Fashion brand, Oh Polly has boosted its net promoter score (NPS) and cut its cash refunds, by overhauling its returns process. The online retailer started working with Loop Returns in 2023 to transform its returns experience for customers and improve customer loyalty.
“We were sat around 25 in our NPS for the returns [customer] journey. Now we’re at 64-65,” Emily McMorran, customer journey manager, Oh Polly, told Customer Experience Magazine.
“It has been a huge leap [offering] different options and [making] the portal experience seamless. It really helps customers get a quicker return,” she added.
Since plugging Loop Returns into its Shopify store, Oh Polly has reduced its returns for a refund by 10% in the UK, and by 20% in the US and Australian markets. Rather than losing the sale entirely, customers are encouraged to opt for store credit.
That process creates a valuable upsell opportunity for Oh Polly. “Customers may opt for a [refund], but we look at ways to incentivise them into choosing other options,” said McMorran
“We add a little bonus incentive. For instance, £5 on top of the amount they’re exchanging, to entice them to spend more money,” she added.
The upsell opportunity
The upsell opportunity is tightly integrated with the online store, through the Shop Now experience. When customers go through the exchange process, rather than just fill out a form with their details, they’re routed back to the online shopping experience.
Across its core markets, Oh Polly has seen up to a 3% upsell ratio on exchanges.
Customers can “shop for absolutely anything and it brings [them] back into Loop to complete the exchange, once [they’ve] chosen their items. It is just a great opportunity for more upsells”, explained McMorran.
The upsell opportunity provided by Loop Return has dramatically improved Oh Polly’s average order volume and spend. According to data from Oh Polly’s UK store, before it adopted Loop the average returns order volume was 3.29. And average returns order spend was £242.
Since implementation, average returns order volume has shot up to 5.37. Average returns order spend has more than doubled to over £500.
Loop Returns also helps Oh Polly collect customer data, not just on the CX, but on the products themselves. In Loop retailers are free to specify as many reasons for a return as possible.
“You can specify by different product SKUs, or you can group them. [For example] we have ‘parent and child’ return reasons. You can also dig deeper. Customers can leave open text feedback if they have additional comments,” said McMorran.
Vital component of online CX
A robust returns platform is a vital component of a good online customer experience. According to Erin Cummings, enterprise merchant success manager, Loop Returns, 63% of consumers look at the returns policy before they shop online.
“Loop helps customers to return, because if they have a poor return experience, they’re not going to want to come back and shop again,” explained Cummings.
“Having something in place in the backend to increase your CLTV is a massive driver for a brand,” she added.
