Online retailer company Wehkamp is reporting fewer returns since it brought in a charge for repentant buyers, the company’s annual figures show.

The retail group noted a 14% drop in goods being returned since last year when Wehkamp decided to tackle the stream of returns by introducing a €0.50 charge for every item sent back.

The move has prompted people who order several things and then return most of them to be more circumspect about what they order, Wehkamp chief Graham Harris said.

Wehkamp did have to chalk up a turn-over dip of 17%, taking the total from €663 million to €552 million. The loss is attributable to inflation, Wehkamp said.