Survey: More than one-third of consumers not happy with return policies

San Francisco -- More than one-third of customers who returned gifts they received this past holiday season were not satisfied with their return experiences, according to a new study released by MarketTools, which provides software and services for market research and enterprise feedback management.



The study found that of those not satisfied with the return process, 32% cited the retailer’s return policy as the main source of angst, 23% were unhappy with the form of refund the retailer provided, and 22% were dissatisfied with long lines.



“The return process is a critical element of the retail experience, and retailers should use this opportunity to gather feedback from their customers to improve the overall customer experience,” said Justin Schuster, VP of enterprise products at MarketTools.



The returned gifts fell into the following categories: clothing & shoes (62%); toys, games & hobbies (16%); consumer electronics (14%); and kitchen & bath (13%). Beauty & cosmetics and jewelry & watches tied with 10% each.