By Business & Finance 
Irish online businesses are paying the price of online shoppers holding back from international purchases due to the cost of return shipping according to research.
The research, conducted by Ipsos MORI for PayPal, shows that online shoppers in some of the world’s top online export markets – including the US, China, France and Spain – would be more likely to buy from international sites if they had the option of free return shipping.
The research shows that from a sample of 29 global markets, just over a third (35%) of online shoppers said the cost of return shipping deterred them from making more purchases on international websites.
PayPal has announced that it is launching a new service, available internationally and in Ireland that will cover return shipping costs for businesses and their customers.
Customers who pay with PayPal in Ireland now have the option to claim back the cost of returning unwanted goods worldwide up to the value of €30. It’s free to activate, simple to use and each PayPal customer can make up to 12 eligible claims over a 12-month period.
PayPal offers its business customers expert advice on cracking international markets at a dedicated portal. PayPal PassPort helps business owners better understand and target international shoppers through country-specific guidance and global sales tools.
Louise Phelan of PayPal said: “Millions of people across the world shop on Irish sites every year. We now know that by taking away one of the biggest barriers to international online shopping, we can increase that even further. PayPal has more than 179 million active accounts around the world and can therefore help Irish online businesses reach an increased and lucrative global customer base.”
