Return it! How Infinite Scrolling versus Pagination Influence Online Product Return

Description

Infinite scrolling refers to a type of interface layout in which content is loaded continuously on a single page. As long as you keep scrolling, you see something new. Devised by Aza Raskin in 2006, such a layout replaces the traditional layout known as pagination, which splits web content into separate pages. Since its invention, infinite scrolling has transformed our lives. You must have experienced it yourself—endless scrolling everywhere, whether it is fancy videos on YouTube, the desired option on Amazon, or friends’ updates on Facebook. Several websites have adopted infinite scrolling instead of pagination. According to JavaScript Libraries and Functions (2022), approximately 2 million websites use infinite scrolling, whereas only 16,000 websites use the traditional paginated layout. Some tech giants have switched to infinite scrolling just recently. For instance, Google switched from its well-known paginated search result page to the infinite scrolling layout (Lyden, 2021). Many shopping apps and websites have also switched to infinite scrolling, such as the Taobao App, the Amazon App, and Nike’s online shopping sites. All of this indicates that the infinite scrolling layout is much better than pagination. However, the proposed study will reveal that infinite scrolling has a marked negative effect on business and society: it increases product returns, a common consumer behavior in online shopping, which results in high economic and environmental costs. Ecommerce product returns have increased because of the free shipping and lenient return policies followed by many online shopping sites. According to the National Retail Federation, the average rate of return for online purchases increased from 18% in 2021 to 21% in 2022 (Repko, 2022). Such a high rate of product returns has created considerable problems for the profitability and sustainability of businesses. According to the Reverse Logistics Association, product returns cost U.S. companies $50 billion each year and account for 59% of the original sales price; it is expected that these numbers will continue to rise (Moralez 2020). Additionally, product returns impose a heavy burden on the environment and planet. Shipped products come in a variety of packaging materials, all of which end up as waste in landfills. Some returned goods are even discarded or destroyed in landfills, resulting in 27 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually (Impact Report of Optoro, 2021). Indeed, ecommerce product returns have become a leading cause of pollution. Considering the harmful effects of product returns on businesses and the environment, it is important to investigate how online retailers can reduce the number of returns in a consumer-friendly way. In this project, we propose that webpage design is an overlooked factor influencing product return behavior. Specifically, we will propose that the infinite scrolling (vs. pagination) layout increases consumers’ product returns. This effect is driven via a two-step process: the infinite scrolling layout decreases consumers’ perceived control over their online shopping decision-making process, which reduces their confidence in the products chosen, thereby increasing their product return behavior. We will also propose multiple theoretically motivated and managerially relevant moderators. Specifically, we hypothesize that the proposed effect disappears when consumers 1) have a chronic high sense of control or 2) adopt an experiential (vs. a task-focused) shopping orientation, or when the infinite scrolling interface can be adjusted by 3) adding a “load more products” button at the bottom of the webpage, 4) providing the location information of each listed product, or 5) displaying a “confidence tag” on the payment page to boost consumers’ confidence in their product choices. To capture the influence of the two types of website layouts on consumer behavior to the greatest extent, all of the proposed studies will be conducted on pre-setup or real shopping websites to generate real human–computer interaction (HCI) experiences. Being the first to investigate the comparative impacts of infinite scrolling and pagination layouts on product returns, this project will make a substantial contribution to the literature on marketing and information systems and provide practical insights for marketers, webpage designers, and policymakers committed to reducing waste and building a sustainable society.