Blue Yonder research: many consumers say tighter returns policies spark reluctance to make purchases

A new survey conducted by supply chain tech specialist Blue Yonder has found that two in every three consumers are reluctant to purchase items due to tighter restrictions on returns.

Blue Yonder surveyed more than 6,000 consumers across the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, the Middle East and the US. Across all nations, 84% of those surveyed said they would stop stopping at their favourite retailer if stricter returns policies were introduced.

Consumers in the Middle East were most likely to be deterred from purchasing due to tighter restrictions, followed by those in France, Germany and the UK.

More than half of respondents globally believe stricter returns restrictions are inconvenient and unfair for customers. 

“These findings highlight the negative consumer attitudes toward tighter returns policies, with a majority of consumers continuing to make decisions on where to shop based on these policies,” comments Tim Robinson, Senior Vice President, Commerce and Returns, at Blue Yonder. 

“Across generations and regions, consumers are consistent in believing that returns restrictions are unfair and inconvenient to them, underscoring their expectation for an easy and hassle-free process. With 9.5 billion pounds of returns ending up in landfills, it’s more important than ever that retailers develop customer-friendly processes, while more efficiently managing returns across omni-channel environments to reduce costs and unnecessary waste.”  

Increasing environmental concerns

Many consumers were found to be concerned about the environmental impact of returns, with 65% “somewhat” or “very” concerned by this. Nearly three-quarters of global respondents said they would not complete the returns process if they knew the product could end up in a landfill. 

“These results demonstrate that consumers value the ability to easily return items and, when possible, prioritise retailers that offer convenience and sustainable returns options,” Robinson adds. 

“Retailers around the world have an opportunity to deliver a better, more sustainable returns journey for consumers. By leveraging AI driven solutions, retailers can better track returns data and trends, allowing  them to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to automated decisioning that implements the ideal returns journey for each return based on value. This enables retailers to achieve the perfect balance between cost, customer experience, and sustainability.” 

He concludes: “Blue Yonder continues to invest in the best technology to support our customers as they look to convert returns into valuable inventory. We recently acquired Optoro to enhance our warehouse and in-store returns processing capabilities, allowing us to offer a robust, comprehensive returns management solution so our customers can streamline their operations for greater efficiency, waste reduction, and visibility.”  

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Online returns will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.