37 percent of online consumers returned an item at least once in the past three months. Returns cut gross margin by 10 percent in the US ecommerce market. The following statistics examine the drivers behind these volumes.
Key Takeaways
- 37% of online consumers say they have returned an item at least once in the past three months
- 6% of consumers report making returns often (every month)
- 17% of retailers said returns have increased significantly over the past year (U.S. retail survey)
- Returns reduce gross margin by 10% in the U.S. ecommerce market (share of margin lost due to returns)
- Return fraud can account for a measurable portion of return volume, with some reports estimating 5%–10% of returned merchandise is fraudulent (range cited in report)
- A 2020–2021 reverse logistics benchmark report estimated the cost per return shipment is in the tens of dollars range (benchmark with numeric cost range)
- 82% of shoppers expect retailers to offer easy return processes
- 30%–40% of online shoppers say they buy with the intent to return an item if it doesn't meet expectations
- In a study of online apparel returns, rates increased by about 4 percentage points when fit information was incomplete (reported sensitivity to product information completeness)
- Adidas reported returns rates of about 20% for some ecommerce categories in investor materials (company-reported range)
- A 2020 study found that inaccurate product information (size/fit) was a leading cause of returns in ecommerce, cited in a statistical results table (quantified share)
- In apparel, return rates are commonly reported in the range of 20%–30% for online orders
- In 2021, ecommerce generated 27% of total retail sales in the U.S., providing the base over which returns apply (ecommerce share of retail sales)
- In 2023, U.S. ecommerce sales reached $1.12 trillion (annual sales, base for return-rate effects)
- In the U.S., the U.S. Postal Service reported that package returns constitute a measurable share of parcel volume in seasonal periods (notably holiday), with return shipments concentrated in Q4
Up to 37% of shoppers return items online, cutting margins and raising environmental and fraud costs.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends9 stats
01
37% of online consumers say they have returned an item at least once in the past three months
02
6% of consumers report making returns often (every month)
03
17% of retailers said returns have increased significantly over the past year (U.S. retail survey)
04
39% of retailers report that return rates are higher in ecommerce than in stores (survey share)
05
The Center for Sustainable Systems reported that product returns increase life-cycle environmental impacts for many shipped goods (environmental impact finding)
06
Peer-reviewed research in the International Journal of Production Economics found that higher return rates increase operational and emissions impacts in reverse supply chains (quantified sensitivity result)
07
1.4% of product sales are estimated to be lost to return fraud in e-commerce
08
In a survey of U.S. retailers, 65% said they have adopted return policy/experience changes (e.g., longer return windows, in-store drop-off, or digital RMAs) to reduce operational burden
09
In a consumer policy context, EU law provides a 14-day right of withdrawal for distance selling, which is a key statutory driver of returns in e-commerce
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
For the Industry Trends angle, returns are clearly a growing and systemic issue since 37% of online consumers returned an item in the last three months and 39% of retailers report higher return rates in ecommerce than in stores.
02 · Category
Cost Analysis4 stats
01
Returns reduce gross margin by 10% in the U.S. ecommerce market (share of margin lost due to returns)
02
Return fraud can account for a measurable portion of return volume, with some reports estimating 5%–10% of returned merchandise is fraudulent (range cited in report)
03
A 2020–2021 reverse logistics benchmark report estimated the cost per return shipment is in the tens of dollars range (benchmark with numeric cost range)
04
Reverse logistics can represent 5%–15% of total logistics costs for retailers with high return volumes (industry benchmark range)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In cost analysis, ecommerce returns are already eroding US gross margin by about 10% and can add tens of dollars per return through reverse logistics, which is why return volumes can push reverse logistics to roughly 5% to 15% of total logistics costs.
03 · Category
User Adoption3 stats
01
82% of shoppers expect retailers to offer easy return processes
02
30%–40% of online shoppers say they buy with the intent to return an item if it doesn't meet expectations
03
In a study of online apparel returns, rates increased by about 4 percentage points when fit information was incomplete (reported sensitivity to product information completeness)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For User Adoption, the return behavior is clearly baked in from the start, with 82% expecting easy returns and 30% to 40% shopping specifically with the intent to return, while apparel return rates still jump by about 4 percentage points when fit information is incomplete.
More related reading
04 · Category
Performance Metrics5 stats
01
Adidas reported returns rates of about 20% for some ecommerce categories in investor materials (company-reported range)
02
A 2020 study found that inaccurate product information (size/fit) was a leading cause of returns in ecommerce, cited in a statistical results table (quantified share)
03
In apparel, return rates are commonly reported in the range of 20%–30% for online orders
04
In 2019, the share of e-commerce orders returned in the U.S. was estimated at around 16% in a reverse logistics industry analysis
05
In a peer-reviewed operations paper, higher product variety and mismatch risk contribute to increased return probability for online purchases (modeled effect size reported in the study)
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
For the Performance Metrics category, ecommerce returns cluster around the 16% to 20% to 30% band in the evidence, with Adidas citing about 20% and studies linking the higher return probability to issues like size and fit inaccuracies and product mismatch risk.
05 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
In 2021, ecommerce generated 27% of total retail sales in the U.S., providing the base over which returns apply (ecommerce share of retail sales)
02
In 2023, U.S. ecommerce sales reached $1.12 trillion (annual sales, base for return-rate effects)
03
In the U.S., the U.S. Postal Service reported that package returns constitute a measurable share of parcel volume in seasonal periods (notably holiday), with return shipments concentrated in Q4
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the market size angle, with ecommerce reaching $1.12 trillion in U.S. sales in 2023 on the back of its 27% share of total retail, the scale of potential returns is substantial and the USPS data showing returns heavily concentrated in Q4 means this large return volume is likely to spike during peak holiday season.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Ecommerce Return Rate Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ecommerce-return-rate-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Ecommerce Return Rate Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/ecommerce-return-rate-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Ecommerce Return Rate Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ecommerce-return-rate-statistics.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+4 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)