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As online retailers ship out loads of goods this season, parcel carriers already are lugging many of those purchases back on the reverse trip. Of the 800 million packages United Parcel Service Inc. expects to deliver this holiday season, more than 24 million in December alone will be shipments heading back to the sender. UPS estimated Wednesday would be the highest volume day for returns, with shipments reaching 1.5 million—even more than the projected postholiday peak of 1.3 million on Jan. 3.
Roughly a third of this season’s $123 billion in estimated online sales are expected to be returned, according to B-Stock Solutions, which runs online liquidation sites for major retailers.
For finance leaders at large retailers and brands, excess and returned inventory can pose a significant drag on working capital and margin performance. With returns projected to cost U.S. retailers $850 billion annually—roughly 17% of total sales—and processing costs ranging…
San Mateo, CA and Chicago, IL, Feb. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New data from both Circana and B-Stock reveals the age of smartphones traded-in reached an all-time high during the 2025 upgrade cycle, with most devices being three generations…