If ReturnRunners can make this business model work at $10 a return, more power to them. I for one, however, am skeptical. Most shoppers hate — and many flatly refuse — to paying shipping fees for items they want and often can’t wait to receive. I can’t imagine large numbers of these impatient but frugal shoppers will fork over $10 for help returning something they don’t want.

Return services address a consumer pain-point but few shoppers will be willing to pay any substantive fee. Free shipping is largely the norm because consumers do not want to pay delivery costs. A return service is in effect a reverse delivery service. Although time is money, the majority of shoppers are not going to pay $9.99 to have an item returned. Sure, for a bunch of engagement/wedding gifts from a registry in one store, it makes much more sense.

The best scenario for stores is to drastically streamline the return process and even reward/compensate shoppers in a small way for their time investment.

This may appeal to some consumers who are time poor and cash rich. However, I cannot see the majority using it.

It’s a handy service, but given that the average value of a return in, say, apparel is around $32, the $9.99 fee represents almost one-third of the purchase price. That’s not exactly good value for money.

If the item being returned is much more expensive, it is likely that the consumer would be much more willing to go to the store to get a refund.

In this sense, I fail to see how the logic of the service stacks up.

Keeping in mind that you can’t be all things to all people, there’s a decent business model here for ReturnRunners. True, there’s a large portion of consumers that won’t be willing to part with $10. Then again, there’s a large number of consumers who don’t shop at Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus either.

For that ever-spending group of consumers who value their time as much as their money, ReturnRunners-like concepts are likely to be welcomed with open arms.

Another example of VC money chasing “mommy” services. If they won’t pay $9 to have it shipped to them, why would consumers pay that or more to return it? #RetailFail

To echo what others have noted, if consumers won’t pay $5 for shipping, why would they pay $10 for returns? How will ReturnRunners get enough business for this to be profitable? As someone who absolutely hates making returns, on a surface level the concept sounds appealing but, in reality, just doesn’t make sense for most consumers or as a business model.

I’m not sure how viable the business model is at $9.99/return, but I like the concept. There are similar services, so it’s not brand new. In the age of customer convenience people will be willing to pay for this service, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Ubers of the world jumped in on this.

What’s next? Do my dishes for 5 bucks? If you’re the slightest bit organized, doing e-commerce returns is NOT that hard. I understand that the blue ocean space for innovation and start ups is identifying consumer “pain” and certainly, after Christmas returns will be a form of that, but I’d be surprised if this one works. It’s just not big enough and too strained on the process side to work. Perhaps on the Upper East Side of Manhattan or in Westchester County but, otherwise, the broad swath of consumers don’t want to pay for shipping, why would they pay for return shipping? All the best.

Consumers are time-starved and merchandise returns are a dreaded task. Nobody enjoys waiting in long lines to return a purchase and if the product was purchased from a known associate, returns are often an uncomfortable experience. Many consumers would gladly spend $10 for someone to do their dirty work for them to save time and avoid frustrations. Store and online sales are both a challenge — consumers might even pay more to have someone handle the omnichannel return process; authorization, partial order returns and follow-up on credit received. These are complex processes for which many consumers will pay to be allowed to play.

No! I know some returns can be a problem, and some returners can be a pain. From a retailer point of view, if a return is made, I would want the chance of offering exchanges, alternatives or securing another sale, and perhaps making a disgruntled customer happy. I’d never get that chance with a Return Runner! The biggest associate training point for post Christmas: DO NOT immediately say “would you like your money back?”! Everyone tries to teach associates to be ready with ideas, alternatives, suggestions, and knowledge to save a sale, and perhaps save a customer….

Too many retail “innovations” appeal to increasingly narrow slices of consumers. And most often that’s urban dwelling, higher income consumers who wax poetic about things like having someone return things for them or same day deliveries.

Perhaps there’s a niche for this team among upscale, urban dwellers. But consumers have made it clear they don’t want to pay $4.99 for shipping — why would they pay $10-$20 to return things?

Expectations for services like these need be kept in check.

I think only a small niche of customers with expensive items would use the service. If you are returning a big screen TV and you don’t have a vehicle to carry, I can see paying $10 for it, otherwise I don’t see it having mass appeal.