eCommerce Can Be Greener: AfterShip Reveals Green Returns Practices for Various Industries

reduce cost and improve customer experience with green returns hero image

AfterShip conducted an analysis of Green Returns usage from over 4,000 retailers. Green Returns is a shipping method allowing retailers to refund customers without requesting them to return the items. The study focused on 14 eCommerce industries, including Vehicles, Beauty & Cosmetics, Health, and more, from 2021 to 2023.

Highlights

Among 14 eCommerce industries, Vehicles (8.75%) and Health (8.33%) have the highest adoption rates of Green Returns, followed by Beauty & Cosmetics (3.42%). Furthermore, the analysis revealed that 8 industries are above the average adoption rate of Green Returns across all industries (0.74%). 

The majority of Green Returns come from products with lower price points:

Products priced under $50 account for 57.6% of total Green Returns.

Products priced between $50 and $99 account for 27%.

Products priced between $100 and $199 account for 9.9%. 

Adoption Rate of Green Returns by Industry: Percentage of Green Returns Volume Out of All Returns Volume (Q3 2021 to Q1 2023)

adoption rate of green returns by industry

Green Returns by Product Price: Percentage Distribution Based on Product Value (Q3 2021 to Q1 2023)

green returns by product price

Findings and Implications

The analysis of 14 eCommerce industries has revealed that Green Returns is a common practice in many sectors, including Vehicles, Health, Beauty & Cosmetics. This indicates that retailers are likely using Green Returns for non-resellable or non-restockable items.  Additionally, products with lower prices tend to adopt Green Returns more than those with higher prices, probably due to the consideration of supply chain and workforce returns costs.

Methodology

Data from over 4,000 eCommerce stores globally, utilizing AfterShip Returns, were analyzed between Q3 2021 and Q1 2023. This analysis identified approximately 14 industries from a sample of 1,500 stores assessed by SimilarWeb.

The findings regarding Green Returns volume and total Returns volume for the 14 industries under investigation are of particular interest. A snapshot of this distribution reveals valuable insights into these industry sectors.

Industry

Volume of Green Returns

Volume of all Returns

Beauty & Cosmetics

5,722

167,351

Vehicles

4,214

48,183

Sports

2,496

227,328

Health

2,361

28,354

Home & Garden

906

35,489

Fashion & Apparel

650

1,654,421

Food & Drink

191

23,913

Computers, Electronics & Technology

190

25,449

Jewelry & Luxury

131

27,575

Games

60

3,484

Childcare

53

22,330

Pets & Animals

31

43,196

Arts & Entertainment

2

1,472

Science & Education

1

1,113

Grand Total

17,008

2,309,658

Green Returns Is Relevant to Your Brand

eCommerce returns policies often give customers longer return windows and more leeway for accepting products in less-than-perfect condition. This leads to items that cannot be resold or restocked. In addition, returns on seasonal items may come in too late for resale, plus brands sometimes destroy returns to maintain high product value. Instead of throwing away damaged or defective returns, Green Returns issues a refund without requiring the customer to ship it back, which saves the planet and your money. It also enhances your brand’s social responsibility reputation. AfterShip Returns provides flexible routing rules triggered by conditions such as order value, return reasons, and product type. Retailers can leverage automation to enable Green Returns as a returns method for specific items, according to the return policy. 

Updated:

April 21, 2023

Don't forget to share this report!

Connect with our post-purchase experts to see how AfterShip can transform your customer journey.

Book a demo

Harness the power of AfterShip’s solutions

Connect with our post-purchase experts to see how AfterShip can transform your customer journey.

laughing