Retail’s busiest returns period may be in the rearview mirror until next year, but rising ecommerce order volumes have caused returns management to become an aspect of ecommerce and omnichannel business that warrants a dedicated year-round strategy.
Returns are a major cost of doing retail business of any kind, but especially online. According to a report released in December by the National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail, for every $1 billion in sales, the average retailer incurs $145 million in merchandise returns. Online sales see an even higher return rate, with $247 billion (17.6%) of all merchandise purchased online returned.
