ZigZag triumphs at the RTIH Awards 2023

ZigZag claimed its third award of 2023 with a win at Retail Technology Innovation Hubs Awards ceremony last week. The hattrick award was for Customer Experience Excellence, given to the tech partner that provided an exceptional omnichannel customer experience, powered by innovative technologies, to react to the industry’s changing customer trends.

After years of offering free returns, retailers are starting to realise that customers are willing to pay a little towards the cost of convenient returns without damaging sales conversion. With the cost of doing business and inflation skyrocketing alongside some of the highest return rates ever, that realisation couldn’t have come sooner. However, retailers must balance the impact of introducing return fees by delivering a seamless post-purchase experience that makes lives of shoppers easier.

New Look were one of the many retailers to take the decision to move to paid returns for online sales. However, to ensure a smooth transition for their customers, they wanted to bolster their in-store returns experience and provide a free alternative to the new paid online returns. This award recognised the role ZigZag took rolling out convenient, drop-off kiosks across a number of New Look stores back in August. The initiative lessened the impact of paid online returns on customer satisfaction, without creating long queues of frustrated customers at returns check-in desks.

On what it was like to work with ZigZag on the project, New Look’s Senior Product Manager, Rachel Troke, stated: “ZigZag is so flexible. As a retailer, when you work with ZigZag you know you are getting a really supportive partner that will help you get to the goals you want to get to. ZigZag has allowed us to push the boundaries at developing our customer experience.”

The drop-off kiosks have encouraged shoppers to head back to brick-and-mortar stores to make their free return, with less shoppers returning online, resulting in store returns tripling. New Look has also seen a marked improvement on the quality of their data collection. As all customers process their returns through ZigZag’s slick online portal to get their QR code, prior to coming to the store, and New Look now collects more accurate reasons for why the customer is returning. Information that helps identify toxic products, poorly performing carrier services, and assists processing in their stores, warehouses and distribution centres.

The panel of respected judges, ranging from retailers such as Marie Curie, Starbucks, Ted Baker, Boots, Just Hotter, and Selfridges, were particularly impressed with ZigZag’s drive to continuously transform the returns process for retailers, customers, and the planet.

ZigZag’s Head of Client Development, Max Roberts collected the award on behalf of ZigZag on stage in front of a packed professional audience. Brands such as DPD UK, Asda, Amazon Fresh UK, DFS, John Lewis Partnership, Polarn O. Pyret, Kingfisher, and many more were shortlisted for accolades at the event, so just being nominated was an honour.

Max commented, “It is brilliant to be recognised for all the hard work the ZigZag team has put on developing the customer experience for our retailers. Despite being a leader in women’s fashion for over 50 years, New Look is always looking for new ways to delight its customers and make their lives easier. It has been a pleasure to work alongside their team for the project.”

Speaking of the win, Al Gerrie, ZigZag’s Founder & CEO added, “We are particularly proud of the project we embarked on with New Look. With paid returns becoming an essential response to the difficult climate conditions retailers are finding themselves in, retailers must find new ways to make the returns process more convenient and efficient for shoppers.

“The return kiosks are proving to be a big hit with shoppers. We’ve had a number of retailers approach us off the back of the successful in-store kiosk launch to see if we can replicate the offering in their stores.”