A recent survey by Upgraded Points detailed how 1,000 Americans handle online shopping and returns, and, as it turns out, Gen Z consumers don’t necessarily go along with prevailing trends.
Upgraded Points is a company that helps consumers use credit cards and travel points.
According to the survey, 78% of consumers, on average, prefer Amazon as their online vendor, with males a bit more likely to choose Amazon. Some 72% expressed positive sentiments toward Amazon’s return process overall, with Baby Boomers most satisfied and Gen Zers least satisfied. In addition, Gen Z shoppers lead in frequency of online returns, but they are less likely to check return policies.
The Upgraded Points survey suggested online shoppers are twice as likely to purchase additional items if they can get free returns rather than just two-day shipping. Then, about 22% of consumers confessed to using an item before returning it, with Gen Zers being the most likely to do so. Indeed, 13% of consumers have falsely claimed that an item was damaged to complete a return, according to the survey.
Other survey results:
- Popular Shopping Modes. Today, 52% of Americans predominantly shop online, while 14% prefer in-store, and 34% use a more even blend of both.
- Gender Return Trends. Women exhibit a higher average rate of online order returns versus men.
- Timing. Online shoppers are most likely to make returns post-holidays, with January, at 51%, the most likely timeframe compared to November, at 14%, or December, at 28%.
- Return Shipping Stand. In all, 87% of shoppers will not return an item if they have to pay for the return shipping.
Among the main reasons consumers return products, Upgraded Points stated, are item ineffective or broken, at 55%; missing or broken parts, at 38%; no longer needed, at 24%; product damaged but package fine, at 21%; and wrong item delivered, at 20%.
