When considering buying a product online (especially when it comes to clothing) the question arises if it will work as expected or if it will really be to our liking. To avoid discontent or errors, many users resort to the practice of bracketingwhich consists of buy various products identical or similar with the intention of keeping only one and returning the others.
In these cases, companies face additional costs for logistics and storage. Furthermore, it is a fact that this action causes major carbon emissions and waste generation.
Why do people bracket
According to a 2021 Narvar survey, 85% of 1,000+ online shoppers they assured that they resorted to bracketing because they do not want to risk doubts when it comes to seeing if the product is really what they expected or if it really favors them.
Here are some of the main reasons that push users to this practice:
Uncertainty in sizes: When customers make purchases online, it is common for them to have doubts about what size or fit will be best for them, especially if the sizes differ between different brands or if the information about them is not clear. In this sense, bracketing offers them the opportunity to try various sizes at home and select the one that best suits your needs.
comfort and convenience: Although e-commerce provides the convenience of shopping from home, it lacks the ability to try products before purchase. However, bracketing gives consumers the option of evaluate items in your own environment and scheduleavoiding the need to go to physical stores.
Explore new brands: When customers shop online at an unknown store or brand, they may have doubts about the quality or style of the products. However, this practice offers them the possibility to try different similar items and thus evaluate which ones meet their expectations.
Favorable return policies: the availability of policies flexible and free returns in many online stores encourages consumers to make more adventurous purchases and experiment with various options without worrying about wasting their money if an item doesn’t fit or is dissatisfying.
Today there are eCommerce that take advantage of this practice to capture the attention of their buyers. An ideal example is Amazon with his system buy now and pay laterwhich consists of customers being able to test their products for a period of 7 days.
How this practice affects eCommerce and the environment
Although this practice may sound attractive to online shoppers, the reality is that, in addition to causing economic losses to companiesalso have a great negative influence on the environmental impact.
To avoid this, companies can take actions such as optimize routes delivery to reduce carbon emissions, use eco-friendly packaging or promote more responsible return practices. Now, if it has not been clear to you how returning a package can influence the environment, we will tell you:
Increase in carbon emissions– Shipping multiple products to customers and subsequent returns of unwanted items leads to increased use of transportation, resulting in increased greenhouse gas emissions.
Residuous generation: If the returned products cannot be resold, they are usually thrown in the garbage cans, which makes a significant increase in the level of waste.
Additional use of packaging: This practice increases the consumption of natural resources in the manufacture of packaging and generates a greater amount of waste once the products are delivered and returned.
5 measures to avoid bracketing
It is essential that sellers implement strategies to provide detailed and accurate information about your products, thus creating a more informed shopping experience for customers. Here are some ways to achieve this and avoid bracketing:
Offer complete product information, including precise measurements, detailed descriptions of materials and features,. improve the quality of product images, using clear, well-lit photos taken from multiple angles, and even considering 360-degree photos or videos. request and highlight customer reviews about products for feedback on fit, color, size, and quality. Toast real time support via live chat to offer immediate assistance to buyers, especially on more complex or expensive products. Allow virtual tests through augmented reality technology, which allows customers to view the product in their environment before making the purchase. Today there are many tools aimed at this point, such as Wanna Kicksto test slippers; Drest it is to try on clothes in the style of a video game; and Wishiwhich helps you have a stylist put together your style.
Photo: Depositphotos
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