does things right. German music equipment giant Thomann, which sells worldwide, offers a three-year warranty and a generous month-long return window. You can return for any reason and pay nothing (spending on where you are in the world). Returns are sold as b-stock items, with a full warranty, but often much cheaper than the new item. In Thomann’s case, B-stock has no stigma or worry attached. In fact, it’s the opposite. B-stock is seen as a way to save hundreds of dollars without the risk of buying used. And this kind of confidence is essential. “If consumers trust the open box is going to be a good purchase, they’ll start buying it because they can save money with confidence,” says Porwal. To do this, online retailers have to inspect returns, their packaging, and any accessories that might have shipped in the box. And they’re up against other challenges, too. According to a report from the National Retail Federation, more than 10% of returns in 2021 were fraudulent. And yet the savings could be worth it. Returns added up to $761 billion in lost sales last year. “B-stock shopping should be the norm. It’s good for the environment and prevents the store from suffering losses as well,” Elice Max, co-owner of a shopping coupon service, told Lifewire via email. “Shoppers also get the option of saving their money on these items. There’s no reason buying open-box or b-stock items should have any sort of taboo or stigma attached. In fact, environmental groups should encourage buyers to go for these products.”
