Amazon Starts Flagging 'Frequently Returned' Products That You Maybe Shouldn't Buy

Amazon is starting to warn consumers when products sold on its platform are regularly shipped back for returns. The Verge: As reported by The Information, Amazon is rolling out a warning label on "frequently returned" products that will encourage consumers to check the item details and reviews before making their purchase, helping customers avoid misleading or low-quality products and reducing unnecessary returns. Currently, Amazon's return policy allows customers to return new and unused items up to 30 days after purchase, usually for free, unless the item is deemed nonreturnable. But returning a product is still a hassle and a bad experience for customers -- and Amazon's platform is rife with counterfeits and cheaply produced, low-quality, and sometimes deceptively marketed products bolstered with fake reviews. Having a visible warning that such items are usually returned not only deters consumers from buying them but also could encourage retailers to be honest about their listings or at least improve on issues that lead to higher product returns in the first place. The returns warning has already appeared on a few third-party listings fulfilled by Amazon, such as the Pro-Ject Automat A1 record player and two dresses spotted by The Information. You may need to be logged in to an Amazon account to see the returns notifications. These three items have a reasonably high star rating, which may initially reassure prospective consumers, but glancing at the customer reviews indicates that the products are not true to size or have previously arrived damaged.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.