One in three Aussies are returning online purchases, says Hubbed

Robert Stockdill

27th Apr 2021

More than one in three Australians who shopped online during the past few months have returned goods, according to parcel collection network Hubbed. 

The company found that 98 per cent of Australians shopped online and 36 per cent returned items from online purchases. 

Hubbed – which is launching a returns-management platform for SME retailers to help them offer customers an automated returns service – says its research found that nearly three times the proportion of young shoppers return items than older shoppers: 48 per cent of 18-50 year olds returned purchases compared with just 18 per cent of shoppers aged over 50. 

Shoppers in NSW and ACT were more likely to return goods after the Christmas-New Year period than those in other states.

The new Hubbed Returns service will allow retailers to redirect customers from their shopping sites to a ready-built ‘returns’ page which can be branded and designed in the retailer’s style, delivering a seamless experience for the consumer. Shoppers can choose which of Hubbed’s 2000-strong network of collection stations across Australia to return the goods to, which includes service stations and outlets of MBE, Snap Printing and National Storage. 

Hubbed will scan each returned item at the collection point, notifying the retailer of the return receipt almost immediately. This enables the retailer to release a refund or credit note to customers faster (if their returns policy allows) rather than when the package arrives at a carrier depot or the retailer’s warehouse.

“Knowing that returns is a common pain point for retailers, we established an easy-to-manage returns solution that simplifies the process for both retailers and customers,” said Hubbed CEO and founder David McLean. “It also provides end to end returns visibility, from the moment a customer books a return to when the order arrives at a drop-off location.

“The ability for retailers to release customer credits faster through our service – if their returns policy allows – can also help increase buyer loyalty. Faster reimbursements may motivate customers to purchase more with a Hubbed retailer partner over another,” said McLean.