Record set on Black Friday . . . for returns

ONLINE retailers have been hit by a ‘boomerang Friday’, with returns last month up more than a quarter on a year ago.

Outlets rolled out huge discounts around Black Friday and Cyber Monday hoping to lure in cashstrapped shoppers ahead of Christmas. But, while figures revealed a jump in spending last weekend offering some respite for beleaguered online retailers, it was followed by a surge in returns.

Retail returns firm ReBound said the soaring cost of living was partly to blame for a 26.6 per cent jump in items sent back in November, compared with the same period a year earlier. Alarmingly, the additional returns came in the last three days of November – suggesting overeager shoppers almost immediately sent Black Friday purchases back.

ReBound, which works with retailers including Asos, River Island and Crocs, said returns ‘eclipsed’ last year’s Black Friday total, as customers sought to get their money back for unwanted products as soon as they could.

Laura Garrett at ReBound said: ‘The initial results from the Black Friday weekend shows that 2022 is likely to be a record returns’ year.

‘Despite retailers spreading sales across the month to avoid the logistical nightmare of a one-day spike, the volume of returns in November will pile extra pressure on retailers who have to turn products around in time for Christmas.

‘The cost-of-living crisis is clearly playing a part, as the impact of energy bills soaring in October and mortgage rates rocketing have buyers thinking twice about their purchasing choices.’