The holiday season signifies a surge in online retail activity, marked by a spike in purchases followed by an inevitable influx of returns. While returns pose a challenge for merchants during this potentially lucrative time, the situation is exacerbated by the rising trend of return fraud. Shockingly, 11% of the $212 billion in online purchases returned last year were deemed fraudulent, causing significant financial strain for businesses. Return fraud not only results in revenue loss but also the forfeiture of actual merchandise, compounding the impact on already thin profit margins. In response to this challenge, Adobe Commerce customers can turn to Signifyd’s Return Abuse Prevention solution, an invaluable tool designed to mitigate the risk of return fraud and enhance the overall experience for legitimate customers. As fraudulent returns intensify during the holiday season, businesses can leverage this solution to not only safeguard their operations but also improve customer satisfaction, ultimately translating into higher conversions and increased customer lifetime value.
One prevalent form of return fraud involves fraud rings and unscrupulous consumers targeting the return process. A survey by Signifyd revealed that nearly a quarter of consumers admitted to returning an empty box or a different item than the one initially purchased, all in an attempt to secure a refund. Fraudsters exploit merchants’ eagerness to process refunds swiftly to provide an exceptional customer experience. Some retailers opt to issue refunds as soon as the shipping provider notifies them that a package is en route, foregoing the standard practice of waiting to receive and inspect the returned item. This expedited process creates an opening for fraudsters, enabling them to execute various fraudulent tactics.
Sophisticated fraudsters may purchase high-value items such as electronics, jewellery, or apparel and then replace them with knock-offs, broken, or outdated products before returning them. Alternatively, some unscrupulous individuals fill shipping boxes with items like rocks, canned food, or other materials to approximate the weight of the original purchase. This manipulation exploits the common practice among merchants to issue refunds promptly upon the return package being scanned by the shipper.
In more elaborate schemes, scammers alter the return shipping label’s address, rerouting the package to a nearby but incorrect warehouse. Despite the package being scanned as delivered in the shipper’s system, it is nowhere to be found at the intended merchant’s warehouse. This misdirection often results in the merchant assuming the package was misplaced, allowing the fraud to go undetected.
To address the growing threat of return fraud, Signifyd’s Return Abuse Prevention solution offers a strategic approach for Adobe Commerce merchants. By automating the evaluation of return requests based on their risk level, retailers can distinguish between low-, moderate-, and high-risk requests and tailor their responses accordingly. For instance, a loyal customer with no history of return abuse could be granted an immediate refund, enhancing their experience. On the other hand, a moderate-risk request might warrant approval for store credit, while a high-risk return would necessitate processing and verifying the returned product in the returns centre before issuing a refund.
Adopting a risk-based return approach not only expedites seamless returns for legitimate customers dissatisfied with a product but also mitigates losses from return fraud perpetrated by more overt scammers. Striking this balance becomes increasingly crucial, as Signifyd’s recent consumer attitudes survey on returns indicated that 65% of respondents would cease buying from a brand based on a poor return experience.
While the focus on managing fraud intensifies during the winter holiday season due to the outsized revenue generated, the importance of reducing the risk of return fraud persists throughout the entire year. Professional fraud rings, individual scams, and consumer abuse—such as false claims of items never arriving—constitute ongoing threats for online retailers. Vigilance in implementing fraud prevention measures, like Signifyd’s Return Abuse Prevention solution, provides tangible benefits for businesses and customers alike, fostering a secure and satisfactory shopping experience throughout the year.
