Returns & Surplus Statistics 2026
Return rates, restocking costs, liquidation channels, and surplus inventory data for 2026.
TL;DR
- 15 statistics across 5 categories, all source-cited.
- Sourced from 7 named research outlets including Appriss Retail Annual Research, Blue Yonder Consumer Retail Returns Survey, CBRE, NRF & Happy Returns, NRF & Happy Returns 2025 Returns Landscape.
- Updated June 2026 — refreshed quarterly.
- Return rates, restocking costs, liquidation channels, and surplus inventory data for 2026.
Return Rates & Scale
How much actually comes back, and what it's worth.
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US shoppers returned $890 billion of merchandise in 2024 — 16.9% of annual retail sales.Source: NRF & Happy Returns · 2024
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Total US merchandise returns reached $685 billion in 2024 — 13.21% of total retail sales.Source: Appriss Retail Annual Research · 2024
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The 2024 online return rate was 24.52% — nearly double the blended in-store-plus-online rate.Source: Appriss Retail Annual Research · 2024
Cost of Returns
What processing a return actually costs.
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Processing an online return costs US retailers an average 21% of the original order value.Source: Pitney Bowes BOXpoll (via Nasdaq) · 2022
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The cost to return a purchase averages 27% of the purchase price, eroding up to 50% of the sales margin.Source: CBRE · 2023
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2024 holiday returns were expected to reach $160 billion (16% of holiday sales) at ~30% of each product's value to process.Source: CBRE · 2024
Returns Fraud & Abuse
The fraud share of returns.
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Fraudulent returns and claims cost US retailers $103 billion in 2024, with 15.14% of all returns deemed fraudulent.Source: Appriss Retail Annual Research · 2024
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60% of retailers reported 'wardrobing' — buying, using, then returning merchandise.Source: Appriss Retail Annual Research · 2024
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9% of all returns are fraudulent, led by overstated quantity, empty/fake boxes, and counterfeit decoys.Source: NRF & Happy Returns 2025 Returns Landscape · 2025
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51% of Gen Z consumers engage in bracketing — buying multiple items intending to return some.Source: NRF & Happy Returns · 2024
Consumer Behavior & Policy
How returns policy shapes buying.
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76% of consumers consider free returns a key factor in where they shop, and 67% say a bad return experience deters them from returning.Source: NRF & Happy Returns · 2024
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69% of consumers aware of stricter returns policies say it deters them from buying — up from 59% in 2023.Source: Blue Yonder Consumer Retail Returns Survey · 2024
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91% of consumers say a lenient returns policy influences their buying decisions.Source: Blue Yonder Consumer Retail Returns Survey · 2024
Returns Sustainability
The waste footprint of returns.
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Returned inventory in the US creates an estimated 9.5 billion pounds of landfill waste annually.
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Returns generate an estimated 16 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually in the US.
Frequently asked questions
What are the latest return rates & scale statistics for 2026?
US shoppers returned $890 billion of merchandise in 2024 — 16.9% of annual retail sales. (Source: NRF & Happy Returns, 2024.)
What are the latest cost of returns statistics for 2026?
Processing an online return costs US retailers an average 21% of the original order value. (Source: Pitney Bowes BOXpoll (via Nasdaq), 2022.)
What are the latest returns fraud & abuse statistics for 2026?
Fraudulent returns and claims cost US retailers $103 billion in 2024, with 15.14% of all returns deemed fraudulent. (Source: Appriss Retail Annual Research, 2024.)
What are the latest consumer behavior & policy statistics for 2026?
76% of consumers consider free returns a key factor in where they shop, and 67% say a bad return experience deters them from returning. (Source: NRF & Happy Returns, 2024.)
What are the latest returns sustainability statistics for 2026?
Returned inventory in the US creates an estimated 9.5 billion pounds of landfill waste annually. (Source: ReturnPro & SupplyChainBrain Retail Returns Sustainability Report 2024, 2024.)
Turn surplus into revenue
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