How Oh Polly boosted NPS by 156% with a revamped returns experience

Oh Polly is a fast-growing online fashion retailer that operates across the UK, US, and Australian markets. Known for their trendy, statement pieces, Oh Polly has built a loyal customer base by staying ahead of fashion trends and delivering quality products that help customers look and feel confident.

Like many fashion e-commerce brands, Oh Polly faces the challenge of high return rates inherent to online clothing shopping. Customers often need to try multiple sizes or styles before finding the perfect fit, making returns a critical part of the customer journey. However, their original returns process was creating friction and disappointment rather than building loyalty.

"We were sitting around 25 in our NPS for the returns [customer] journey. Now we're at 64-65," says Emily McMorran, Customer Journey Manager at Oh Polly. "It has been a huge leap [offering] different options and [making] the portal experience seamless. It really helps customers get a quicker return."

The challenge was clear: transform returns from a pain point into an opportunity for customer retention and revenue growth, while maintaining the seamless shopping experience their customers expected.

Oh Polly knew they needed a returns solution that could not only streamline the process but also create opportunities to retain revenue that would otherwise be lost to refunds. After evaluating their options, they chose Loop for its comprehensive feature set and seamless Shopify integration.

Since plugging Loop into their Shopify store in 2023, Oh Polly has seen remarkable improvements across all key metrics, turning their returns process into a competitive advantage and revenue driver.

Returns

Oh Polly's transformation began with creating a frictionless returns experience that customers actually enjoy using. Loop's returns portal replaced their previous cumbersome process with an intuitive, self-service platform that gives customers multiple options and puts them in control.

"It really helps customers get a quicker return," says McMorran. The streamlined process allows customers to easily initiate returns, choose their preferred resolution method, and track their return status - all without needing to contact customer service.

The improved experience has been transformative for customer satisfaction. Oh Polly's NPS for the returns journey jumped from 25 to 64-65, representing a 156% improvement that directly impacts customer loyalty and likelihood to recommend the brand.

Returns

Boost customer loyalty with seamless returns

Exchanges

Rather than simply processing refunds, Oh Polly uses Loop's exchange functionality to create upsell opportunities and retain revenue. The key is strategic incentivization that makes exchanges more attractive than refunds.

"Customers may opt for a [refund], but we look at ways to incentivise them into choosing other options," explains McMorran. "We add a little bonus incentive. For instance, £5 on top of the amount they're exchanging, to entice them to spend more money."

The exchange process is tightly integrated with Oh Polly's online store through Loop's Shop Now experience. Instead of filling out forms, customers are routed directly back to the shopping experience where they can browse and select new items.

"[Customers can] Shop for absolutely anything and it brings [them] back into Loop to complete the exchange, once [they've] chosen their items. It is just a great opportunity for more upsells," says McMorran.

This approach has delivered impressive results:

• Reduced cash refunds: 10% reduction in the UK, 20% reduction in US and Australian markets
• Increased upsell order volumes: Average returns order volume increased from 3.29 to 5.37 (63% increase)
• Doubled upsell spend: Average returns order spend jumped from £242 to over £500 (107% increase)
• Consistent upsell rates: Up to 3% upsell ratio on exchanges across core markets

Insights

Beyond improving the customer experience, Loop provides Oh Polly with valuable data insights that inform product development and inventory decisions. The platform's flexible return reason tracking helps identify patterns and issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.

"You can specify by different product SKUs, or you can group them. [For example] we have 'parent and child' return reasons. You can also dig deeper. Customers can leave open text feedback if they have additional comments," explains McMorran.

This granular data collection enables Oh Polly to:

• Identify specific products or sizes that consistently have issues
• Understand customer sentiment and feedback in their own words
• Make informed decisions about product improvements and inventory planning
• Spot trends that can inform future product development

Since implementing Loop, Oh Polly has transformed their returns process from a necessary cost center into a strategic advantage that drives customer satisfaction, retention, and revenue growth.

The results speak for themselves: higher customer satisfaction, increased order values, reduced refunds, and valuable product insights that inform business decisions. Oh Polly's success with Loop Returns demonstrates how the right returns platform can turn a traditional pain point into a competitive advantage.

Analytics

Make data-driven product decisions