Product returns, often 3-4X greater with online retail Vs bricks and clicks, and for some categories in excess of 25% of total sales, significantly impacts the profitability of online retailing while compounding the environmental impact the organisation has on the planet.

In the world of shoe retailing, 20%+ levels of returns can be expected, with online only retailers such as Zappos promoting very easy free returns as part of their proposition, encouraging customers to trial different sizes and returns the sizes that do not fit. For the customer, the ease of returns is a critical part of their whole shopping journey. However, for those control costs and managing risk in an organisation, policies, and controls matter.

In this session, we will hear from Tom Wood, and learn more about the Clarks journey on managing product returns, and how they have increased conversion, saved paper and time, and reduced costs from new disruptive interventions around returns for wrong fitting and faulty products.

Following Tom's presentation, the group will discuss the findings and learning points. This working group meeting is for retailers, brand owners and academics only.