How to make return management your competitive advantage

8th March 2016

Most consumers check the return options before purchasing a product online. This online shop knows just how to please their customers by providing the return options, they demand and thus gains a competitive advantage.

A study shows that up to 81% of consumers expect one of the following return options before purchasing a product online:

That they can return an item purchased online in a physical store.
That they can send an online purchase back to the online shop with a return label, which is generated and paid by the online shop.

By digitizing their return managent one of Norway’s biggest outdoor online shop, Friluftsmagasinet, is able to provide their customers with the most attractive return options gaining a competitive advantage towards competitors.

“Our customers have the possiblities of returning their online purchase in one of our physical stores or print their e-mail or pdf generated return label, and send the parcel back to us free of charge. We use cloud-based software, that enables us to minimize the inconveinence of returning parcels for our customers as well as streamline return management internally,” Jonas Larsen, E-commerce Manager at Friluftsmagasinet, says.

Read more on the Increase sales and customer satisifcation by using multiple carriers for shipping here

Jonas Larsen, E-commerce Manager, is happy to complete the overall customer experience with attractive return options. Here he is at Friluftsmagasinet’s warehouse in Drammen, Norway.

Improving the customer and employee experience
At Friluftsmagasinet digitizing return management was a natural part of improving the overall customer experience, which also includes competitive prices as well as the right mix of delivery options according to Jonas Larsen:

“We believe that good customer experiences depends on multiple factors. A good return experience is just as important as reasonable prices and relevant delivery options. We are excited to complete the customer journey with attractive return options”

Digitizing return management has thereby strengthened the Norwegian online shop’s competitiveness, and it has shown to be a great internal tool at the same time.

“Now when we receive returns at the warehouse, we register the returns with a few clicks and use the invoice number to identify the order. This way the stock is updated right away and the employees use a minimum of working time. Also our customer service has experienced a lot fewer calls regarding how to track and return their parcel,Jonas Larsen concludes.

Facts

Friluftsmagasinet sends more than 35,000 parcels a year to Norwegians.
Friluftsmagasinet has four physical shops in Drammen, Oslo, Trondheim and Hamar. All in Norway.
Friluftsmagasinet started out as a mail order company in 1991, which they still pursue.
The most popular products at Friluftsmagasinet are hunting and camping gear, footwear and clothing for hunting and outdoorlife.
Friluftsmagasinet has their own brand Dovrefjell, and many other popular brands including Garmin, Bergans, NorrÃ¸na, Mammut Ajungilak
Read more about return management at Friluftsmagasinet.