How You Can Use Lighting to Help Prevent Product Returns
By stephen
February 18, 2016
![](https://ambiencelighting.imgix.net/uploads/U410XMBY-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&h=72&q=80&w=93&crop=faces%2Cedges%2Centropy%2Ccenter&blur=30)
Research tells us that in some shopping categories, less than 5% of returns are actually from product defects.
Many companies focus on efficiently handling returns, rather than preventing them. This means a simple sale can be a complex time-waster and testing on staff resources.
The solution? Minimise it.
This is especially true in the skincare and cosmetic industries, an example being foundation returns, which are a common issue across cosmetic retail. Improving this is something that’s a cornerstone of our strategy for lighting these environments.
When approaching the design, we obviously aspire to create a warm and inviting mood for clients, but also the best environment for product displays to capture attention, and for optimum colour matching.
In an attempt to minimise returns, we need to be conscious that the purchasing decision-making process is complex, such as the need to provide correct colour output.
If someone gets the product home and it doesn’t look the way it’s meant to look, they’re coming straight back! This means the lighting must reflect the true colours of the product, all the while maintaining warmth and mood.
Importantly, there are no fit rooms. So products are ‘try ons’ at the retail floor. Therefore, we combine ‘fit room lighting’ – a critical juncture on the decision-making process with the overall retail strategy. There is an equal importance in not just making the customers look and feel good, but also a realistic reflection of the product once applied.
And in the end, you get customers coming back in, for the right reasons.