Think before you click!

It’s so easy to order online in a matter of seconds, but also easy to overconsume. So be mindful before you click! First, ask yourself if you really need the product or is it that you just can’t resist a good deal? Before you buy, do your research: make sure it is the right item so that you avoid having to send it back if you don’t like it. To be a responsible e-consumer, you have to make the right decisions. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

It is becoming harder not to give in to all-round sales and big events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, etc. Prices are getting slashed, marketing is getting smarter but watch out for advertising ploys that aim to part you with your money even if you don’t really want to shop. You will see pop-up displays such as “X people are interested in this product” or “buy now, only 3 left” or any banners that create a sense of urgency in prospective buyers.

Before you buy, try to do a simple comparison by comparing similar products in terms of price and sustainability.

The trend of disposable fashion, otherwise known as ‘fast fashion’, is characterised by the increasingly rapid renewal of short-lived, low-cost clothing collections, to the detriment of a more measured but better-quality wardrobe. Some people also refer to this as ‘fast decorating’, when you feel the urge to give your home a new look every season, leading you to get rid of your old knick-knacks and accessories more quickly.

Certain websites or platforms have made this their speciality, putting several thousand new models of clothing, accessories and home decoration items on sale every day, creating a buying impulse and a constant need for change.

However, this disposable and low-cost industry is often synonymous with unethical manufacturing processes:

• Precarious working conditions of many employees in these industries in certain regions of the world: forced labour, exploitation of minors, unfavourable working conditions, lack of social protection, frequent industrial accidents, etc.
• Natural resources waste and ocean pollution caused by the dyeing and processing of textiles.
• Textile waste. It is reported that for every 26 kg of textiles consumed per year by each European, 11 kilos are thrown away. Most of this ends up being incinerated or landfilled. Only 1% of used clothes are eventually recycled into new clothes.

As well as favouring quantity over quality, the disposable trend contributes to major environmental, social and ethical problems.

You are still not sure whether you should buy a product but the seller offers you free delivery? Is there always an option of free return if you change your mind? These are questions many consumers are faced with every day.

The good news is that online purchases in the European Union come with a ‘right of withdrawal’. This means that you can return any online purchase without having to give a reason. So this means, that you are never stuck with a product which doesn’t meet your expectations.

The right of withdrawal aims to give consumers the opportunity to test the product as you would have done in a shop. If you find that it does not suit you, you can then return it. This is why it is important not to give in to impulse online purchases that you may end up regretting later. There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to returning products bought online.

Changing your mind about your purchase and withdrawing from your order may mean you have to pay a return fee (unless the seller pays for the return shipping costs). More importantly, in terms of the environment, returning the product back to the seller will involve transporting the same goods for a second time, which means causing a second round of CO2 emissions.

Some sellers will not resell returned product which means it may go to a landfill. Some recent research in France estimates that the rate of returns is between 10% and 40% depending on the sector, and even higher in the fast fashion and footwear retail industries. If a return is unavoidable and the trader doesn’t organise the return, try to reuse the original packaging for return and an environmentally-friendly shipping company.

Making an informed choice and knowing exactly what you are buying helps reduce order returns that are costly for the industry, the consumers and the environment.

Have you ever placed an order and were then offered a ‘premium’ subscription? Some websites and brands now offer what is called a ‘VIP’, ‘premium’, ‘prime’ or ‘exclusive’ subscription, whereby you get product discounts and express delivery if you sign up to a monthly or weekly contract that allows you to make regular purchases in exchange for an overall price reduction.

While beneficial in terms of cost, this might push people to buy more than they need thus also creating more deliveries that impact the environment. You might consider whether the website is pushing you towards overconsumption and whether you need everything offered just because the price for multiple deliveries over a certain period of time is overall lower.