After all the carols are sung and eggnog consumed, Americans this weekend will be indulging in a more modern — and growing — holiday pastime: returning unwanted gifts. Many shoppers, if they give it any thought, assume those ill-fitting sweaters and unloved blenders will go right back onto store shelves.

But returns, an increasing headache for retailers, are spawning a huge industry of middlemen, technology firms and discount sellers dedicated to figuring out what to do with all those goods. The weeks after Christmas are their busiest time. Last year, $284 billion worth of merchandise was returned in the U.S., according to the Retail Equation. That’s up 6.2% from $267 billion in 2013.

Read Full Article >>

More from the B-Stock Blog

The B-Stock Mobile Insider: Q2, 2026
The B-Stock Mobile Insider: Q2, 2026

Some of the world’s largest wireless OEMs, carriers, and trade-in companies leverage B-Stock’s B2B marketplace to maximize their profits on trade-in mobile devices and accessories. Get insight into secondary market trends to fetch the highest prices for your devices.

Aug 10 2026 · 1 min read

Case Study: How JCPenney Scaled its B2B Resale Program
Case Study: How JCPenney Scaled its B2B Resale Program

Managing returned inventory across multiple locations is no small task. For JCPenney, a fragmented process, inconsistent recovery rates, and limited buyer competition made it difficult to maximize the value of returned merchandise. By partnering with B-Stock, JCPenney centralized its B2B…

Jul 17 2026 · 1 min read

What Back-to-School Shoppers Want—And How Resellers Can Deliver
What Back-to-School Shoppers Want—And How Resellers Can Deliver

Back-to-school season is here! For resellers, it’s one of the best times of year to move inventory, attract new buyers, and position your business as a smart way to save on popular products. This year, budget-conscious shoppers are getting their…

Jul 02 2026 · 5 min read

Like what you see?

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest news from B-Stock.