Poor product information fuels returns & lost sales

Poor product information is driving returns and deterring purchases, according to new Akeneo consumer research on shopping behaviour and return rates.

The findings highlight problems both before and after checkout, with shoppers saying missing or inaccurate details affect confidence, product choice, and brand loyalty. Two-fifths of consumers said they had returned a product in the past year because the pre-purchase information turned out to be wrong.

Return rates across retail remain high. Akeneo, citing National Retail Federation figures, said the average retail return rate is approaching 17%, with annual returns costing the sector nearly USD $900 billion.

The research points to inaccurate descriptions, inconsistent sizing, missing specifications, and weak imagery as key reasons shoppers receive products that do not meet expectations. Consumers said they return an average of two products a year for that reason alone.

Before Purchase

Product information issues also shape behaviour before a sale is made. Nearly three-quarters of consumers said they struggle to find all the information they need to make a confident purchase decision, while 71% said they now spend more time checking purchases because of inflation and higher prices.

That caution appears to affect both conversion and loyalty. The findings show that 70% of shoppers would buy a different product than the one they intended if information was lacking, 65% would abandon a purchase altogether, and 68% would stop buying from a brand after a poor product information experience.

Akeneo argued that retailers have focused heavily on making returns easier and cheaper while paying less attention to the quality of information shown before an order is placed. Clearer, more complete product data could reduce avoidable returns and build customer trust, it said.

Consumers also linked better information with a greater willingness to keep what they buy. Nearly two-thirds, or 62%, said they are far more likely to keep a purchase and feel positive about it when product information is clear, accurate, and detailed.

That includes sizing and fit guidance, product attributes, technical specifications, imagery, and details on materials, availability, and sustainability. The research suggests shoppers are using a broader range of product details to judge whether an item meets their needs before committing to buy.

Executive View

Romain Fouache, Chief Executive Officer of Akeneo, said retailers and brands are missing a direct link between data quality and returns.

“Many companies still haven’t connected the dots between product data quality and return rates,” Fouache said. “When product information is incomplete, unclear or inconsistent, customers are far more likely to receive something that doesn’t meet their expectations, and that leads directly to returns. But when data is accurate, consistent, detailed and easy to understand, shoppers buy with confidence. Better product data doesn’t just lift conversion; it protects margins, loyalty and brand credibility.”

The figures add to a broader retail debate over the cost of returns and pressure on margins. Returns can add handling, transport, and restocking costs, while increasing the risk that stock cannot be resold at full price.

For retailers, the research indicates that product pages and related data may have a more direct effect on commercial performance than is often assumed. For consumers, it suggests that frustration starts before the return process itself, when information is absent, unclear, or inconsistent at the point of decision.

Among the clearest findings was the link between accurate information and customer retention: 68% of consumers said they would stop buying from a brand after a bad product information experience.