#785: Your EV Battery Can Now Power Your Home

 Saving this for myself and others who hate to "suffer" when we lose power.  For those who also want to save money on utilities, this article from WaPo shows us the future.  Registration for a limited number of free articles may be required.

#764: On the Challenge of Retail Returns

 From Retail Brew 1/11/22:

Let’s be honest: You want to send back that highlighter-yellow sweater you got for Christmas, but don’t want to go through the hassle. Well, you aren’t the only one.

Nearly all shoppers (95%) said a poor returns experience will make them less likely to buy from a brand again, according to the 2022 Omnichannel Returns Index from market research firm Incisiv and Appriss Retail.

More is on the line for retailers now, as shopping continues to shift online. E-comm purchases are returned at least 3x more frequently than in-store buys, explained Giri Agarwal, Incisiv’s chief strategy officer.

Why does it matter? He called out the costs of the Es: environmental (more packaging and transportation), economic (prices passed onto consumers), and emotional (the potential for more poor experiences).

• Still: “Returns aren’t all bad,” Agarwal told Retail Brew. They’re part of the business, but need to be “optimized” to cut down on the ones that should’ve never happened to begin with, he noted.

Show me: Apparel is the segment furthest along when it comes to “returns flexibility,” the report found.

• All 28 companies assessed in the space let orders be returned in stores, and 90% allow replacement or exchanges.

That makes sense to Agarwal, given the high return rates of the category. But he was surprised by “how relatively immature everybody is.”

Agarwal noted that Amazon is really leading the charge on returns, thanks in part to its thousands of free drop-off options. Many companies will be forced to follow in step.

• “They’re going to push traditional retail to begin to match up to that expectation,” he said.—KM

#711: Is Toilet Paper Bad for the Environment?

 Click here for this CBS This Morning segment on toilet paper and sustainability.  We need it, but we need better ways to manufacture is the message of this sustainability segment.

#604: Why Recycling May Be Going to Waste in America

This video shows why the cost of recycling services may be increasing in the near future.

#601: Reebok Launches Sustainable Sneaker Made From Cotton & Corn

Click here to watch this segment on sustainable athletic shoe production.