In 2018, the ECR group published a breakthrough report on ecommerce returns. The report called out how most retailers had poor visibility to the full cost of the problem, the causes and for many, an absence of a company wide approach to unlocking the hidden profit potential from the prevention of high returns and / or cost optimisation strategies. The message was clear, there was no such thing as a free return (click for article)

To assist the group, Professor Lisa Jack developed a simple model that helped retailers calculate what could be the full cost of a return, with functionality for "what if" analysis. What if returns would be reduced by 10%? What if we could influence 50% of customers to return in-store Vs via a courier? etc.

In this working group meeting, Professor Lisa Jack will share the latest thinking on the model, including estimates on the impact of customer fees for returns not via stores on the full cost of the return. The group will then discuss how they are / are planning to leverage the model to define and shape their returns policy.

This working group meeting is for retailers, CPG's and academics only.