You've ordered a new pair of shoes online. They arrive; you rush to the front door and carry the box as you open it. You untie the laces, guide them toward your feet and they don't fit
So, back in the box they go and an hour later you drop them at the local collections store. It's disappointing. The shoes have never been worn and they'll be making their way to a new home soon. Right? Wrong.
What does happen to our goods when we order online and then return them? The reality is that much of it simply ends up in landfill (垃圾场). Each year, 5 billion pounds of waste is generated through returns in the world. In the US alone, customers return approximately 3.5 billion products, of which only 20% are actually faulty according to Optoro, a company which specializes in tackling (解决) the returns.
It turns out that returns create a real headache for companies. Many companies simply don't have the technology to handle these faults in returned goods, so it is often most profitable for them to sell them cheaply to discounters via a web of shipping, driving and flying them around the globe, or to simply truck them to the dump.
Optoro's software helps retailers (零售商) and manufactures resell unsold goods more easily. They offer a number of options for retailers, including a website切resell their goods, called Bling, as well as helping with re-routing goods t donation, store shelves, Amazon or eBay. They estimate their work helps reduce landfill waste by 70%.
Ann Starodaj, Senior Director of Sustainability at Optoro, says that while consumer habits might still be harmful, creating a profitable and environmentally friendly fashion model from start to finish is the way forward: "I don't think people are going to stop buying stuff, but creating a business model where you're making it easier for them to make sustainable choices is very important"
