TikTok Shop and DoorDash make returning online orders easier

Two big shopping apps are making returns less of a chore. DoorDash will send a driver to pick up an item you want to send back, for a $7.99 fee. TikTok Shop now lets customers drop off returns at one of 10,000 Happy Returns locations, as long as the seller agrees.

What changed

DoorDash announced in September that it is adding retail returns. A driver can arrive in as little as 30 minutes, so customers do not have to pack the order and take it back themselves. The service is live in select cities and is expected to go nationwide in November.

TikTok Shop announced a tie-up with Happy Returns, a return service. If a brand or retailer on TikTok Shop opts in, customers can drop an item off in person at one of 10,000 locations nationwide. TikTok Shop's Patrick Nommenson said the goal is a returns experience that is faster, hassle-free and more trustworthy.

Why returns matter

Brad Jashinsky, an analyst at Gartner, pointed to a Gartner survey from earlier this year. It found that 35% of U.S. consumers cite a good returns policy as the reason they chose a particular shopping platform. He said shoppers have been trained to expect easy returns, largely by Amazon, and that this is one reason Amazon grew so fast.

Both platforms want a bigger role in shopping. TikTok Shop has grown into a major force in U.S. e-commerce and has added larger retailers such as Ulta and Best Buy. DoorDash wants to be more than food delivery. In September it added Macy's, Anthropologie, The North Face, Vans and Timberland.

What to do

• Check a seller's return options before you buy, not after.
• On TikTok Shop, look for whether the seller accepts returns through Happy Returns.
• On DoorDash, remember the $7.99 fee when you compare the cost of a return.

For sellers

Jashinsky said a strong return policy helps retailers win business, especially when it is shouted "from the rooftops, or at least" in the cart checkout and on the product page. He said that has meant better conversion rates, which means more visitors turning into buyers, for many retailers he works with.

What is not clear

The material does not say which cities have DoorDash returns today. It also does not say which TikTok Shop sellers have opted in to Happy Returns, so buyers will need to check each listing.