Publikationen
Beitrag zu Produktretouren und Zahlungsmethoden wird in A-Journal veröffentlicht
Der Beitrag „Managing a necessary evil: Can payment methods reduce product returns?“ von Prof. Dr. Ina Garnefeld, Prof. Dr. Eva Böhm (Universität Paderborn), Dr. Katharina Kessing und Prof. Dr. Lena Klimke (University of Applied Science Dortmund) wird im Journal of Retailing erscheinen. Das Journal of Retailing ist eines der international führenden Journals im Bereich Marketing und Retailing und ist im VHB-Ranking als A-Zeitschrift bewertet. In dem Beitrag betrachten die Autorinnen inwiefern sich Zahlungsmethoden auf das Retourenverhalten auswirken. Darüber hinaus werden zwei zugrundeliegende Mechanismen identifiziert und untersucht.
Abstract des Beitrags
Product returns represent a serious challenge for online retailers and environmental protection alike. Taking a fresh perspective on effective product return management options, the current study proposes payment methods as a potential driver of product returns. By combining field data from an online fashion and accessory retailer with a laboratory experiment, the authors show that payment before product delivery (e.g., direct debit, PayPal) reduces customers’ product returns compared with payment after delivery (e.g., invoicing, Prime Wardrobe). Psychological ownership and perceived return effort represent the underlying mechanisms that determine the effects of these payment methods on return behavior: If customers pay before they receive the product, they experience stronger feelings of psychological ownership and perceive higher effort to return it. However, this effect only occurs when retailers offer free shipping. Considering that small reductions in return rates can have considerable effects on retailers’ bottom lines and the environment, a tactical approach to managing online payment methods suggests immense potential for sustainable online retailing.
doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2026.04.008
