A tidal wave of returns hits the e-commerce industry
For retailers it is a tricky and expensive problem
Getting a package delivered is easy. Sending it back is not. Repacking, printing labels and shipping it back up to the seller is an increasingly familiar experience for online shoppers. In America 21% of online orders, worth some $218bn, were returned in 2021, according to the National Retail Federation, up from 18% in 2020. For clothing and shoes it can reach around 40%. It is a headache for retailers.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Sending it back”
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