Returns data
Ecommerce Return Rate Statistics 2026
How often online orders come back, by industry and by cause. Every third-party figure names its publisher and links to the report; every industry rate links to its own statistic and citation.
Key return rate statistics
Quotable figures from published research. Each one has its own link and a ready-made citation.
17.6% of merchandise bought online in the US in 2023 was returned.
Source: NRF and Appriss Retail, Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry 2023 (2023).
US retailers expected 16.9% of their total 2024 sales to be returned.
Source: NRF and Happy Returns, 2024 Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry (2024).
US apparel sellers report that 24.4% of online apparel orders are returned.
Source: Coresight Research, The True Cost of Apparel Returns (2023).
Shopify merchants using Loop saw 14.5% of apparel sales value returned in 2024.
Source: Loop Returns, Winter 2024 Benchmark Report (2024).
Size or fit causes about 70% of apparel returns.
Source: Coresight Research (sponsored by Alvanon), Shifting the Size and Fit Paradigm (2026).
71% of shoppers have returned an item because its description was inaccurate.
Source: Salsify, 2025 Consumer Research (2025).
45% of shoppers have returned an online purchase because of incorrect or misleading product information.
Source: Salsify, 2026 Consumer Research (2026).
About 60% of shoppers have returned a product because of an inaccurate or misleading description.
Source: Akeneo, 2025 Consumer Returns Report (2025).
About a third of Zalando's returns are size-related, and size advice cut those returns by 10%.
Source: Zalando, How Zalando leverages technology to help customers find the right size.
83% of desktop and 87% of mobile apparel sites lack sufficient sizing information.
Source: Baymard Institute, Apparel size information (2022).
Vendor research: Salsify and Akeneo sell PIM software, like WISEPIM.
Average ecommerce return rate by industry
Return rates for 8 e-commerce categories, from Furniture & Home (3.5%) to Fashion & Apparel (19.1%). Each rate links to its statistic and citation on the industry page.
| Industry | Return rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion & Apparel | 19.1% | Median of 3 published sources: Coresight Research (Mar 2022 – Mar 2023); ECDB; Loop Returns (Jan 2024 – Oct 2024) |
| Luggage, Bags & Travel Accessories | 12.9% | Source: ECDB |
| Electronics & Technology | 11.2% | Mean of 2 published sources: ECDB; Loop Returns (Jan 2024 – Oct 2024) |
| Jewelry & Accessories | 9.8% | Source: Loop Returns (Jan 2024 – Oct 2024) |
| Garden & Outdoor Living | 9.4% | Source: ECDB |
| Home Improvement & Hardware | 9.4% | Source: ECDB |
| Beauty & Cosmetics | 6% | Mean of 2 published sources: ECDB (2025); Loop Returns (Jan 2024 – Oct 2024) |
| Furniture & Home | 3.5% | Mean of 2 published sources: ECDB; Loop Returns (Jan 2024 – Oct 2024) |
Each rate is the median or mean of the published studies next to it, or a single named study. Industries no study covers are left out. Studies count returns differently (share of orders or of sales value), so compare them with care.
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<figure>
<a href="https://wisepim.com/ecommerce-return-rate-statistics"><img src="https://wisepim.com/ecommerce-return-rate-statistics/charts/return-rates.svg" alt="Bar chart of ecommerce return rates for 16 industries" width="760" loading="lazy" /></a>
<figcaption>Source: wisepim.com <a href="https://wisepim.com/ecommerce-return-rate-statistics">WISEPIM, Ecommerce Return Rate Statistics 2026: Rates by Industry</a></figcaption>
</figure>Methodology and sources
WISEPIM checked each third-party figure against its publisher on October 17, 2026. NRF figures measure returned merchandise as a share of US sales by value; the industry rates measure returned orders and come from WISEPIM's industry benchmarks.
Sources
- NRF and Appriss Retail, Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry 2023 (2023)
- NRF and Happy Returns, 2024 Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry (2024)
- Coresight Research, The True Cost of Apparel Returns (2023)
- Loop Returns, Winter 2024 Benchmark Report (2024)
- Coresight Research (sponsored by Alvanon), Shifting the Size and Fit Paradigm (2026)
- Salsify, 2025 Consumer Research (2025)
- Salsify, 2026 Consumer Research (2026)
- Akeneo, 2025 Consumer Returns Report (2025)
- Zalando, How Zalando leverages technology to help customers find the right size
- Baymard Institute, Apparel size information (2022)