Enable self-service online returns
Author:
Fluent Commerce
Changed on:
22 Oct 2025
Problem
Customers who purchased online cannot self-initiate returns digitally and must instead contact the call centre to begin the returns process. This creates unnecessary customer friction, increases support costs, and extends the time to resolution. The lack of self-service returns capabilities damages customer experience, creates operational bottlenecks, and prevents retailers from efficiently managing returns at scale.
Example
A fashion retailer required all online customers to call their service center to initiate returns, creating a bottleneck that extended average call times and frustrated customers accustomed to self-service returns. During peak periods, customers waited on hold for 30+ minutes just to start a return, leading many to dispute charges with their credit card instead. The call center costs associated with processing returns consumed a significant portion of the returns budget, while competitors offered instant return label generation through their websites and apps.
