Why Personalised Returns Are the Future of Retail

If you wouldn’t market to everyone the same way, why treat their returns that way?

Retailers have mastered the art of personalisation.

Tailored ads. Targeted offers. Custom landing pages. Even live chat that knows who you are before you say a word.

Yet when it comes to returns?
It’s the same blunt process for everyone.

A loyal customer who’s spent £1,500 and shops regularly is asked to jump through the same hoops as a one-time discount buyer.
VIPs wait days for refunds. High-value items are handled like throwaway fast fashion. And shoppers who abandon carts due to unclear or rigid return policies? Lost forever.

This isn’t an isolated glitch — it’s an industry-wide blind spot.

The expectation shift is already here

Shoppers are used to personalisation.
So when the returns experience feels generic, it jars — and it costs you.

• 83% of shoppers use digital channels as their first point of contact. (Google, 2023)

• 51% focus more on deals and discounts, and 84% say promotions influence where they buy. (Salesforce, 2024)

• 77% want personalised discounts and alerts, and 55% expect real-time updates. (Accenture, 2023)

These expectations don’t stop after checkout.

Returns that feel impersonal signal one thing: you don’t value the customer enough to know who they are. That hurts loyalty — and recovery.

Ask yourself:

• Would you send the same email to a first-time buyer and a VIP?

• Would you show the same product recommendations to a high-spender and a bargain-hunter?

If not — then why are your returns rules still “one-size-fits-all”?

The fix? Start treating returns like you treat the rest of the customer journey

Returns are not just a post-purchase process. They’re a moment of truth — one that can deepen loyalty, build trust, or push a customer away for good.

With the right approach, returns can:

• Drive retention

• Reduce abandonment

• Lower fraud and waste

• Protect profit margins

All it takes is a mindset shift: from reactive process to personalised journey.

→ Ready to flip the script on returns? Start here.