Return on Investment: How Three Brands Are Doing Returns Right

There's nothing more annoying than buying something and having to go through the hassle of returning it. Can you relate? For whatever reason, the product didn't meet your expectations - the dress from Banana Republic didn't fit, the drink from Starbucks was incorrect, the lamp from Wayfair was too tall, the plates from Bed Bath and Beyond arrived broken - these unfortunate scenarios happen to the best of us. It has taken years for consumers to become comfortable ordering products online, overcoming the fear of negative experiences, misused financial information and making the choice of shopping convenience over selection confidence. Many well-known retailers such as Nordstrom, Target, Nike and Amazon are often recognized for their fret-free returns process, but I'd like to shed light on three young brands that are not only earning praise for their outstanding products and disrupting their respective industries, but also have far exceeded everyday expectations in the retail returns space.

Away

Few of my possessions make me happier than my Away Bigger Carry-On. It's traveled with me to six different countries and countless U.S. states for memorable experiences around the world. Like most of Away's loyal following, I'll never buy a different brand of luggage again and I seriously mean that.

If you haven't heard of Away (it's okay, I forgive you LOL), they've only been around for about three years, but have successfully disrupted and taken the luggage and travel industry by storm. When Co-Founders Jen Rubio and Steph Korey met at Warby Parker, they had no idea that they'd later be doing with luggage what WP did by axing the middle man in the eyeglasses business. After Jen's suitcase broke in the Zurich airport, she unsuccessfully sought advice from Facebook friends on the best luggage to invest in (listen to her tell the story on "How I Built This," it's one of my favorite episodes!), so she reached out to Steph about the idea of creating their own. A year later, they'd raised $2.5 million building their travel brand, Away. Today, Away has sold over one million suitcases, made over $300 million in revenue, raised $100 million in funding and has a valuation of $1.4 billion.

Amazing, right? If Away's success story isn't enough to fall in love them, I'm a witness that their customer service is also phenomenal. Everything from Away's product design, branding, marketing, website and purchase process is sleek, seamless and thought-out to perfection, including their exchange and returns experience.

After toting around my clay-colored Away Bigger Carry-On for two years, this spring I decided it was time to invest in a larger Away bag for longer trips. So I ordered their largest bag, the Large.

Upon receiving the Large, I took it with me on a two-week trip to the east coast. I overpacked (as usual), and ended up paying a hefty weight overage charge upon checking it. After lugging it around the entire multi-city trip, I realized that the Large was a bit too large for me. Luckily, Away has an amazing return policy that states: "Starting from the day you buy any piece from Away, you have the next 100 days to live with it, vibe with it, travel with it, Instagram it, put a sticker on it, whatever. If at any point in those first 100 days you decide it's just not for you, return it for a full refund—no questions asked."

So I emailed Away and had the following exchange with their team member, Georgia:

Hello! I have two orders I'd like to inquire about. For my recent Order ######, the Large is just too big for me. I traveled with it last week without filling it up, and it weighed over 50 lbs (and yes, I had to pay United an extra $100 )-: ). I'd like to exchange it for a Medium is possible. Unfortunately, I already threw the box. How do I return the Large in exchange for the Medium size? Also, for my first Away Order ######, my Bigger Carry-On's battery pack door is missing. I'm not sure if it broke off during my last trip, but I'm scared the battery pack will fall out one day and will need to be replaced as well. Is the battery pack door covered by the Warranty? If so, can a replacement be sent to me? I believe the Rashida Jones collection Clay color that I have was discontinued, but just sending me a new door to pop in would be fine. Thank you for your help! Amber

Hi Amber! Thanks so much for reaching out! Happy to help with the exchange and repair on both of your orders. Just need to confirm a few details before we send you two UPS pre-paid labels for you to send your bags back to us! First, for the exchange, wanted to let you know that we will refund the $20 difference to your original form of payment before we ship out your new Medium suitcase. We're more than happy to help with the repair for the battery door of your Bigger Carry-On since it's covered by our Lifetime Warranty! Once you've confirmed the shipping address below, we'll send you a pre-paid UPS label for you to send your Bigger Carry-On back to us as well. Let me know if you have any questions! Best, Georgia

Yep, that’s correct! Thank you! I can send the Large back immediately, but I am traveling with the bigger carry-on to Costa Rica for two weeks. When I ship it, am I just sending it to you for repair or are you replacing it? I love the color and would like to keep it. Amber

Hi Amber, Great! We can fix The Bigger Carry-On with a repair, so no need to let go of your limited edition. :-) (I love Clay so much, I wouldn't want to let go of it either!) Costa Rica sounds amazing. Hope you have a great trip and feel free to send us your bag when you get back! I realized I didn't answer your question about the box for you to send The Large back to us. Feel free to use any shipping box you have around your home or office (reduce, reuse, recycle!) - I’ve found offices typically receive some bigger supply orders so you might be able to locate a box big enough to ship the luggage back in. If you still have trouble locating a box and end up having to purchase one, feel free to forward us your receipt and we can reimburse your original order! I've attached the 2 Pre-Paid UPS labels and labeled them with the associated order. Please let me know if I can help with anything else! Best, Georgia

This conversation occurred in a matter of minutes in my preferred channel (email) solving two problems for both a new and two-year old order. I wasn't charged a thing or inconvenienced, all while having a friendly, authentic conversation with more than just an actual human being, but a fellow travel aficionado! By the end of the month, I received my repaired Bigger Carry-On, a refund for the exchange difference back on my credit card and my new Medium bag. With exceptional quality products, customer experiences and exceeded expectations like this, why would I ever buy a luggage set from anyone else?

Oh, and my dachshund, Ralph is a fan too! Okay, next up...

Rothy's

There are many direct-to-consumer shoe brands that have emerged in recent years and developed an obsessive following - TOMS, Allbirds and Tieks, to name a few - but after seeing the cutest flats worn by a few colleagues and being served the occasional coincidental sponsored Instagram ad, I decided to give Rothy's a try.

Rothy's shoes are made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles and post-consumer recycled materials. As 91% of the world's plastic doesn't get recycled, they've repurposed nearly 35 million water bottles in the making of their products. Founded in 2012 by investment banker, Stephen Hawthornthwaite and creative, Roth Martin, Rothy's is committed to sustainability and eliminating waste, from the making of their stylish, eco-friendly, machine-washable shoes to their fully biodegradable shoe inserts and box packaging.

I was so excited to purchase my first pair of Rothy's, especially since I received a referral discount link from my coworker for $20 off my first order! The Point flats had my name written all over it and I loved their Big Cat print. Unfortunately for me, this print was sold out in my size (10.5! Big Foot, I know.), so I set up a notification email through their website to let me know when they'd come back in stock. Despite my disappointment, my impatience got the best of me and I decided to order the Leopard print instead.

About a week later, the Leopard arrived at my door in Rothy's recyclable box as promised. I tried them on and walked around a bit in my living room to test them out. Though I did like the style, comfort and print, the shoes were a bit snug at my big toe, even though I'd ordered a 1/2 size up as suggested on the website and in customer reviews. I also still had my heart set on the Big Cat print that was sold out instead of the Leopard that I'd settled for. After receiving an email that the Big Cat was now back in stock, I rejected the buyer's remorse felt and opted to exchange the Point flats for a 1/2 size up in the print I initially fell in love with.

The returns process was beyond easy. I signed in to my Rothy's account, selected return/exchange, received instructions on how to return the shoes for free and select the size and style I wanted in exchange. Once my return was dropped off (we'll get to that part later), I received notification by email and my exchange order was processed and pending shipment. Another week later, my Big Cat Point flats arrived, super comfortable and cuter than I imagined. I'd end up wearing these shoes everywhere - in the office, out on a date, in the airport, around the house, etc. - Rothy's has truly changed the game.

Which brings me to the last company I’d like to highlight as they are transforming the retail returns customer experience as a whole…

Happy Returns

This third brand doesn't sell goods, but offers a B2B service for businesses that do while making what many feel is a dreadful experience a much happier one for these businesses' customers. Like Away, Happy Returns was founded in 2015 by two colleagues with a brilliant idea. Co-Founders Mark Geller and David Sobie met at HauteLook before it was acquired by Nordstrom. After working on the successful Return to Rack program allowing HauteLook shoppers to return products to Nordstrom Rack stores, the idea of Happy Returns was born. Mark and David found that online shoppers overwhelmingly prefer to return items in person to avoid the hassle, wait and worry of returns by mail. Happy Returns is building a network of physical return locations called "Return Bars" to enable in-person returns from online shoppers.

I can attest to the innovative disruption and world-class return experience that Happy Returns is creating. This is how I returned and exchanged my Rothy's flats mentioned above. The shoes were a bit too snug at the toe and I was interested in a different print in my selected style. As stated on Rothy's website, "Unworn, unwashed shoes in their original packaging may be returned or exchanged within 30 days of receipt. We partner with Happy Returns to make your returns & exchanges easy. Just make sure to have your order number handy." Upon entering my Order ID and Billing/Shipping zip code on Rothy's Returns page, the return process was initiated online and I was directed to bring my package to my local Sur La Table location in San Antonio. "Very strange," I thought, especially since I hadn't been in one of these stores before and it was an unrelated retailer selling cooking products and classes. Nevertheless, I traveled 10 miles to the location with my box as instructed. Upon entering the store, I was greeted warmly by a sales associate and explained I was there for a return. He promptly asked for my name and order number, took the box and stated I'd be emailed a receipt. That was that! No return label to print at home, the office or a UPS Store. No calling or emailing Rothy's Customer Service. None of that. I just handed over the box and Happy Returns handled the rest (hence their name). Talk about a fret-free experience that leaves you smiling instead of stressed!

Consumers spend and invest in products and services everyday, but the customer experience doesn't stop at the point of acquisition. To adequately acquire, satisfy and retain customers, the retail return experience should not be an afterthought. I applaud Away, Rothy's and Happy Returns for showing traditional retailers and fellow e-commerce businesses how it's done and proving that earning and retaining a loyal customer can happen even under unfortunate circumstances. I'll be bragging about these brands and my experiences with them for years to come, and that's the best outcome of a satisfied customer.

ACG

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