Headlines

Average Return Rate Jumps to 16.6 Percent in 2021

The return rate on online purchases is even higher at 20.8 percent

Published

2 years ago

January 26, 2022

Average Return Rate Jumps to 16.6 Percent in 2021 — Shutterstock

U.S. shoppers returned more than $761 billion worth of merchandise in 2021, growing to an average of 16.6 percent versus 10.6 percent the year prior, reports CNBC.

The National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail surveyed 57 retailers between mid-October and mid-November and found that the average rate of returns on online purchases is even higher, clocking in at 20.8 percent – an increase from 18.1 percent in 2020.

“As online sales increase, the return rate has also increased significantly, and I don’t think it’s a secondary problem anymore,” said Mehmet Sekip Altug, Associate Business Professor, George Mason University.

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