The eCommerce industry is growing immensely. People now get their favorite products online with premium benefits like returning a product within a certain period. Buyers get the advantage of returning the product if they don’t like it for any reason.
In this article, I will share five surprising eCommerce return statistics. These top five eCommerce return statistics will help you make your research better.
Here are the top five eCommerce return statistics:
- 66 percent of digital buyers check the order return policy before purchasing the product.
- The eCommerce industry's average return rate was around 16.6 percent in 2021.
- 22 percent of the products are returned because they look different.
- 58 percent of buyers want a ‘No Questions Asked’ return policy.
- 49 percent of eCommerce retail stores provide free return shipping to their customers.
These are the top five key statistics about eCommerce return. Read the next section to learn about each eCommerce return statistic in detail.
On This Page
- 1 Five Top eCommerce Return Statistics
- 1.1 1. 66 Percent of Digital Buyers Check the Order Return Policy Before Purchasing the Product.
- 1.2 2. The eCommerce Industry's Average Return Rate Was Around 16.6 Percent in 2021
- 1.3 3. 22 Percent of the Products Are Received Back Because They Look Different.
- 1.4 4. 58 Percent of Consumers Want a ‘No Questions Asked’ Return Policy.
- 1.5 5. 49 Percent of eCommerce Retail Stores Provide Free Return Shipping to Their Customers.
- 2 Sources
Five Top eCommerce Return Statistics
Here are the five top eCommerce return statistics.
1. 66 Percent of Digital Buyers Check the Order Return Policy Before Purchasing the Product.
(Source: UPS.com)
According to a detailed report by UPS.com, sixty-six percent of digital buyers check the order return policy before purchasing the product. The same report also states that 88 percent of buyers check the return policy during their entire shopping journey.
Researchers also found that 15 percent of cart abandonment happens when the order return policy is unclear. The report shows that a return policy can affect the conversion rates of an eCommerce store.
2. The eCommerce Industry's Average Return Rate Was Around 16.6 Percent in 2021
(Source: NRF.com)
As per a recent report by National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail, the average return rate of the eCommerce industry was around 16.6 percent in 2021. This percentage was 10.6 percent in 2020. In 2021, customers returned orders worth 761 billion U.S. dollars. According to the study by NRF, total sales in the United States were reported at 1.050 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021.
Also, see: eCommerce Return Statistics
3. 22 Percent of the Products Are Received Back Because They Look Different.
(Source: Invespcro.com)
According to a report by Invespcro.com, 22 percent of the products were returned because they look different from the product mentioned on the website. The report also states that 20 percent of products were returned because they were damaged. In addition, 23 percent of orders were received back due to the wrong item.
Image Credit: Invespcro.com
4. 58 Percent of Consumers Want a ‘No Questions Asked’ Return Policy.
(Source: Invespcro.com)
As per a report by Invespcro.com, 58 percent of consumers want a ‘No Questions Asked’ return policy. They want a hassle-free return process with zero questions asked. In addition, 47 percent of buyers want an easy-to-print return label. The same report also states that 62 percent of digital shoppers are more likely to shop online if they can return items in-store.
5. 49 Percent of eCommerce Retail Stores Provide Free Return Shipping to Their Customers.
(Source: Invespcro.com)
As per the latest research by Invespcro.com, 49 percent of eCommerce retail stores provide free return shipping to their customers. Whereas 27 percent of consumers purchase a product online that costs more than one thousand U.S. dollars if they get free return shipping.
