免费退货的终结：你准备好支付退货费用了吗？
今日导读
在网络购物日益发达的今天，越来越多的商家和平台为了争夺客户，“卷”出了各种新花样，运费险就是其中一种。当消费者发现货物不合适时，能免费退回或调换商品，这是一种保障，也刺激了消费。然而，本意是便利购物的免费退货政策，却带来了不少负面影响，以致一些大型购物平台和商家都宣布开始收取退货费用。究竟免费退货有哪些不好的影响？取消免费退货的选项之后，消费者的购物习惯会有什么变化？让我们一起走进今天的文章。
带着问题看文章
如何理解 post 这个词？
文章认为，免费退货会对环境造成哪些负面影响？
文章认为，取消免费退货后，购物者会改变哪些购物习惯？
正文
Past the parcel: how the end of free returns will change the way we shop
包裹过去时: 结束免费退货将如何改变我们的购物方式
The days of the bedroom fitting room are numbered. Online retail giant Boohoo has become the latest in a string of retailers to start charging shoppers for returns.
“卧室试衣间”的日子已经屈指可数了。一连串的零售商都开始向购物者收取退货费用，最近一家这么做的是在线零售巨头 Boohoo。
By offering free returns in the first place, companies such as Boohoo created entirely new behaviour around shopping. A 2018 study found that 9% of UK consumers order clothes to post on social media, only to return them straight after. Almost one in five 35 to 44 year-olds admit to doing it, and men, apparently, do it more than women.
最初，通过提供免费退货，像 Boohoo 这样的公司创造了全新的购物行为。2018 年的一项研究发现，9% 的英国消费者购买衣服是为了在社交媒体上发布照片，但之后会立即退货。在 35 岁到 44 岁的人群中，几乎有五分之一的人承认自己这样做过，而且，据说这样做的男性比女性更多。
It's incredibly cheeky behaviour, but there's also another glaring issue with the practice: returns have a terrible impact on the environment. When clothes are returned, they're likely to be thrown away rather than resold. When clothes don't become rubbish, there's still the impact of the extra shipping to consider, as well as the packaging waste.
这是令人难以置信的厚颜无耻的行为，但这种做法还有另一个明显的问题：退货会对环境造成可怕的影响。当衣服被退回时，它们很可能会被扔掉而不是再次出售。当衣服没有变成垃圾时，仍然需要考虑额外运输的影响，以及包装的浪费。
Cost and convenience trump sustainability more often than not when it comes to purchasing decisions, so sometimes it takes a radical move on behalf of the brand, or government, to change behaviour.
当涉及到购买决策时，成本和便利性往往压倒了可持续性，因此有时需要品牌方或政府采取激进手段来改变消费者的行为习惯。
Without free returns on the table, shoppers may think twice about buying 10 items when they know they'll only keep five or buying clothes purely for social media content. We could also see retailers putting more effort into sizing, with virtual AR try-ons, better size guides, and improved, consistent fits.
如果没有免费退货的选项，购物者在知道自己只会留下 5 件还要购买 10 件商品时，或者购买衣服纯粹是为了社交媒体内容时，都会三思而后行。我们还可以看到，零售商会将更多的精力放在帮助顾客选择合适尺寸上，他们会使用 AR 试穿，更准确的尺码推荐表，以及更加合适、统一的尺码。
After years of free returns, charges will be frustrating, but if they lead to less waste and better fits, they'll be worth every penny.
经过多年的免费退货，收费退货会令人沮丧，但如果能减少浪费以及让衣服更合身，收费退货将会物有所值。
重点词汇
return
/rɪˈtɝːn/
n. 退货
词性拓展：return（v. 归还，退还；退货）
例句：The store does not accept returns more than 30 days after purchase.
number
/ˈnʌm.bɚ/
v. 计数，编号
词性拓展：number（n. 数字）
搭配短语：days are numbered
例句：He knew that his days as the team's coach were numbered.
retail
/ˈriː.teɪl/
n. 零售，零卖
搭配短语：retail shop
搭配短语：retail price
相关词汇：wholesale（n. 批发）
string
/strɪŋ/
n. 线，细绳
搭配短语：a string of sth.
搭配短语：a string of pearls
搭配短语：a string of victories
post
/poʊst/
v. 发布
词性拓展：post（n. 邮政，邮递）
相关词汇：post office（n. 邮局）
搭配短语：post on
例句：I posted a photo on my Moments.
文化拓展: post 之所以可以表示“在网络上发布”，是因为它还有一个含义是“柱子，杆子”。以前人们会通过在柱子上贴告示的方式来发布消息，所以逐渐 post 就有了“张贴公告”的含义。而在网络时代，post 就被用来表示“在网络上发布”了。
only to
不料，令人吃惊的是
例句：I ran to the station only to find that I had missed the train.
straight
/streɪt/
adv. 立即，径直；成直线地
近义词：immediately
例句：I got home and went straight to bed.
apparently
/əˈper.ənt.li/
adv. 据说，似乎
相关词汇：apparent（adj. 明显的；貌似的）
英文释义：seeming to exist or be true
例句：She did well in her exams, despite her apparent lack of interest in her work.
例句：I wasn't there, but apparently it went well.
incredibly
/ɪnˈkred.ə.bli/
adv. 极其，难以置信地
相关词汇：credit（n. 信用）
衍生词：credible（adj. 可信的，可靠的）
近义词：believable
衍生词：incredible（adj. 难以置信的）
例句：The exam was incredibly difficult.
cheeky
/ˈtʃiː.ki/
adj. 无礼的
相关词汇：cheek（n. 脸颊；无礼放肆的行为）
例句：I've had enough of your cheek.
搭配短语：cheeky humor
glaring
/ˈɡler.ɪŋ/
adj. 显眼的，引人注目的；耀眼的
相关词汇：glare（v. 怒视，瞪；发出强烈刺眼的光）
英文释义：to shine with a harsh, bright light
例句：The white snow glared in the sunlight.
搭配短语：a glaring mistake
shipping
/ˈʃɪp.ɪŋ/
n. 运输
相关词汇：ship（n. 船）
例句：What do you charge for shipping?
trump
/trʌmp/
v. 胜过，赢过
文化拓展：trump 原本是一个纸牌游戏中的术语，表示“王牌”，作动词时 trump 就可以表示打出王牌获得胜利，后来引申为“赢过，胜过”。
例句：She had trumped them all by wearing a simple but stunning dress.
sustainability
/səˌsteɪ.nəˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/
n. 可持续性
相关词汇：sustain（v. 维持，持续）
衍生词：sustainable（adj. 可持续的）
搭配短语：sustainable development
more often than not
多数时候
英文释义：happening more than half the time
例句：More often than not, I stay home instead of going out.
when it comes to
说到……，就……而言
例句：He is an expert when it comes to computers.
radical
/ˈræd.ɪ.kəl/
adj. 激进的，前卫的；重大的，根本的
文化拓展：radical 来自于一个拉丁语词，这个拉丁语词的意思是 root，“根部”，后来 radical 被用来形容某种变革是“从根本处改变的”，一般被翻译为“重大的，根本的”。
搭配短语：a radical reform of the tax system
搭配短语：a radical approach to education
on behalf of / on sb.'s behalf
由……做的；代表……
例句：He attended the meeting on behalf of the CEO.
英文释义：done by somebody
例句：This was simply a gesture on his behalf.
on the table
可供考虑
英文释义：able to be considered or discussed
例句：A new contract offer is on the table.
think twice
三思后行
例句：If I were you, I would think twice about doing that.
virtual
/ˈvɝː.tʃu.əl/
adj. 虚拟的，模拟的
文化拓展：VR 的全称就是 virtual reality “虚拟现实”。
consistent
/kənˈsɪs.tənt/
adj. 一贯的，一致的
英文释义：always behaving in the same way
例句：She's the team's most consistent player.
worth every penny
物有所值
相关词汇：penny（n. 便士；美分）
例句：Our vacation was expensive, but it was worth every penny.
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