European parcels group GLS has launched a new service in Germany named ShopReturn for easymanagement of return shipments in the B2C mail-order market.
ShopReturn allows customers of mail-order companies as well as the mail-order business itselfefficient and easy management of return shipments by enabling customers to hand in their returnshipments at any of the 5,000 GLS parcel shops in Germany.
Those mail-order firms who make use of ShopReturn attach a return label with the parcel inadvance so the customer can adhere this to the return shipment. After the customer hands in theparcel at a GLS parcel shop, GLS delivers the return shipment back to the mail-order company within24 hours.
GLS said that it will only charge shippers the costs of actual returns. There is no returncharge for the customer.
“ShopReturn is a practical and comfortable B2C solution which has fully proved itself duringthe testing period”, said Klaus Conrad, managing director of GLS Germany. As many as one mail-orderparcel in three is sent back by the customer, GLS pointed out.
The launch of the ShopReturn service is part of the company’s extended B2C developmentstrategy using its network in Germany as alternative delivery points when private customers are notat home to receive their shipments. The new service responds to the boom in online orders frome-commerce.
