SIRAS: Return Policies Fine For PCs, MP3, Tablets

By TWICE Staff -- TWICE, 10/17/2011

REDMOND, WASH. — Consumers who attempt to return purchases of computers, tablets and MP3 players make nearly 80 percent of all return attempts within two weeks of purchase, according to SIRAS, the provider of product registration, return validation and lifecycle tracking services, based here.

That is the highest proportion within that period for any of the major CE categories tracked by SIRAS, according to this exclusive report for TWICE.

The proportionally high short-term rate, driven primarily by retailer return policies, is advantageous to both retailers and manufacturers, SIRAS said, because it improves sales forecasting and inventory management, and maximizes the value on returned product that ends up being sold in the secondary market.

“Major retailers now have tight return policies on PCs, tablets, and media players,” said Peter Junger, SIRAS president, “and the vast majority of consumers are playing by retailers’ rules, attempting 78.7 percent of all returns within two weeks of purchase. Technology has a short shelf life to begin with, and it’s costly to have consumers holding onto products they don’t intend to keep. For both retailers and the manufacturers, getting returns back faster is good for the bottom line and better for accurately projecting net sales and inventory needs.”

Junger added, “Another factor affecting the age of return attempts is customer satisfaction. If customers have difficulty understanding how to use a product, which perhaps happens more often with leading edge products, they are more likely to make returns quickly, either to get their money back or try something else right away.”