Shoppers demand better returns and refund policies this 2025

Do you ever wonder why amid all tech innovations in the past few years, business workflows haven’t been fully automated yet?

We do, and we got some pretty interesting insights from one article. It said that while AI automation seems straightforward on paper, it’s much more complex in practice. But it also predicted that 2025 might just be the year that can solve that.

We’ll guess we’ll see, then. In the meantime, why don’t you see our week-ender lineup?

• Better returns and refunds in 2025 👍
• Shein and Temu vs. local retailers 💪
• E-gift cards for better brand marketing ✉️

HOT TOPIC

Ecommerce is known for speed and convenience. But deliveries aren’t the only ones that become convenient in online businesses—fraud and counterfeits too!

Therefore, return and refund policies are important to shoppers. Sadly, not all platforms have good ones. YourStory recently reported how customers were unhappy with those of Indian ecommerce platforms.

🔢 The sad stats

A study by the social media platform Local Circles revealed that among 102,000 consumers:

• 41% ended up with counterfeit items.
• 43% said there was no way to return or report fake products.
• The problem is widespread, reaching both city and rural regions. 🗾
• Abuse of the no-return policy is rampant on Meesho and Flipkart.
• One-third of respondents were unhappy with the quick commerce platforms' return and refund policies and processes.

The good news for Amazon: Customers prefer the platform for its returns and refund policies. Its rivals in the Indian ecommerce scene, Meesho, Tata Neu, and Ajio, had less than 2% positive responses. For quick commerce platforms, 22% of consumers preferred Bigbasket, followed by Swiggy Instamart and Blinkit.

🛡️ Who to protect first: sellers or consumers?

Indeed, it’s important to address counterfeit scams victimizing consumers. But let’s not forget that sellers have also been victims of return fraud. Hence, having a rigid returns process is a must to protect BOTH sides.

Amazon, along with other retailers and government agencies, is working hard to counter fakes and return fraud. But of course, they’ll need your sharp eyes to spot those bad actors and defeat them early on.

ECOMMERCE NEWS

Shein and Temu battle South African retailers

According to Digital Marketing News, Shein and Temu have disrupted the South African ecommerce market. Shein became the most downloaded app, and Temu has also risen in popularity since its 2024 launch.

The result? Local brands now have to step up and expand to keep up!

🥊 Ongoing battles

• Low price points. Consumers are attracted to Shein and Temu’s affordable prices. Both retailers leverage their large scale to keep prices low, which doesn’t apply to local businesses yet.
• Ad wars. Since both platforms don’t have physical stores, they invest heavily in advertising, especially on social media. Unfortunately, local retailers struggle to match their ad budgets. 💸
• Tax loopholes. South African parcels valued under R500 (approx. $26) are not taxed. This is similar to the U.S. “de minimis” policy, which gives low-cost goods an advantage over local products.

👁️ Potential issues are peeking, though

Yes, low prices and fast deliveries are top-tier sales boosters. However, quality issues have been associated with the Chinese e-retailers’ business models. It’s not impossible for this to negatively affect Temu and Shein if they don’t include local vendors soon.

BITES OF THE WEEK

• Content Kings: Do you know who’s behind the effective content strategies brands use to attract sales?
• Temu x ACCC: Temu is working with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to enforce product safety standards.
• Big Tech, Big Help: Amazon, Meta, Walmart, and other companies are pledging support for L.A. wildfire victims.
• Strategist Wanted: If you’re a content king (or queen) who can slay on socials, we want you!

TACTIC TALKS

3 reasons to maximize e-gift cards for your brand marketing

If physical stores have physical gift cards, online stores have e-gift cards (or gift codes). These practical virtual alternatives are more thoughtful than cash and flexible enough to meet the recipient’s preferred usage. 🧧

Big News Network.com reported that the market for gift cards hit $474 billion in 2024 and would rise to $510 billion by 2025! So, here are 3 reasons why you should jump on the trend:

• Customer convenience: E-gift cards are purchased online and sent via email, offering simplicity for the buyer and the recipient (if different from the buyer). Not to mention it’s more secure as their value is stored in a code rather than physical form.
• Brand building: They help enhance brand recognition, giving a risk-free product trial to those unfamiliar with a brand. Plus, it puts your brand on par with bigger brands offering the same services.
• Sales boost: Recipients often spend more than the card's value or use leftover balances. Also, sale refunds may be lessened and gift returns are reduced since recipients shop for items they actually want. 🎁

Overall, e-gift cards are an efficient and cost-effective marketing strategy. Not only can they spark curiosity about your brand, but they’ll also enhance customer convenience to pool in sure sales!

Do you think e-gift cards could be your 2025 game-changer? Let us know your thoughts by replying to this email! ✉️er it's a surprise gift or a high-energy flash sale, the right discount at the right time can turn casual shoppers into loyal customers.