The Role of Legitimate Customers as Mediators of Return Policy Leniency

The rapid development of e-commerce requires companies to align customer satisfaction and operational efficiency through appropriate return policies. This study aims to examine how the five dimensions of Return Policy Leniency affect customer satisfaction and return proclivity in the Indonesian context. Unlike previous studies that were limited to the American context and did not consider the role of legitimate customers, this study specifically aims to analyze the mediating role of legitimate customers in the relationship between Return Policy Leniency and customers satisfaction. This study uses an explanatory quantitative approach with CB-SEM analysis to test the relationship between variables, with the unit of analysis being individual e-commerce consumers who have experience making product returns. The results show that the monetary, effort, and scope dimensions have a positive effect on customer satisfaction, while excessive leniency increases return proclivity. The legitimate customers variable significantly mediates this relationship, where legitimate e-commerce customers view moderate return policies as a form of fairness and transparency that strengthens trust and loyalty. This study expands the Return Policy Leniency Theory by incorporating the ethical aspect of legitimate customers in the context of Indonesian e-commerce. Practically, these results provide guidance for online businesses to design return policies that are fair, efficient, and oriented towards customer trust.