Different strategies for different channels: influencing behaviors in product return policies for consumer goods

One more time the online channel differs from the offline one. Our study on the product return strategies in the retail industry shows that even if more expensive for online retailers, product return policies are more generous and perceived as lenient by consumers. Our measures were collected in the Italian jeans retail industry, with a comparative study done on firms active on both channels and representing more than 50% of the overall industry sales. The impossibility to serve the customer at a distance and the need to strategically boost online sales are becoming a serious trap for online retailers

Offering branded remanufactured/recycled products: at what price?

This paper investigates the impact of product category, perceived risk, and brand name on consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for greener (recycled/remanufactured) products. Results provide an understanding on how consumers differentiate between types of products when stating their WTP. The findings suggest that WTP for greener versus branded greener or new products varies with product category. For paper, toner cartridges, and cell phones, brand effects are apparent. However, for cameras and printers brand does not appear to counterbalance perceived risk. As the importance of brand is a function of product category and is significantly related to WTP, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) should carefully consider this relationship for their products before making decisions on the use of brand as a part of remanufacturing/recycling strategy

Reasons for the Failure of Incident Reporting in the Healthcare and Rail Industries

Incident reporting systems have recently been established across the UK rail and healthcare industries. These initiatives have built on the perceived success of reporting systems within aviation. There is, however, a danger that the proponents of these schemes have signi#cantly over-estimated the impact that they can have upon the operation of complex, safety-critical systems. This paper, therefore, provides a brief overview of the problems that limit the utility of incident reporting in the the rail and healthcare industries