It is an increasingly common irritant of modern life. You order an item of clothing online; you wait with anticipation for it to arrive, and five minutes after it has arrived you’re packaging it up because it doesn’t fit.
For shoppers in France, however, the national post office may have the answer – or at least a way of making the process less logistically challenging. It is experimenting with in-store changing rooms to cater to people who want to quickly return purchases they do not want.
In a Paris branch participating in the test, a standalone changing room in the shape and canary yellow colour of a French mailbox has been installed. Inside is a chair, mirror and shelf to place packages for on-the-spot returns.
France’s La Poste said the idea came about after seeing customers pick up their packages only to return shortly after because the items did not fit.
France, like many countries, has reported a boom in online commerce, with clients buying items including clothes and shoes that are often returned.
View image in fullscreenParis branch trialling the initiative has a mirror, chair and shelf for the package Photograph: Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images
La Poste said the experiment was more than just a changing room. “The idea is to simplify the lives of our clients,” said the company, which was allowing customers to collect the merchandise, check it out on the premises and, in the event of a poor fit or a change of mind, send it back.
Michele Limouzy, a client, said “it helps people avoid making pointless trips back and forth and save time, it’s practical”, adding that she still preferred to buy clothes in shops.
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La Poste also hopes the experiment will increase traffic.
Like other national post offices, La Poste aims to compensate for the drop in letter traffic over the years by bolstering its parcel business.
The experiment has not been welcomed by shop owners, however. The French Retailers Association, which unites about 450,000 small shops, said the initiative was causing “deep displeasure among small independent retailers and poses serious risks to the vibrancy of local economies if it is rolled out nationally”.
