Customer Perception of Return Policies and its Impact on Satisfaction in E-Commerce Reverse Logistics

Abstract This study examines customer perception of return policies and its impact on satisfaction in e-commerce reverse logistics. The research focuses on how customers understand return-policy clarity, fairness, transparency, refund procedures, and ease of finding return information, and how these perceptions relate to customer satisfaction and repeat purchase intention. The study uses a descriptive and analytical quantitative design based on a structured survey of 51 respondents with online shopping and return experience. The findings show that smooth return processes, simple policies, and quick refunds improve customer satisfaction. Principal Component Analysis indicates that customer perception is shaped mainly by information accessibility and policy simplicity. The correlation analysis shows a positive statistically significant relationship between refund speed and customer satisfaction (r = 0.305, p = 0.030), while the relationship between trust in the seller/platform and repurchase intention is positive but not statistically significant (r = 0.216, p = 0.128). The study concludes that clarity, transparency, ease, and speed influence customer satisfaction more strongly than policy leniency alone. Keywords: return policy, customer perception, e-commerce, reverse logistics, customer satisfaction, refund speed, repurchase intention