Doddle, a leading international e-commerce solutions provider that designs, develops, and integrates consumer fulfillment and returns technology, announces that it has launched a free Digital Returns Solution to provide U.S. retailers and consumers with more convenient ways to handle e-commerce shopping returns. Doddle is providing this through a pilot agreement with the United States Postal Service (USPS).

By 2022, e-commerce is projected to represent 24% of all U.S. retail. Currently, e-commerce return rates are 22% on average and are forecast to be as high as 26% by 2022. This increase will result in lower and unsustainable retail margins. Adding to that, returns currently incur avoidable costs, like pre-printed, non-recyclable labels in every outbound package; logistics costs back to the distribution center; costs of goods at the distribution center; and storage and restocking, to name a few. These issues, coupled with the fact that negative returns experiences are the number one reason for customer attrition in e-commerce, make returns a potential roadblock to retailer success, particularly as the cost of e-commerce returns only increases post-COVID-19.

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To address these issues, Doddle is making its returns portal free and available to all retailers. The portal digitizes and streamlines the returns journey for consumers with USPS label broker technology that enables a label-less returns experience. The consumer is asked to simply enter their email address and order ID. From that, the portal then presents the purchased items and allows the consumer to select which item(s) is being returned and the reason. The consumer then receives an email with their shipping label and a map of more than 32,000 convenient drop-off locations to return the item.

Doddle’s returns portal also enables retailers to adjust their reverse supply chains towards long-term revenue and loyalty outcomes, not just short-term costs, using real-time, actionable dashboards about what’s being returned and why. This digitization provides retailers with insight that empowers them to make optimum business decisions, improve cost management, drive customer retention, and enhance sustainability. Retailers can be up and running on Doddle’s free returns portal within one week.

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“We know that coming out of COVID-19 there will be a large increase in e-commerce sales and a relative increase in returns, so we’re excited to be able to provide a free tool to help businesses turn that returns experience into a strength and not a weakness,” said Dan Nevin, Doddle’s North America CEO. “Our digitized returns portal transforms the landscape of returns, removing the costly analog system that exists for retailers today. As a result, it can be a foundation for success moving forward and enable these businesses to focus their resources elsewhere and work to remain competitive against companies like Amazon.”

“Collaborating on this returns solution with Doddle will offer U.S. retailers and consumers easier ways to manage e-commerce fulfillment and returns,” said Gary Reblin, VP of Innovation, United States Postal Service. “Working with Doddle and retail partners, we look forward to further extending our services to consumers outside of our Post Office™ locations to provide them with the flexibility they seek.”

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