Anything that raises a catalog or website customer’s comfort level is a plus for sales, especially during these days of cautious spending. Studies repeatedly show that, the longer the guarantee, the higher the sales and the lower the returns. Likewise, a recent study by Forrester Consulting reports that 81% of people surveyed agreed that “If an online retailer makes it easier for me to return a product, I am more likely to buy from that retailer.”
That makes a new joint venture between UPS and the U.S. Postal Service well worth keeping an eye on. The program, currently in test, is called UPS Returns Flexible Access. It allows for the exceptionally convenient return of any product initially shipped by UPS.
Using a return label provided in the initial product shipment, customers can leave a return package for pickup by their regular postal carrier, or drop it off at a post office, in a postal collection box, a UPS store, UPS drop box, UPS customer center or at any designated third-party retailer, such as Staples and Office Depot.
The test started last month with a few pre-selected retailers, and is expected to last about five months.
