Incorrect, incomplete and inconsistent product data is driving unnecessary returns, eroding margins and damaging customer trust throughout the buying journey, new figures from Product Experience (PX) company, Akeneo, reveals.

As returns continue to rise globally – with the average return rate now approaching 17%, creating a $900billion annual cost to retailers, according to the NRF – product information remains one of the root causes still driving returns.

Two-fifths (43%) of consumers polled by Akeneo said they had returned a product in the past year due to incorrect pre-purchase product information, such as description, sizing or poor imagery.

And this flaw in product data is creating false confidence at the point of purchase, which is ultimately leading to disappointment at the point of delivery, as Akeneo’s CEO, Romain Fouache, explained:

“Many companies haven’t connected the dots between product data quality and return rates. When product information is incomplete or inconsistent, customers are more likely to receive something that doesn’t meet their expectations and that leads directly to returns.”

He added that “when data is accurate, shoppers buy with confidence – better product data doesn’t just lift conversion; it protects margins, loyalty and brand credibility.”

Poor product information is now influencing every stage of the customer journey, not just post-purchase, Akeneo’s study suggests, from conversion to loyalty and lifetime value.

Nearly three quarters (73%) of consumers struggle to find product information to make confident purchasing decisions, while 70% opt to buy different products than intended due to lack of information. Meanwhile, 68% would stop buying from a brand altogether following bad product experiences.