VUB study: Small group of returners responsible for disproportionate share of e-commerce's ecological footprint
They are more likely to buy several options at once and only decide at home what they ultimately want to keep
A small group of online shoppers is responsible for most of the environmental impact of returned packages. This is according to new research by the Free University of Brussels among nearly 10,000 online consumers in 10 European countries. The study, led by Professor Heleen Buldeo Rai, sustainable logistics expert at the VUB (Mobilise research group), was published in the academic journal Transportation Research. Although only 15 per cent of consumers return products excessively - they return more than half of their products ordered online - they turn out to be responsible for almost 60 per cent of the carbon emissions associated with returns.
Online shopping is often presented as a more sustainable alternative to traditional shop visits, as consumers no longer have to travel to the shop by car. That benefit comes under pressure from the growing number of returns. After all, anyone who returns a product creates additional transport, additional packaging and a complex logistics chain. Moreover, returned products often become harder to resell.
"Returns are much more than a logistics cost," says Buldeo Rai. "They also have a significant environmental impact. Yet we know surprisingly little about the consumers who return products most often."
To better understand that, the researchers analysed the behaviour of nearly 10,000 online shoppers in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Poland and Greece. In doing so, they mapped not only return behaviour, but also consumers' attitudes and motivation.
The results show that so-called 'serial returners' are a relatively small group. They make up about 15 per cent of all online consumers, but return an average of 15 products a year. Other consumers do so only twice a year on average. Interestingly, frequent returners do not necessarily buy more online than others. What mainly distinguishes them is their attitude towards returns. They consider returning products a convenient and natural step in the purchase process. "For those consumers, returns have become a way of postponing purchase decisions," Buldeo Rai says. "They order more impulsively, are more likely to buy several options at once and only decide at home what they ultimately want to keep."
The study shows that convenience in particular is a decisive factor. Consumers who are tempted by returns that are easy, quick and free are almost three times more likely to be among the group of frequent returners. Conversely, consumers who are aware of the environmental impact of returns appear less likely to return products.
The researchers note a striking social profile. Frequent returners are younger on average, more likely to live in urban areas and often have a lower level of education. Germany stands out as the country with the highest proportion of frequent returnees, possibly because online retailers there have been strongly committed to free and user-friendly return options for years. Just think of Zalando's "fitting room at home" campaign.
The environmental impact of that behaviour is significant. Based on existing studies, researchers calculated that a frequent returner emits on average almost 20 kilograms of CO₂ through his returns every year. For other consumers, this amounts to about three kilograms. This makes a small minority of consumers responsible for almost six out of 10 kilograms of CO₂ released by return shipments.
According to Buldeo Rai, the solution does not lie with consumers alone. "Many online shops have encouraged returns for years because they increase sales. But if we want to reduce the environmental impact, we need to do a better job of helping consumers make the right choice right away."
The researchers therefore call for better product information, more use of digital tools such as virtual fitting rooms and sizing tools, and a critical look at sales techniques that encourage impulse purchases. Policymakers, they say, can also play a role by better informing consumers about the consequences of returns and by working out clear rules for cross-border e-commerce.
Above all, according to the researchers, the study shows that not all online shoppers are the same. Those who want to reduce the environmental impact of e-commerce would do well to focus not only on the general public, but especially on the relatively small group of consumers responsible for the majority of return flows. "If we want to reduce returns, we need to understand why people return products," Buldeo Rai concludes. "Not guilt, but smart solutions that help consumers make the right choice from the first purchase seem most promising in this regard."
More info
Heleen Buldeo Rai: +32 479 46 01 07
Consumer heterogeneity behind e-commerce returns and emissions
Frans Steenhoudt
