Is returning a product worth my time? The impact of time cues on consumer product returns

Abstract

Considering that returning a purchased product involves time costs to consumers, we posit that making a time cue salient will influence their likelihood of returning a product. Four studies reveal that consumers primed with time cues are less willing to return a product. Specifically, presenting time cues can reduce product returns by amplifying consumers' perception of time pressure and alleviating their psychological discomfort. Furthermore, private self-awareness is found to moderate the time-cue effect through perceived discomfort. The results are replicated even when time pressure and psychological discomfort are directly manipulated, supporting the causal account. This study contributes to the literature on consumer product returns by proposing the time-cue effect and its psychological mechanisms and helps retailers manage product returns using various time cues.