Omnichannel Returns Can Grow Revenue, Enhance Customer Experience

Nov 24, 2015 9:13 AM By MCM Staff

New York, NY – StellaService, an independent provider of customer service performance metrics for online retailers, today announced findings from The Omni-Returns Experience Report, a new study exploring the benefits and challenges of omni-channel offerings including buy online, return in-store (BORIS).

Evaluating the ease, speed, and clarity of the BORIS experience for 25 retailers across multiple categories including Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Apple, Gap, Sears, J.C.Penney, Macy’s, and others, the report details how large retailers are connecting in-store and digital channels. With over three quarters of multi-channel retailers evaluated by StellaService now offering buy online, return in-store, the Omni-Returns Experience Report highlights the growing importance of omni-channel and details areas for improved revenue growth and enhanced customer experience.

As a growing number of retailers continue to make strong investments in and develop their omni-channel strategies, the report, with fieldwork conducted by ICC/Decision Services, underlines how and where retailers are falling short, and what is required to improve the BORIS experience. Among the findings in the Omni-Returns Experience report:

• Retailers missed the opportunity to save the sale or upsell 87% of the time.
• 40% of retailers offering BORIS did not consistently make the option clear to shoppers in packaging.
• Shoppers took over a minute on average to locate the return area in-store.
• Associates did not pass StellaService’s quality evaluations during 22% of in-store experiences. 

“This research highlights how dynamic retailers have been in developing their omni-channel offerings – building the infrastructure and capabilities to handle a growing number of multi-channel transactions,” said Kevon Hills, VP of Research at StellaService. “What’s exciting is the huge opportunity BORIS creates for revenue growth, with retailers now having the opportunity to either save the sale or upsell customers in a way not previously available.