Unhappy Returns

Online shopping has made buying more convenient, sure. But because we can't touch, feel, and try items on when perusing e-commerce sites, return rates have skyrocketed. Each year in the US alone, shoppers return approximately 3.5 billion products, only 20% of which are actually defective. Spoiler alert: these perfectly new and non-defective items that we return? Workers only very rarely restock them for sale.Today I divulge what *actually* happens to clothing that we buy online and then return; I'm also offering up some practical action steps for everyone (like myself!) who enjoys shopping online. Here's a preview:[5:15] How did we get here? A brief history of fast, free, no questions asked returns[7:00] The major differences between forward logistics and reverse logistics[12:00] What happens to the clothes we return: landfill, merchandizer, or abroad[16:15] 5 ways to reduce returns sent back to manufacturers Resources mentioned: What Actually Happens To Your Online Returns? (via HuffPost) Did you know there's a book based on THIS podcast? (Thank you for supporting my work!)  * Join our (free!) community here.* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.* Want more episodes like this one? Check out #105: Where Do Goodwill Donations Go?Our Sponsors:* Thank you to LifeStraw! https://lifestraw.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sustainable-minimalists/exclusive-content Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.