Hermes Launches C2B Returns Service

Hermes has launched a service that will enable retailers to offer customers a hassle-free means of returning unwanted purchases direct from their homes. The consumer-to-business (C2B) returns solution is designed to improve the overall shopping experience by offering doorstep collections that can be quickly and easily organised over the Internet.

The service is available via myHermes.co.uk, the consumer-to-consumer delivery solution that was launched in 2009. A dedicated returns area has been created for retailers using the service to enable their customers to arrange a courier collection on a specific day direct from home, a neighbour or a nominated safe place.

A label pre-populated with all address and contact details is printed from the website, simplifying the repackaging and labelling of a package. Meanwhile, online tracking is also available, so that both the retailer and consumer can monitor the progress of a parcel, providing peace of mind that it has reached the returns department.

Hermes has introduced the solution to offer a convenient alternative to using the Royal Mail or a rival services that require a journey to the local Post Office or collection depot, which in many cases can be several miles away. According to last year’s Hermes Parcel Deliveries Usage & Attitude Survey, there is strong demand for a new type of C2B returns service with 78 per cent of consumers finding the idea of organising online the collection of unwanted goods from home or a safe place either very or quite appealing.

Jon Tobbell, Commercial Director of Hermes in the UK commented: “An effective returns solution can enhance customer service, resulting in a positive impact on brand loyalty and ultimately contributing to increased sales. A flexible collection from home that can be arranged online removes much of the hassle often associated with returning purchases, whilst streamlining the overall returns process for the retailer.”