11-10-2017
An Post today launched ReturnPal – a new, easy-to-use service to return unwanted goods to any online retailer in Ireland or the UK.
Consumer choice in Ireland is ever increasing, however the burden of returning goods to retailers remains an issue for Irish shoppers. According to new research by An Post , just 1 in 4 Irish adults (24%), say they will always return goods with which they are not 100% satisfied.
An Post research highlights the need for the new parcel returns solution for online shoppers:
- with only 1 in 3 Adults Return Unwanted Online Purchases – because it’s too much hassle!
- Almost half of Irish adults shop online at least monthly
- 1 in 3 admit to not returning unsuitable goods because it’s too much hassle
- 1 in 4 say not being able to try on clothes is the most frustrating part of online shopping
Despite 48% of adults in Ireland saying they shop online at least once monthly, when it comes to returning unsuitable goods, consumers are hesitant. According to An Post’s research, one third (32%) of respondents say they have failed to return unsuitable goods bought online because of difficulty getting the goods back to the retailer.
An additional 1 in 5 (20%) say the decision to return goods or not is dependent on the perceived difficultly of getting goods back to the retailer of origin, while 28% would weigh up whether the value of goods is worth the effort to return.
More than a third of Irish adults (36%) admit they have experienced the frustration of ordering goods online only to find, upon delivery, that the goods do not fit or match the description given on the website from which they made the purchase.
Another source of irritation for Irish shoppers is not being able to try on clothes before buying, with 1 in 4 (24%) saying this is their biggest ecommerce annoyance.
ReturnPal, a new service from An Post, makes online shopping returns simple. The app is free to download from the Apple Store and Google Play Store and registration is also free. Online shoppers can then have their unsuitable or unwanted goods collected by An Post from an address of their choosing and returned directly to the retailer from which the goods came. There’s no need to be at home when the postperson calls to pick up a return, just fill in the details through the app. Return parcels can be left in a safe place such as the customer’s porch or their windowsill. There is no need to print a label as the postperson will supply the return label from the details you provide through the App.
If the online retailer offers free returns through An Post ReturnPal, the service is free to customers. Otherwise, customers pay a fee, with a standard charge of €4.50 within Ireland (further details at returnpal.ie).
Returns can be booked up to midnight for following day collection, via the ReturnPal app. Customers placing the return order will receive confirmation of the collection and can track their item all the way back to the retailer. Alternatively, customers can pay online, download a barcode and drop the parcel into any Post Office and onward delivery will be taken care of by An Post.
Garrett Bridgeman, Managing Director, Mails and Parcels, An Post, says: “ReturnPal is a new and innovative product from An Post, which does not exist elsewhere in the market. Our research shows that there is a clear need and demand for this handy, secure service in Ireland and that demand will only increase as online spending grows amongst Irish consumers. We have been able to match what An Post does best to a very real demand from the growing online shopping market”.
Source: An Post