{ "docId": "019dd923-5de0-76bd-a165-770f21c01013", "docSlug": "e3bf88e2051e758a", "documentTitle": "Solving fashion’s product returns", "authorId": "misc", "authorName": "Roland Berger", "documentKindSlug": "consulting-deck", "documentKindLabel": "Consulting deck", "sourceTypeSlug": "strategy_consulting", "sourceTypeLabel": "Strategy consulting", "presentationDate": null, "orientation": "landscape", "aspectRatio": 1.778, "pageNumber": 26, "pageCount": 107, "prevPage": 25, "nextPage": 27, "slideType": "diagnosis", "function": "diagnose", "density": "dense", "nDataPoints": 12, "notes": "The slide is structured as two columns of text detailing consumer behavior research regarding returns.", "elementsJson": [ "paragraph" ], "metadataConfidence": 1, "imagePath": null, "slideHref": "/slides/019dd923-5de0-76bd-a165-770f21c01013/26", "deckHref": "/decks/019dd923-5de0-76bd-a165-770f21c01013", "deckJsonHref": "/decks/019dd923-5de0-76bd-a165-770f21c01013.json", "deckAnchorHref": "/decks/019dd923-5de0-76bd-a165-770f21c01013#slide-26", "components": [ { "bbox": { "h": 0.75, "w": 0.31, "x": 0.355, "y": 0.14 }, "kind": "paragraph", "text": "A further reason for returns was “wardrobing”, often associated with social media, where shoppers buy items only for posting photos of themselves wearing it, and then return the purchases after photos are taken. Shoppers exhibiting such tendencies may not be aware of the negative environmental and financial implications of their actions, and that returned items are often not sold on. A greater proportion of male (56%) than female online returners (32%) cited buying an item to take a picture for social media and then sending it back. Many high intensity returners admitted to wardrobing (48%), which was also more prevalent amongst Millennials (59%) and Generation Z (45%), compared to Over 41s (20%).\n\nImpulse purchase was also mentioned as a common reason for returns, by 69% of online shoppers who had returned items, with the trend being higher for males (73%) than females (66%), and Millennials (77%) and Generation Z (71%) versus Over 41s (55%). Social media clearly acts as a catalyst for impulse purchases. Research shows that one sixth of Britons admit to having made impulsive purchases as a result of social media platforms like Instagram, and 12% stated that they disliked recycling outfits because of pressure from social media, boosting the demand for new clothes and the return rates for unwanted items43. This trend is exacerbated by the rise of buy-now-pay-later schemes: staggering the cost of purchases and reducing the upfront cost inevitably give consumers the flexibility to order items in multiple colours and sizes and return the ones they do not like44.", "attrs": null, "subkind": "paragraph", "toolName": null, "toolSlug": null, "confidence": null, "componentId": "891dec70-dec2-4d3e-bf4b-d4c68184fb98", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null }, { "bbox": { "h": 0.75, "w": 0.31, "x": 0.025, "y": 0.14 }, "kind": "paragraph", "text": "Wrong size and/or fit was the most common return reason across all segments, voted by 93% of respondents who had returned online purchases. Difficulties associated with getting the right size for online purchases have also given rise to the phenomenon of “bracketing” (73%), which refers to the practice of purchasing the same item in multiple sizes or colours, and sending back those that do not fit or suit buyers’ preferences.\n\nThe COVID-19 pandemic aggravated and accelerated the buy-to-try trend, as government policies preventing shoppers from trying on items in-store caused them to increasingly resort to utilising their own homes as personal fitting rooms, increasing returns40. The survey results demonstrate that this tendency has persisted post-pandemic as online baskets continue to be filled with identical items in multiple sizes. Measures that rectify sizing issues will be likely to help reduce returns. Other research notes that 84% of consumers stated that they are less likely to return an item if they have confidence the item will fit41.\n\nFollowing sizing and fit, product not meeting quality expectations and incorrect or misleading product displays or descriptions were cited as top reasons for returns, by 81% and 71% of online shoppers who had returned items respectively. This finding coincides with other research that items are returned because of a disconnect between online and offline appearance make up a considerable share of fashion returns42.", "attrs": null, "subkind": "paragraph", "toolName": null, "toolSlug": null, "confidence": null, "componentId": "b3a26dff-68da-44ad-9338-aad83bdc6db6", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null }, { "bbox": { "h": 0.03, "w": 0.2, "x": 0.025, "y": 0.035 }, "kind": "title", "text": "Solving Fashion's Product Returns", "attrs": null, "subkind": "headline", "toolName": null, "toolSlug": null, "confidence": null, "componentId": "ebb2f3ce-0fe5-4c87-8fb9-62aafbdaf609", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null } ], "metrics": [], "tools": [ { "name": "Audience Definition", "slug": "audience-definition", "agent": "Storyteller", "layer": "slide", "matchId": "e7830e45-d131-4551-accf-5d6280372a9d", "evidence": "The slide mentions \"online shoppers\" and \"respondents who had returned online purchases.\"", "confidence": 0.7 } ], "frameworks": [], "arcBeats": [ { "to": 29, "from": 25, "beatId": "11affb19-e336-4a54-a4cd-bae4c701d6a5", "arcName": "Problem-Agitate-Solution", "arcSlug": "problem-agitate-solution", "beatName": "Agitate (Make it worse)", "beatSlug": "problem-agitate-solution-agitate-make-it-worse", "evidence": "The document highlights the consequences of inaction, including financial costs and environmental harm.", "position": 1, "confidence": 0.8, "parentBeatName": "Development", "parentBeatSlug": "development" } ], "loops": [ { "to": 29, "from": 25, "name": "Cost Of Inaction", "slug": "27-cost-of-inaction", "bestFor": "Urgent budget requests, compliance, risk mitigation", "matchId": "1cf6e7c1-e215-4b59-97ac-f632b499be20", "evidence": "The document presents data on the costs of returns and the potential benefits of change.", "position": 0, "objective": "Highlight the financial and environmental costs of inaction", "structure": "The Status Quo -> The Hidden Costs Accumulating -> The Future State of Inaction -> The Tipping Point", "confidence": 0.7, "description": "Quantify what happens if the audience does nothing" } ], "imagePathAlt": null, "thumbSrc": null, "thumbSrcAlt": null, "locked": true }