Product Return Management in Online Retailing

Online retailers are challenged by high return rates and the associated return costs. At the same time, they do not know whether their efforts should end with policy formulation, or if subsequent active return management has the potential to further improve profits. They also face several challenges when deciding on how to manage product returns, e.g., how to deal with abusive customers, or what to consider when implementing marketing activities and whether these could impact returns.

In five articles, this book derives direct recommendations for researchers and practitioners on how to manage product returns using strategies that address customer-centric, product-centric, or retailer-centric drivers of high return rates.