The growth of e-commerce, now almost 10 percent of retail sales, has contributed to a soaring rate of returns. Return rates of online purchases are much higher than for in-store purchases. For apparel, it’s as high as 30 percent online vs. 8 percent for store purchases.

The cost of offering free shipping on returns and processing those goods is not cheap. That’s why brick-and-mortar retailers encourage in-store returns. Shoppers like that too because there’s no wait for your money back, although Amazon credits accounts as soon as you slap on a return label.

Read Full Article >>

More from the B-Stock Blog

The B-Stock Mobile Insider: Q1, 2026
The B-Stock Mobile Insider: Q1, 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.

Apr 09 2026 · 1 min read

Recommerce and Sustainability: How B-Stock Is Closing the Loop
Recommerce and Sustainability: How B-Stock Is Closing the Loop

Every April, Earth Month serves as a reminder that sustainability isn’t a trend: it’s an imperative. For retailers and brands managing the constant flow of returned, excess, and pre-owned inventory, the question is no longer whether to embrace sustainable practices,…

Apr 02 2026 · 3 min read

Stop Managing the Excess Inventory Backlog. Start Clearing It.
Stop Managing the Excess Inventory Backlog. Start Clearing It.

The numbers are hard to ignore. According to the National Retail Federation, retailers expect ~16% of annual sales to be returned, roughly $850 billion in merchandise. According to McKinsey & Company, it’s forced retailers to spend an estimated $200 billion…

Mar 24 2026 · 4 min read

Like what you see?

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