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The research , conducted by OnePoll across Europe in February 2024 , highlights a key insight : while inflation may be easing , costconscious consumers prioritise retailers offering flexible return policies and payment options . This underscores the importance of going beyond the ‘ buy now ’ button and focusing on the entire retail lifecycle , from delivery to return .

With returns globally costing retailers more than US $ 700 billion in 2023 and projected to cost nearly US $ 1 trillion by the end of the decade , retailers need innovative strategies to manage the process effectively . Beyond the rising cost of legitimate returns , any futurefocused strategy must account for fraudulent returns . The challenge is growing rapidly , given that the adoption of SCA has made traditional payments fraud more difficult . least popular ( 7 %). Notably , British and Spanish consumers favour in-store returns the most ( both at 34 %)

• Common reasons for return rejection : the most frequent reasons for rejected returns include exceeding the return window ( 13 %), damaged items ( 12 %) and returning products excluded from the policy ( 9 %)

• Payment preferences differ geographically : over half of Italians ( 55 %) and Spaniards ( 53 %) prefer PayPal , while 55 % of Britons favour credit cards

The research conducted serves as a warning to European retailers not to rely on customer experience ending with the purchase ; instead , they need to account for the full retail lifecycle through delivery and possession .

Amal Ahmed , Director , Financial Services and EMEA Marketing at Signifyd , said : “ Our research highlights the complexities retailers face in today ’ s evolving consumer landscape . While offering a seamless and customer-centric experience throughout the retail journey remains crucial , including efficient and flexible return options , it ’ s equally important to implement robust fraud prevention strategies to address the growing challenge of fraudulent returns .

“ By adapting to changing consumer expectations and prioritising both customer satisfaction and security , retailers can thrive in this dynamic environment .” x

Key findings :

• Return policies drive buying decisions : 76 % of European consumers consider return policies fairly or very important when choosing a retailer , with Italy and Spain placing the highest value on this factor ( 48 % and 47 % respectively saying ‘ very important ’)

• Ease of return is paramount : 94 % of respondents find ease of return crucial , with a majority stating they ’ d be less likely to shop at a retailer offering only store credit ( 50 %) or charging for return costs ( 57 %)

• Preferred return methods vary : the top three preferred return methods are courier collection ( 35 %), Post Office drop-off ( 32 %) and in-store returns ( 26 %), with return bars being the

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