The return rate of the US e-commerce market is at a historical high! The return cost accounts for 21% of the order value

According to data from the National Retail Federation and ApprissRetail, as online shopping reaches an all-time high, the return rate for online purchases is higher than ever before. Sellers are facing greater challenges than ever in terms of return costs.

Data shows that online shopping return rates are at historical highs, jumping from 18.1% in 2020 to an average of 20.8% in 2021, exacerbating the financial burden on sellers.

These returns account for an average of 21% of lost order value for U.S. online retailers, and costs vary widely among the retailers surveyed, with many paying far more than the median.

“Retailers and consumers are struggling with returns because each side feels the other is making the process more difficult,” said Vijay Ramachandran, vice president of global e-commerce market strategy at Pitney Bowes.

70% of retailers say they are actively trying to reduce return costs by addressing shipping and/or processing costs. At the same time, three-quarters of consumers say their most recent returns experience was inconvenient. This means brands have yet to find an effective balance between return convenience and cost.

Along with returns, consumers’ views on delivery speed have also changed. The survey shows:

In October 2020, due to delivery delays caused by the pandemic, their definition of “fast” shipping became slower than before the pandemic.

By late April 2021, consumers’ definition of “fast” had slowed further, with “fast” delivery times extending by about a third across most categories.

As of February 2022, BOXpoll found that consumers’ definition of “fast” delivery remains tighter than expected before the pandemic, with the current definition of “fast” delivery for all products generally being 3.1 days.

Editor ✎ Xiao Zhu/

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