Loop Returns vs. Narvar vs. ZigZag Global: Which One Is The Best?

Loop Returns vs. Narvar vs. ZigZag Global: Which One Is The Best?

Are you trying to determine whether Loop Returns or Narvar is the better returns management solution for managing your online store’s return process?

With Loop and Narvar influential within the returns industry in the US and UK markets, each offering unique features and capabilities, we know that making the right decision is not easy at all.

In this detailed comparison, I’ll break down the key capabilities, pricing, and implementation for each platform to help you make an informed decision.

➡️ I’ll also introduce you to a third option that combines both platforms’ strengths in its all-in-one work returns management capabilities: ZigZag Global (that’s us).

TL;DR

• Loop Returns is a Shopify exclusive returns management solution that offers a good range of return options to help you offset costs and even generate revenue from returns, starting from $155/month. Despite this, some customers are not happy with the tool’s customisation options, customer support, and limited international returns capabilities.
• Narvar is an AI-powered returns management platform with an all-in-one post-purchase customer experience and best-in-class returns analytics to battle return fraud. The platform has custom pricing that favours larger brands (prepare to spend 5 figures a year). Users of the tool have not been satisfied with how long the platform takes to implement and its high cost.‍
• ZigZag Global is an international returns management platform that offers a customisable returns portal, a wide range of return options to offset costs, and access to detailed analytics. The tool stands out with its international returns capabilities, with access to 220 localised warehouses and over 1,500 international carrier services across 170+ origin countries. The pricing starts at $20/month for Shopify retailers.

Loop Returns vs. Narvar vs. ZigZag: Returns Management Features

Loop Returns’s Features

Loop Returns offers a global reverse returns management app that helps merchants offer shoppers a range of return options.

The platform’s smart routing capabilities can help you save on shipping, satisfy end users, and keep their e-commerce operations running smoothly.

⚠️ Disclaimer: Loop Returns is designed specifically for Shopify stores.

• Smart rate-shopping and routing: You can save money with the lowest shipping rates for every return.
• ‍Keep consumers up to date with transparent order, return, and exchange status updates.
• ‍Good range of return options, including exchanges and drop-off returns.
• ‘’Show Now and Later’’ feature that helps you engage your shoppers after the return.

⚠️  A recurring challenge for retailers on Loop has been issues with exchange amounts when they were offering discounts, with instances of Loop refunding more than what the customers paid for.

‘’I don't love some of the hiccups we've experienced over the two years we've used the product. We've had issues with exchange amounts because we offer products at sitewide discounts and promo-code options. Most recently, there was an issue where Loop was refunding more than what customers paid for products; it may have been solved, but we're not sure, and we don't know why that happened.’’ – G2 Review.

Narvar’s Features

Narvar offers an all-in-one post-purchase customer experience solution that provides retailers with branded returns tracking and reason-based fees for returns.

The tool is ideal for merchants who are looking to offset the cost of returns with the platform’s smart routing.

• Let your customers choose how they want to return, as they can choose from home pick-up, store drop-offs, and other drop-off locations.
• Reason-based fees for returns, such as ‘’no return shipping fee’’ for an incorrect item.
• Reduce the cost of returns with Narvar’s smart routing of returned inventory to minimise the costs of returns.
• IRIS, Narvar’s proprietary AI layer, processes more than 42 billion consumer interactions annually to detect return fraud.

⚠️ Some retailers are not happy with Narvar’s limited customisation options, which is why they’ve been looking for Narvar alternatives.

ZigZag’s Features

ZigZag Global (that’s us) offers the alternative to both Loop & Narvar for retailers looking to optimise and automate their returns process across the UK and 170+ other countries.

Our returns app lets you build a custom returns portal and offers your consumers different return options that help you keep revenue in the business and lower the costs of returns.

• Customisable returns portal: Change returns rules alongside white-labelling the portal to reflect your brand.
• Adapt various new return options (such as a gift card, paid returns, exchange, or cash refund) depending on your shoppers’ reasons for returning.
• In-Store Returns: Implement free in-store returns to slash shipping costs, boost foot traffic to your physical store, and give consumers more ways to get a refund.
• Advanced return analytics: Evaluating the most common reasons why consumers return products, and detecting suspicious return behaviour from shoppers.

You can get a feel of how ZigZag’s platform works in our guided demo: 👇

💡 ZigZag Global also offers in-store drop-off kiosks that are hassle-free for your shoppers.

International Returns Management: Loop Returns vs. Narvar vs. ZigZag

Loop’s International Returns

• Fraud prevention capabilities to help you mitigate international return policy abuse, such as smart fraud detection, actionable insights, and the ability to customise your returns policy.
• Supports the generation of cross-border labels by generating customs forms for consumers shipping to a return address in a different country.
• Proactive international order tracking to keep your consumers up to date with transparent order, return, and exchange status updates.

⚠️ Despite this, some of Loop’s customers are not satisfied with the fact that the returns management solution offers too few international carrier integrations.

‘’I would love to see additional options regarding carrier integrations for international returns.’’ – G2 Review.

Narvar’s International Returns

Narvar does not really stand out with its international returns management capabilities.

However, the returns provider is still capable of equipping you with:

• Global Carrier Network with over 200,000 drop-off locations via 600+ carriers.
• Intelligently route items based on the product type, location, and return reason. AI determines the best omnichannel route based on your needs.
• Multi-label and multi-destination functionality that saves you money from shipping and processing costs by returning directly to a vendor.

⚠️ Despite this, customers of the platform are not happy that Narvar is missing a carrier comparison section, which would have allowed their shoppers to compare the available options and prices.

ZigZag’s International Returns

ZigZag Global provides retailers with access to 220 localised warehouses and over 1,500 international carrier services, all of that across 170+ origin countries.

The ‘’Global’’ part of ZigZag Global is because our returns solution is ideal for international returns, as our platform facilitates international returns in 170+ countries by connecting you with 1,500+ global carriers.

Our returns portal is also capable of accepting multiple currencies and provides different language settings for international customers.

We’ve got an in-house facility in Germany that provides control and innovation for our customers, reducing their international return costs by up to 30%.

➡️ ZigZag Global also offers consumers 500,000+ drop-off locations across the world.

Platform Implementation & Customer Support: Loop Returns vs. Narvar vs. ZigZag

Loop’s Implementation & Customer Support

Loop is a Shopify-native returns app that you can install and configure without any developer support.

You’ll go through the admin to set up your return policies, outcomes (refunds, exchanges, store credit), workflows, and portal look & feel.

➡️ Once your contract is signed, you’ll be assigned an Onboarding Manager. There’s no extra fee for onboarding, and depending on how much you customise your policies and integrations, you can go live in as little as 2 days and typically no longer than 2 weeks.

Loop offers dedicated onboarding and support on every paid tier in their pricing (we’ll go over that later as well).

For 2,000+ annual returns, the platform will also assign you a Merchant Success Manager and hold performance review meetings with your team.

⚠️ Despite this, some customers of Loop are not satisfied with the level of attention they’ve been provided with by their account manager on getting issues resolved.

Sometimes it's challenging to get hold of our account manager or get problems solved. – G2 Review.

Narvar’s Implementation & Customer Support

A handful of enterprises report that dialling in refunds-only functionality took 4–5 months for them, and exchanges another 6–7 months, for a total of roughly 1 year to fully utilise every Returns feature via the tool’s API.

Narvar’s software, according to reviews, has been difficult to set up and takes a while to do so.

⚠️ If you’re connecting Narvar to ERP/OMS systems, 3PLs, or need a highly bespoke rules engine for tiered fees, fraud controls, or multi-destination routing, plan for 1–3 months of implementation time, depending on your internal IT bandwidth.

ZigZag’s Implementation & Customer Support

Our returns management solution can also be set up on Shopify with as little effort as a single click.

Apart from this, our platform can help your brand expand globally and add carriers with a 24-hour setup process.

➡️ If you’d rather embed the returns portal directly into your storefront (instead of linking out), that light front-end work (HTML/CSS/JS snippet) typically takes a developer a few hours.

After installation, you’ll be assigned a dedicated Onboarding Manager.

Retailers sticking to ZigZag’s standard return flows and carrier network often go fully live in 1–2 days, while those who want bespoke workflows or extensive QA may take up to 1 week.

Pricing: Loop Returns vs. Narvar vs. ZigZag

Loop’s Pricing

Loop Returns has recently removed its $29/month/ plan (which has made some lower-budget online stores look for alternatives).

To access unlimited destinations and their ‘’Shop Now’’ feature, you’d have to be on their 3 paid plans:

• Essential: $155/month, which includes unlimited destinations, automated return policies, workflows, and carrier rate shopping.
• Advanced: $299/month, which includes Loop’s ‘’Shop Now’’ feature, Instant Exchanges, Bonus Credit, and fraud prevention features.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing, which adds instant returns and enterprise shipping integrations.

Narvar’s Pricing

Narvar does not currently disclose its pricing, so you’d have to contact them to receive a quote.

➡️ However, we’ve got the numbers: In our comprehensive Narvar pricing guide, we found how much the platform costs after consulting with insiders.

From what we were able to gather, Narvar calculates its pricing based on a few criteria, including (but not limited to):

• Return volume per year (e.g., 10,000 returns per year).
• The number of carriers that you want to use. The platform charges you per carrier.
• Additional add-ons and features that you’d like to use, so you can only pay for the features you need.

The platform expects you to use your carrier accounts (e.g., Royal Mail account) so you can use its platform.

➡️ According to one of Narvar’s ex-customers who spoke with our sales team, they were paying £49,000/year for 100,000 returns/year.

They also had to use their own carrier account since Narvar required them to be plugged in.

Another price number we have is from a smaller retailer who left a review on Capterra, claiming that they were required to pay $5,000 a year back in 2021

ZigZag’s Pricing

ZigZag’s pricing is only disclosed for our Shopify solution, and is based on returns per month as well as the level of automations and customisation you’d require.

Our platform has 3 pricing tiers for Shopify merchants:

• Silver: $20/month, which gives you access to 100 returns a month, Evri, Collect+ & USPS labels or the ability to upload your own, returns analytics, and customer updates.
• Gold: $50/month, which gives you access to 300 returns a month, auto one-click refunds, auto-exchange order creation, return-to-store credit, and custom email templates.
• Platinum: $500/month, which gives you access to 3,500 returns a month, portal styling assistance by our team, quick support response time and technical support.
• Enterprise: Custom price for a custom amount of returns a month, which lets you use your own carrier accounts, access to a dedicated account manager, and the ability to connect your systems via our platform APIs.

💡 All of our Shopify pricing plans, except the Enterprise plan, come with a 14-day free trial.

Note: If your plan exceeds the returns limit, you’ll be charged $0.20 for each additional return.

Next Steps: Offset Costs & Battle Return Fraud With ZigZag Global

Built for merchants who operate globally, ZigZag offers an all-in-one returns platform that is designed to take over any online store’s post-purchase experience.

Regardless of whether you’re an e-commerce leader or an SME, our returns management platform offers:

• A customisable returns portal that can be personalised to your shoppers.
• Wide range of return options, such as paid returns, return to store credit, and return to gift card.
• Access to detailed analytics and reports on what drives shoppers to return products.

Then you can book a demo to learn more about ZigZag Global.

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