The Hidden Cost of Returns: What Happens After You Click “return”?

A free, in-person, self-paced participatory event, planned for Design Factory Birmingham on the Aston University campus on 29 October 2026, 10.00am-6.00pm. Visitors can drop in at any point and move through four themed stations at their own pace: The Returns Journey Wall; Your Returns Impact; Dishonest Returns and AI Detection Systems; and the Reflection and Pledge Wall. A full visit may take around 15-30 minutes, but visitors are welcome to engage with individual stations for a longer or shorter period. Light refreshments will be available.

Online returns can feel quick and convenient, but every returned item can create hidden environmental, financial and human costs. This event makes that invisible journey visible. Visitors will explore what happens after a parcel is sent back, including transport, sorting, resale or disposal; uncover the CO2, time and retailer costs associated with returns; and consider how retailers use AI to identify potentially dishonest return behaviour. Rather than telling people what they should do, the event invites discussion about convenience, fairness, waste and responsibility, and encourages visitors to reflect on their own shopping and return habits.

The event is led by Shihang Su, Lecturer in Marketing and Entrepreneurship at Aston Business School. He will be joined by Dr Danni Zhang from Cardiff Business School, who is the brain behind a number of different funded research projects on reverse logistics since 2020, and Dr Heather He, who is joining Aston University and has also contributed to the research project. The team brings expertise in consumer behaviour, digital retail, reverse logistics and public engagement.

The event is open to all members of the public and is designed for mixed-age groups, including families, young people, working adults and older consumers. No prior knowledge of sustainability, logistics, retail or AI is required. The activities use familiar examples, visual and tactile elements and short explanations, so visitors can participate without specialist knowledge.

It may be particularly interesting to people who shop online or use product returns, families looking for an informal half-term activity, and anyone curious about sustainability, cost-of-living pressures, fast fashion, digital retail, AI and consumer choices. The event is intended to be accessible, non-judgemental and discussion-led, so visitors can compare experiences, ask questions and form their own views.

No advance cut-off is currently planned. Booking will remain open until the event starts, and walk-in visitors will be welcome.