Cadillac Fairview Partners with ReturnBear to Help Retailers Realize Faster, More Efficient Return Process

New service reduces reverse logistics pressure on retailers and provides CF shoppers with a safe, convenient, and easy way to return their online and in-store purchases.

TORONTO, Feb. 24, 2021 /CNW/ - In the current retail environment it's increasingly important to find creative, cost-effective solutions to accelerate business recovery. Cadillac Fairview (CF) continues to drive innovation in client experience by introducing new services for retailers as they expand their sales channels during the pandemic. With this approach in mind, CF is pleased to announce that they have partnered with ReturnBear to offer an improved product return experience for Canadians coast to coast. The ReturnBear service is poised to be the first of its kind in Canada - offering the ability to return items from a number of retailers at once, either at a single drop-off location at a CF shopping centre or shipped back together in a single box to a ReturnBear processing centre.

"CF is excited to be partnering with ReturnBear to offer a convenient, multi-retailer return option for Canadian shoppers, while helping alleviate the costs associated with returns for our partners" said Sal Iacono, EVP of Operations, Cadillac Fairview. "At CF we're always looking to offer solutions that bridge the physical and digital worlds to make the customer experience better, and we are thrilled to bring this service forward as a way to help retailers based at our properties and beyond." 

One location, multiple retailers makes returns easier for consumers
Due to the pandemic, Canadian shoppers are increasingly engaging with retailers online. Along with this shift to ecommerce, brands are also seeing significant increases in the number of returns as return rates from online purchases are typically higher than in-store shopping, creating pain points for shoppers and retailers alike. According to a recent survey*, over 75% of Canadian shoppers would prefer a one-stop, multi-retailer location that provides on-the-spot refunds versus going to the post office to ship back individual returns. This insight reinforces the return process as an important driver of maintaining customer satisfaction and convenience. By offering flexible return options, including a single address for consolidated returns shipments, and a one-stop in-mall solution that saves customers time and hassle, retailers can delight their customers with a great end-to-end experience that drives brand preference and loyalty at a lower cost.

With this in mind, CF's new ReturnBear partnership will offer customers convenience and choice in how to return products purchased from participating retailers. The service has now launched with a mail-in option, in which customers can combine returns from participating retailers into a single shipment to a nearby ReturnBear hub, where returns are batch-processed on behalf of retailers at a lower cost than their existing practices. Later this year, ReturnBear will launch in-mall drop-off locations at CF centres, eliminating the need for customers to pack and ship returns, and providing quicker refunds. Consolidating returns has the added benefit of reducing the environmental footprint of individual shipments, improving the sustainability of ecommerce.

Known for exceptional in-property experiences and COVID-19 safety enhancements, CF plans to place ReturnBear kiosks throughout CF properties to help facilitate convenient returns while also helping retailers reduce their reverse logistics costs and operational challenges.

Intelligent and brand adaptive, this new service helps retailers increase operational efficiency
In a year of unforeseen retail challenges, CF has introduced several technology-enabled services focused on delivering innovative, safe and efficient consumer-centric solutions to drive retailer support; including the personalized product discovery app LiVE by CF, virtual queuing tool CF Guest List, food ordering portal CF Eats; and now, a more simplified returns service with ReturnBear.

"We saw an unmet need in the Canadian market to help retailers and Direct to Consumer brands ease the pressure of product returns, while improving their reverse logistics operations," said Luke Chamberlin, GM at ReturnBear. "Our partnership with CF provides a unique opportunity to begin offering this service to both physical mall retailers, as well as ecommerce brands set up on the Shopify platform through our free plug-in".

 With ReturnBear retailers can:

• Execute their return policies consistent with existing in-store and ecommerce practices
• Access returns analytics to help them identify patterns and improvement opportunities
• Reduce reverse shipping costs by receiving batch shipments of resellable merchandise back to stores or distribution centres
• Provide customers with faster refunds and a painless process that will keep them coming back

How to find out more:
For a limited time, ReturnBear is offering retailers an opportunity to pilot the returns service at a discounted rate - contact [email protected] for more information. Merchants on the Shopify platform can install the free returns analytics app to get started here: ReturnBear/Shopify-app                                                                                                 

About Cadillac Fairview
Cadillac Fairview is one of the largest owners, operators and developers of best-in-class office, retail and mixed-use properties in North America. The Cadillac Fairview portfolio is owned by the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, a diversified global investor which administers the pensions of more than 327,000 active and retired school teachers. The real estate portfolio also includes investments in retail, mixed-use and industrial real estate in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.

Valued at over $30 billion, the Canadian portfolio includes over 35 million square feet of leasable space at 69 properties in Canada, including landmark developments, such as Toronto-Dominion Centre, CF Toronto Eaton Centre, CF Pacific Centre, CF Chinook Centre, Tour Deloitte and CF Carrefour Laval.

About ReturnBear
ReturnBear Inc makes returns delightful for consumers and more efficient for retailers. ReturnBear reduces complexity for your frontline staff by optimally handling return inventory so that unwanted merchandise isn't stranded at your stores, and leverages drop-off points to support more convenient e-commerce returns.

SOURCE Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited

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