E-Commerce Logistics

The returns landscape – meet shoppers demands or risk losing the sale

92% of global shoppers return up to 30% of purchases back to online retailers. The demand for ‘free’ and easy returns matters – and so does the provider – or shoppers are likely to abandon their cart.

In today's competitive e-commerce landscape, understanding the dynamics of online returns is crucial for business owners. With a significant percentage of shoppers frequently returning items, the returns process presents a unique opportunity to boost sales rather than hinder them.

Many returns could potentially be avoided with the right strategies in place, highlighting the importance of offering flexible and convenient return options. Shoppers are increasingly seeking easy ways to return unwanted items, and how you facilitate this process can greatly influence their purchasing decisions. Enter Parcel Returns Connect – a solution designed to streamline returns and enhance customer satisfaction.

By prioritizing free and hassle-free returns, you can not only retain customers but also drive sales, ensuring that your business thrives in the ever-evolving e-commerce environment.

Online returns in numbers

Why are returns an opportunity for more e-commerce sales?

How often are shoppers really returning items?

What if most returns could be avoided?

Where & how do shoppers want to return their unwanted items?

The returns solution – Parcel Return Connect

Online returns in numbers

79%

OF GLOBAL SHOPPERS ABANDON THEIR Cart IF THEIR PREFERRED RETURNS OPTION ISN’T OFFERED

75%

OF GLOBAL SHOPPERS WON’T SHOP WITH A BRAND IF THEY DON’T TRUST THE RETURNS PROVIDER

64%

OF GLOBAL SHOPPERS HAVE RETURNED AN ITEM BACK TO AN ONLINE RETAILER

68%

OF EUROPEAN SHOPPERS HAVE RETURNED AN ITEM TO AN ONLINE RETAILER

55%

OF GLOBAL SHOPPERS MAINLY BUY FROM RETAILERS THAT OFFER FREE RETURNS

54%

OF GLOBAL SHOPPERS HAVE RETURNED AN ITEM BECAUSE IT WAS THE WRONG SIZE

46%

OF GLOBAL SHOPPERS WOULD BUY FROM ABROAD IF FREE RETURNS ARE OFFERED

37%

OF GLOBAL SHOPPERS HAVE SPENT MORE TO GET FREE DELIVERY – THEN RETURNED THE EXTRA ITEMS

The essential role of returns in e-commerce – an opportunity for more online sales

Returns are a routine part of online shopping, with over 3 in 5 shoppers having sent something back. Knowing where returns are most common can reveal where products or expectations may be falling short. And for when returns do happen, offering a smooth, hassle-free process isn’t optional – it’s essential for meeting customer expectations.

The returns experience impacts your cross-border sales too. If you want to expand internationally, you need to consider tat that 33% of global shoppers won’t buy from other countries because of returns costs. Find out more about today’s cross-border landscape.

	Have returned an item back to an online retailer	Will abandon their cart if their preferred returns option isn’t offered	Won’t shop with a brand if they don’t trust the returns provider	Say ‘free’ returns would improve their online experience
Argentina	45%	83%	79%	48%
Australia	52%	72%	75%	53%
Austria	80%	81%	75%	58%
Brazil	58%	87%	81%	45%
Canada	69%	78%	78%	59%
China	81%	78%	71%	65%
The Czech Republic	64%	77%	79%	54%
France	62%	77%	73%	49%
Germany	78%	79%	74%	49%
India	83%	81%	58%	60%
Italy	69%	85%	79%	55%
Malaysia	49%	75%	68%	55%
Morocco	52%	84%	72%	40%
The Netherlands	67%	78%	79%	52%
Nigeria	44%	65%	82%	39%
Poland	66%	74%	81%	53%
South Africa	54%	80%	83%	49%
Spain	58%	82%	72%	60%
Sweden	66%	80%	76%	55%
Thailand	52%	70%	67%	56%
Turkey	73%	89%	81%	58%
The UAE	75%	85%	67%	56%
The UK	69%	75%	75%	55%
The USA	68%	71%	72%	46%
Global	64%	79%	75%	53%
Europe	68%	80%	77%	54%
Gen Z	64%	73%	70%	48%
Millennials	68%	78%	72%	53%
Gen X	64%	81%	77%	55%
Baby Boomers	59%	84%	82%	55%

How often are shoppers really returning items?

Knowing how often shoppers typically return items helps retailers understand what to expect – and where returns may be a regular part of the online shopping journey.

Gen Z, social shoppers and Millennials are among the most frequent returners. More than 20% say they send something back at least once a month – compared to just 14% of Gen X and 6% of Baby Boomers. That may be down to higher shopping frequency, giving them more chances to receive something that doesn’t meet their expectations.

Gen Z and Millennials are also returning a greater share of their orders compared to Gen X, Baby Boomers and the average global shopper. For online retailers, understanding why they return items is key to identifying what’s going wrong and reducing the chances of a product coming back.

How often do shoppers typically return purchases?

What percentage of shoppers online orders are being returned to retailers?

	Up to 30%	30 to 50%	More than 50%
Global	91%	6%	2%
Europe	93%	6%	1%
Gen Z	88%	9%	3%
Millennials	90%	8%	2%
Gen X	94%	5%	2%
Baby Boomers	96%	2%	1%

What if most returns could be avoided?

Understanding why shoppers send back orders is the first step to reducing return rates. Poor product quality is the number one reason shoppers send items back, especially in China (70%), Nigeria (68%), Turkey (65%), South Africa (64%) and Austria (63%).

For online retailers, reducing returns remains a real challenge. Without the ability to see, touch or try a product, shoppers depend on clear sizing, accurate imagery and honest, detailed product descriptions. When that information falls short, returns rise.

But there’s also a clear opportunity. With 78% of shoppers open to virtual try-on tools, interactive features could help bridge the gap between expectation and reality – giving shoppers more confidence before they buy, and fewer reasons to send items back. See page 46 of the 2025 E-Commerce Trends Report to uncover how AI is transforming online shopping.

Why do shoppers typically return unwanted items

Where & how do shoppers want to return their unwanted items?

Out-of-home locations are where global shoppers want to make their returns. With 67% of shoppers preferring to return items via a parcel locker or shop (this jumps to 79% in Europe) scanning a QR code is quickly becoming the new norm. It offers a more convenient, flexible alternative to printed labels. For retailers, the benefits are clear. Paperless returns cut the cost of unused printed materials – while also supporting sustainability by reducing paper waste. If you don’t already offer digital return options, it’s a simple switch that can enhance the customer experience and reduce unnecessary spend.

	Returns preferences			Returns label preferences
	Home collection	Parcel locker	Parcel shop	Label included in their parcel	Print label at home	Scan a QR code at the drop-off point
Argentina	28%	16%	55%	58%	18%	24%
Australia	24%	16%	60%	64%	16%	20%
Austria	8%	47%	45%	61%	24%	15%
Brazil	24%	36%	40%	60%	13%	28%
Canada	26%	11%	62%	55%	25%	20%
China	65%	15%	20%	60%	10%	31%
The Czech Republic	11%	33%	56%	61%	14%	25%
France	11%	17%	72%	54%	28%	18%
Germany	15%	26%	59%	50%	20%	29%
India	67%	13%	19%	56%	17%	28%
Italy	43%	13%	44%	52%	26%	22%
Malaysia	37%	29%	34%	65%	12%	24%
Morocco	45%	33%	22%	65%	12%	23%
The Netherlands	13%	11%	76%	57%	15%	29%
Nigeria	33%	11%	56%	65%	6%	30%
Poland	11%	67%	21%	49%	20%	31%
South Africa	64%	10%	26%	62%	10%	28%
Spain	35%	14%	51%	53%	17%	30%
Sweden	7%	16%	77%	66%	12%	22%
Thailand	44%	11%	45%	62%	14%	25%
Turkey	57%	17%	26%	64%	11%	25%
The UAE	73%	14%	13%	56%	12%	32%
The UK	24%	19%	57%	53%	16%	30%
The USA	29%	16%	56%	56%	19%	24%
Global	34%	22%	45%	58%	16%	26
Europe	21%	26%	53%	56%	18%	25%
Gen Z	32%	27%	40%	51%	16%	32%
Millennials	35%	23%	43%	56%	16%	28%
Gen X	36%	19%	45%	62%	15%	23%
Baby Boomers	31%	15%	54%	66%	17%	17%
Social shoppers	37%	23%	40%	57%	15%	28%
Sustainable shoppers	36%	22%	41%	58%	15%	26%
Cross-border shoppers	33%	24%	43%	56%	17%	27%
Black Friday shoppers	33%	22%	45%	57%	16%	26%
Refurbished and recycled shoppers	32%	24%	44%	55%	17%	28%
Subscription shoppers	40%	23%	37%	53%	18%	29%

The returns solution – Parcel Return Connect

Parcel Return Connect offers simple and hassle-free reverse logistics for you and your customers, with one return label for 27 countries. It’s easy to integrate with your e-commerce platforms too!

End-to-end

transparency all the way along the process chain

140,000+

Locations for customers to return parcels across Europe

harmonized label for all 27 EU countries OR label-less Returns

Learn More about Parcel Return Connect

^{All stats and figures are taken from the DHL eCommerce Online Shopper Survey conducted between February and March 2025. Respondents were required to have made at least one purchase online within the three months prior to the survey. 70+ questions were asked to 24,000 respondents across 24 countries (1,000 per country) with an equal split across demographics – where possible. The countries chosen for this survey represent some of the most active e-commerce markets across the globe. Where percentages do not equal 100%, this is due to certain questions having multiple-choice options. Where there is a deviation of percentages over 100%, this is due to rounding of answer options. Not all data from the survey is displayed on this page. Country, regional, generational, and shopper profile data is provided, but this does not reach a level of statistical significance to make definitive statements about specific groups globally. Figures are correct at the time of publishing.}

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