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Information and its impact on consumers׳ reactions to restrictive return policies

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  • Bahn, Kenneth D.
  • Boyd, Eric

Abstract

Designing an effective return policy is a difficult task for retailers. A very restrictive return policy can keep logistic costs down and prevent fraudulent returns but it can also have a negative effect on consumer behavior. Two experiments explore the role of assortment-related information in moderating consumers׳ negative reactions to more restrictive product return policies. The results demonstrate that consumers will view an assortment characterized by a more restrictive return policy as attractive to the extent that the assortment supports the information processing strategy triggered by the return policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Bahn, Kenneth D. & Boyd, Eric, 2014. "Information and its impact on consumers׳ reactions to restrictive return policies," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 415-423.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:21:y:2014:i:4:p:415-423
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2014.03.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Tan, Yingsi & Geng, Shuang & Katsumata, Sotaro & Xiong, Xiaojun, 2021. "The effects of ad heuristic and systematic cues on consumer brand awareness and purchase intention: Investigating the bias effect of heuristic information processing," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    6. Dailey, Lynn C. & Ülkü, M. Ali, 2018. "Retailers beware: On denied product returns and consumer behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 202-209.
    7. E. Mitchell Church & Richelle Oakley DaSouza & Olajumoke A. Awe, 2024. "Examining the Antecedents of Return Policy Leniency in eCommerce," Journal of Electronic Commerce in Organizations (JECO), IGI Global, vol. 22(1), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Jeng, Shih-Ping, 2017. "Increasing customer purchase intention through product return policies: The pivotal impacts of retailer brand familiarity and product categories," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 182-189.
    9. Janakiraman, Narayan & Syrdal, Holly A. & Freling, Ryan, 2016. "The Effect of Return Policy Leniency on Consumer Purchase and Return Decisions: A Meta-analytic Review," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 226-235.
    10. Hjort, Klas & Lantz, Björn, 2016. "The impact of returns policies on profitability: A fashion e-commerce case," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 4980-4985.
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