Product returns cost U.S. retailers hundreds of billions of dollars every year. As e-commerce continues to grow, so does the volume and complexity of reverse logistics. This report compiles the most current, source-verified statistics on retail returns for journalists, analysts, and business teams.
Key Findings at a Glance
- U.S. retail returns are projected at $$849.9 billion in 2025, a 15.8% return rate -- down from 16.9% in 2024 (NRF / Happy Returns, 2025 Retail Returns Landscape, Oct 2025).
- E-commerce return rates remain higher at an estimated 19.3% in 2025 (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- 9% of all returns in 2025 are classified as fraudulent, and 85% of retailers are deploying AI to detect and prevent return fraud (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- Gen Z consumers (ages 18-30) averaged 7.7 online returns in the past 12 months, more than any other generation (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- In 2024, returns totaled $$685 billion with a 13.21% return rate, and return fraud/claims were estimated at $$103 billion (15.14% of returns) (Appriss Retail + Deloitte, 2024).
Return Volume and Value
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total U.S. retail returns (2025 projected) | $$849.9 billion | NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025 |
| Return rate as share of sales (2025) | 15.8% | NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025 |
| E-commerce return rate (2025) | 19.3% | NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025 |
| Total U.S. retail returns (2024) | $$890 billion | NRF / Happy Returns, Dec 2024 |
| Return rate as share of sales (2024) | 16.9% | NRF / Happy Returns, Dec 2024 |
| Return rate as share of sales (2023) | 14.5% | NRF, 2023 report |
| Holiday season return rate (2025) | 17% of holiday sales | NRF, Oct 2025 |
2024 Returns Snapshot (Appriss Retail + Deloitte)
- $$685 billion in total returns in 2024, equal to a 13.21% return rate (Appriss Retail + Deloitte, 2024).
- Return and claims fraud reached $$103 billion, representing 15.14% of total returns (Appriss Retail + Deloitte, 2024).
Consumer Return Behavior (2025)
- 82% of consumers consider free returns a key purchase factor, up from 76% in 2024 (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- 81% of consumers review return policies before purchasing (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- 76% prefer return options that offer instant refunds or exchanges (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- 71% of consumers say a negative return experience would discourage them from shopping with a retailer again, up from 67% in 2024 (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- 80% would share a negative return experience with friends and family (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
Return Convenience Signals (2024 Report)
- 84% of shoppers prefer box-free, label-free returns with instant refunds (NRF / Happy Returns, 2024).
- 46% of shoppers abandon purchases if return methods are not convenient (NRF / Happy Returns, 2024).
- The UPS Store is the top return drop-off location for 59% of shoppers (NRF / Happy Returns, 2024).
Bracketing and Generational Trends
"Bracketing" refers to buying multiple variants of a product with the intent to return most of them.
- Close to two-thirds of consumers admit to at least one costly return behavior, from wardrobing to bracketing to sending back different items (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- 45% of consumers believe "bending the truth" is acceptable when making returns (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- Gen Z consumers averaged 7.7 online returns over the past year, the most of any generation (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- 51% of Gen Z consumers say they bracket purchases (NRF / Happy Returns, 2024).
Return Fraud (2025)
- 9% of all returns are classified as fraudulent (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- 85% of retailers are deploying AI and machine learning to detect and prevent return fraud, but only 45% find these tools effective so far (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
- Common fraudulent tactics include overstated return quantities (71% of retailers report this), empty-box / "box of rocks" returns (65%), and decoy returns such as counterfeit items (64%) (NRF / Happy Returns, Oct 2025).
Retailer Response and Operations
- 68% of retailers say they are prioritizing upgrading their returns capabilities within the next six months (NRF / Happy Returns, 2024).
- 60% of retailers report having to choose between processing returns and fulfilling new orders (Happy Returns, 2024).
- 40% of retailers are seeking additional support from third-party logistics providers for holiday returns (NRF, 2024).
- 34% are hiring additional seasonal staff specifically to handle returns during holidays (NRF, 2024).
If you found this data useful, please cite as: "Retail Returns Statistics 2026," receiptgenerators.net, February 2026.
Methodology and Sources
All statistics in this report are sourced from publicly available reports and press releases. Primary sources include:
- NRF & Happy Returns: 2025 Retail Returns Landscape (October 2025). Survey of 2,006 consumers and 358 ecommerce professionals from U.S. retailers with $500M+ revenue.
- NRF & Happy Returns: 2024 Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry (December 2024). Survey of 2,007 consumers and 249 ecommerce/finance professionals.
- NRF & Happy Returns: 2024 NRF Returns Report.
- Appriss Retail + Deloitte: 2024 Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry Report and 2024 fraud loss update.
- Retail TouchPoints: NRF Forecasts Nearly $850 Billion in Returns in 2025 (October 2025).
Last updated: February 2026.