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☆ Consumers hate paying for return shipping — it tops jury duty and the DMV in annoyance factor, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

As much as consumers love shopping online, most hate to shell out for shipping charges. Paying for return shipping is even worse. These days, 77% of shoppers check the return policy before making a purchase, according to a September survey of 1,500 adults by GoDaddy. Nearly a third, 30%, of consumers said paying for return shipping was more annoying than jury duty and going to the Department of Motor Vehicles. When it comes to winning over customers, return fees matter, other reports also show.

Persons: Optoro, Amena Ali, Amy Jennette Organizations: Parcel Service, GoDaddy, Department of Motor Vehicles, Finance, Miami Locations: New York

☆ Why 'wardrobing' retail fraud soars in the summer
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-07 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A particular type of retail fraud soars during the summer season. Scot Case, executive director of the Center for Retail Sustainability at the National Retail Federation, said wardrobing can drive up costs and waste for retailers if the product can no longer be resold. "As companies build and integrate take back programs to repair and resell used items, returns take on a new role, fueling a new circular market." The average value of a returned item for Optoro's customers is $85. The highest item value reported as returned in the survey was $200.

Persons: Amena Ali, Optoro, Ali, TJ Maxx, coverup, Scot Case, Stephen Lamar, Lamar, Stephen Lamar's Organizations: CNBC, Center for Retail Sustainability, National Retail Federation, Eagle Outfitters, American Apparel and Footwear Association Locations: recommerce

This year, 59% retailers offer so-called "returnless" or "keep it" policies for unwanted products whose returns costs exceed their value, according to returns services firm goTRG, which surveyed 500 executives at 21 major retailers, including Walmart (WMT.N) and Amazon.com (AMZN.O). That information is "not something that retailers want out there" due to worries the policies could be abused by shoppers, he said. The firm helps retailers manage returns, which typically rise after pre-Christmas sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday and continue beyond Christmas. The typical return costs retailers about $30. "You just can't afford to ignore it," she said of returns costs.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Sender Shamiss, Shamiss, Amena Ali, Ali, Gabrielle Richards, Pamela Peters, Peters, Lisa Baertlein, Arriana McLymore, Siddharth Cavale, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, ANGELES, Black, Walmart, Super Bowl, Reuters, eBay, Appriss Retail, National Retail Federation, Amazon.com, Thomson Locations: Macy’s, Roosevelt, Garden City , New York, U.S, Los Angeles, New York

It ships the goods to FedEx returns centers, where they are sorted by merchant. Consolidating returns can lower transportation costs as much as 20%, said Amena Ali, CEO of returns services provider Optoro. Meanwhile, rival UPS is buying Happy Returns to beef up its e-commerce returns business that has grown 25% since 2020. Roughly 5,200 UPS Store locations will join Happy Returns' established drop-off points, making the service available at more than 12,000 U.S. locations, UPS said. FedEx accepts no label, no box returns at 10,000 U.S. locations including FedEx Office, FedEx Express Ship Centers, and Walgreens (WBA.O).

Persons: Bing Guan, Ryan Kelly, FedEx's, Kelly, Amena Ali, Lisa Baertlein, Will Dunham Organizations: FedEx, Los Angeles International Airport, REUTERS, United Parcel Service, Walmart, Reuters, Optoro, UPS, FedEx Office, FedEx Express Ship Centers, Walgreens, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Los Angeles

Like many Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere he feels Arab states have not done enough to support the Palestinian cause, especially those who have normalised ties with Israel. Israel reiterated it would not allow aid through its crossing with Gaza until Hamas released about 200 hostages seized during its cross-border attack on Israel on Oct. 7. The Gaza health ministry said 3,478 Palestinians have been killed and 12,065 wounded in Israeli air strikes on the besieged enclave since Oct. 7. Israel and Egypt have upheld a blockade of Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory in 2007, tightly controlling the movement goods and people. But the Hamas attack, the biggest against Israel since the 1973 Yom Kippur war, followed by the fiercest ever Israeli strikes on Gaza, has created a monumental crisis.

Persons: Stringer, Awad El, Hoda Arafat, Abu Taya, Amena Al, Michael Georgy, Angus MacSwan, Alex Richardson Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Israel, White, United Nations, Palestinian, Aqsa Hospital, Gaza, Gaza Health Ministry, Interior Ministry, Thomson Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Egypt, GAZA, U.S, El, United States, Ahli, Arabi, Israeli, Al

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