Two of the world’s most important retail companies, Amazon and Walmart, have modified their policies to allow customers to obtain Refunds without the need to return the products. Although it may seem a gesture of generosity, it is actually a strategy with which companies seek to reduce operational costs and, incidentally, improve customer loyalty.
According to media such as Business Insiderthis change has surprised many consumers who increasingly discover this policy, known as “Refunds without return”. It is a trend that has become more common in electronic commerce.
According to information from Tododiscathis policy does not apply to all products, but is mainly used with articles that have two key features: they are difficult to resell and their return represents a high operating cost For the company.
This dynamic usually takes customers by surprise, who at the beginning of a return process receive a message indicating that They can keep the article and that the reimbursement has been issuedinstead of the traditional label for the return of return.
The cost of processing returns
The logic behind this decision is economic. Process returns represents a significant expense For retailers. Each article that returns must be inspected to determine its status and decide if it can resort. However, in many cases – especially when the product costs less than $ 20 – the cost of the process exceeds the value of the item, making its re -entry to the inventory unfeasible.
For this reason, from a commercial perspective, it is more efficient to grant a complete reimbursement and Allow the customer to retain the productespecially when it cannot be deleted. This is the logic that has led to companies such as Amazon and Walmart to implement this measure more common.
In addition to savings, this policy has a positive effect on the relationship with the consumer. When the problems are solved without friction, the client perceives the store as a reliable companywhich increases the probability of future purchases.
In the case of Amazon, this practice has been documented at least since August 2024, and is usually applied to products with a value of less than $ 75. Walmart has followed a similar path. Also other platforms, especially of Chinese origin such as Temu, Shein and Aliexpress, have adopted similar measures, especially in the context of International shipmentswhere the cost of return is not very profitable.
Not all customers qualify
Although it may seem a generalized advantage, Not all consumers can access To this type of refund. Companies have developed control systems to avoid abuse and ensure that beneficiaries do not seek to take advantage of politics.
To do this, companies such as Amazon and Walmart use algorithms that analyze various factors, such as shopping history, the frequency of returns, logistics costs and demand for the product in question. These data allow determining whether or not to offer A refund without return in each case.
