Conservation is rarely a defining principle of retail, but at TWOTHIRDS—a Shopify merchant based in Barcelona, Spain—making apparel that fosters a better future for the planet is a core belief. But as every D2C brand knows, processing shopper returns and dealing with reverse logistics in an environmentally friendly way is very, very difficult. Returns are tough to consolidate; sellers can’t control the packaging their customers use; and customer support teams often lack the visibility they need to operate efficiently. To overcome these return-related challenges and better live by their philosophy of making change that ripples out across retail, TWOTHIRDS (a certified B Corp) formed a partnership with Narvar. 

When TWOTHIRDS founder and CEO, Lutz Schwenke, spent a year in Hawaii as a teenager, he started to see the ocean with new eyes—eyes that would one day inform his vision of a sustainable apparel brand people could love and believe in. From humble beginnings (a pair of men’s boardshorts made from recycled polyester), TWOTHIRDS is now a leader in the world of sustainable fashion with a robust collection of eco-friendly wares for men, women, and kids.

Unfortunately, with such success comes unforeseen challenges and for TWOTHIRDS, those challenges were most acute in the arena of returns. According to Cristhian Lozano, Head of Customer Service at TWOTHIRDS, a growing customer base made it increasingly difficult for TWOTHIRDS to process returns with speed and efficiency, leading to shopper frustration and increasing the risk of churn.

To modernize their approach to returns, reduce their operational costs, and improve the customer experience, TWOTHIRDS turned to Narvar—a certified Shopify Plus partner and the maker of the popular Return & Exchanges app. 

“Integrating with Narvar allows us to streamline our customer support process and provide shoppers with faster, more efficient service.” 

Cristhian Lozano, Head of Customer Service

Cutting needless return-related inquiries

Less than two years ago, the customer support team at TWOTHIRDS dealt with numerous inquiries from concerned customers about the status of their returns and refunds.

That’s all changed since implementing Narvar in April of 2022. 

“Since we started using Narvar, we're seeing a reduction in the number of questions from customers about whether or not their return has arrived at our warehouse,” says Cristhian. 

“Customers can now track the status of their return right on their mobile devices, so they can see exactly where their package is in the process. This helps them feel confident that they'll receive their refund quickly and easily.”

In addition to reducing the number of “where is my return?” inquiries, Christian says the customer service team also wins because it now possesses a clearer view into return statuses and warehouse operations.

“We love that we can now easily see when the warehouse is experiencing delays in processing and approving returns. [Narvar helps us] know how many packages are waiting to be processed, allowing us to plan ahead and make sure all our customers get taken care of.”

“We’re getting great reviews on TrustPilot that indicate people are having fewer issues with returns than they used to.”

Cristhian Lozano, Head of Customer Service

Decreasing time to refund

One of the biggest things that’s changed for both TWOTHIRDS and its customers is the major reduction in time to refund issuance. Prior to Narvar, customers needed to wait upwards of 30 days to receive a full refund. 

As Cristhian puts it, “That’s way too long!”

Using Narvar, TwoThrids can now process refunds in less than five days.

Not only does this reduce the time customers need to wait to get their money back, but it also reduces the time and resources TwoThrids needs to spend completing return-related support tickets.

“With Narvar, we can issue refunds automatically and within 5 days.”

Cristhian Lozano, Head of Customer Service

Reducing operational costs

By improving their operational efficiency when it comes to returns, TWOTHIRDS is also reducing their cost of doing business overall. 

“Thanks to Narvar, we’re freeing up valuable time for our team,” explains Cristhian. 

“We automated what used to be a very manual refund process, decreasing the amount of time our team needs to spend on returns. This allows our people to focus on higher-priority tasks such as improving the customer experience or designing exciting new, eco-friendly products. 

“But that’s not all—the automation of the refund process is reducing mistakes and errors, which is driving down customer complaints and improving the reputation of our brand. All in all, we believe Narvar is saving us time, money, and improving our business operations.”

"Narvar is a valuable investment for our company.”

Cristhian Lozano, Head of Customer Service

A seamless integration of systems

The proverbial cherry on top of the Narvar-TWOTHIRDS partnership is the seamless integration of technologies, according to Cristhian.

“Integrating Narvar with our apps and platforms has been both smooth and hassle-free—a true testament to the versatility of Returns & Exchanges as a tool, which can be customized to fit our unique needs. 

“Overall, partnering with Narvar has been a wise decision, as your technology is enabling us to provide faster, more efficient service to our shoppers.”

"Customers are now confident they’ll get their refund quickly and easily.”

Cristhian Lozano, Head of Customer Service