.svg){kind=small}
.jpg)
About Plutosport: the largest online sports and lifestyle store in the Netherlands
Plutosport is the largest online sports and lifestyle store in the Netherlands. Founded in 2005 and active as an online retailer since 2010, they offer the best deals on sports and lifestyle products, from clothing and footwear to accessories for women, men, and kids. Their collection now includes over 200 top brands and more than 22,000 products—all at remarkably competitive prices.
Plutosport’s team is young, energetic, and quick to respond to market demand. Their buying team travels across Europe to source the best collections, and their high service levels ensure that most products are in stock and ready for next-day delivery.
A high volume of customer inquiries and no exchanges
While Plutosport’s sales were thriving, there was significant room for improvement in the returns process. A major challenge was the overwhelming number of customer inquiries caused by a confusing returns system.
We spoke with Henriette van Dam - Janssens, Senior Team Leader of Customer Service at Plutosport, about how their partnership with Returnista came to be.
One key issue was that Plutosport didn’t include a return label with orders. Customers had to save the original shipping package to return items, which often wasn’t feasible since many discarded the packaging. Henriette explains:
“We used to advise customers to order multiple sizes since exchanges weren’t possible. This meant customers had to place a new order for the correct size and then initiate a return for the unwanted item. This created a lot of confusion and led to a customer service team working overtime to handle the influx of inquiries.”
Improving the customer experience with Returnista
Plutosport set out to resolve these issues and enhance the customer experience. They quickly found a solution in Returnista.
The first step was simplifying and encouraging exchanges. Customers now have fewer reasons to contact customer service about issues like incorrect sizing. This change not only preserves revenue that would otherwise be lost but also improves the overall customer experience.
Additionally, with Returnista, Plutosport now provides return labels, making the returns process far more straightforward.
Immediate impact: 80% fewer calls and 25% more exchanges
Within days of implementing Returnista, Plutosport saw positive results. The clearer returns process meant customers needed to contact customer service less frequently. Henriette shares:
“I was initially skeptical about how much easier things would get, but within a few days, we saw an 80% reduction in customer calls. We really felt the difference.”This time-saving benefit allows the customer service team to assist other customers more quickly, further enhancing the overall experience. Moreover, Plutosport now sees 25% more exchanges each month, helping retain a significant amount of revenue.
Reducing the return rate with data-driven insights
After these initial successes, Plutosport is exploring further improvements to the returns process. Lowering the overall return rate is a key focus.
They’re currently working on a business case to optimize partnerships with service points where customers drop off return packages. Improving these touchpoints with external partners ensures a smoother experience for customers.
Exchanges have also opened up opportunities to gather valuable return data. Plutosport now has better insight into why certain products are frequently returned. Henriette explains:
“When customers consistently report that a specific item fits differently, we can respond by updating the product information to set clearer expectations.”
With these insights from Returnista’s platform, Plutosport can actively prevent returns while enhancing the customer journey.
Looking ahead, Plutosport is excited to continue working with Returnista to take even bigger steps toward optimizing their returns process.
