M&M Direct partners with Collect+ on returns service

MandM Direct.com has launched a new returns service in partnership with Collect+. The UK discount clothing retailer will allow customers to cover the cost of returning a product, usually £3.99, for just £1.49 when they make a purchase.

MandMDirect.com customers that choose to take up the service will pay £1.49 at the point of order for a Collect+ label. The label is then printed onto the MandM delivery note.

Customers that wish to return unwanted goods re-package the product, attached the Collect+ label, and drop the parcel of at one of the 3,500+ corner shops that are part of the Collect+ network.

This new offering is a response to consumer demand for a cost effective returns processes.

Returns are an ongoing issue for consumers, with 58% of online shoppers saying that a lack of clarity and transparency can put them off buying from a retailer altogether.

Whilst more than one in ten (12%) online shoppers buy products with the intention of returning all or part of their order, more than half (59%) of online shoppers expect these returns to be free*.

These consumer expectations fail to take in to account that “free” returns will often be the result of hidden costs, and that retailers can only offer the lowest product prices, and protect thin margins, by being transparent when it comes to the cost of deliveries and returns.

Neil Sansom  marketing director, MandM Direct said: “Clear and simple returns processes are increasingly important to savvy consumers that will take their purchasing power elsewhere if they don’t like what they see. In the value sector, free returns are not an option if we want to continue offering our shoppers the best prices all year round. This new service not only gives our customers the option to pay a small amount for a guaranteed return, but with Collect+ it also makes the process much more convenient than ever before.”

Mark Lewis, CEO, Collect+, said: “MandM Direct is among those online retailers that recognise the importance of the customer experience when it comes to the last mile of internet shopping – deliveries and returns. Busy consumers need services that fit in with their day-to-day lives, and this cost-effective and simple solution to product returns is one that we expect to see more and more retailers consider in the coming months.”