Consumers are living in a golden era of returns. They’re enjoying longer return windows, getting refunds in less time, and taking advantage of increasingly diverse return methods.

Therefore, the more you can modernize your returns experience, the more successful you’ll be at keeping customers happy and retaining revenue. 

Highlights from this, Narvar’s annual Return Policy Benchmark Report, include: 

33% of return policies now go beyond 45 days‍

That’s an increase from 28% in 2021, and a sign that retailers believe more generous, flexible return policies are crucial to increasing sales volume. 

41% of retailers charge a return shipping fee

In a sign that retailers are worried that return shipping fees turn shoppers away, more and more brands are eliminating return shipping fees altogether, with the number of fee-less returns experiences jumping by +8% since 2021.  

50% of shoppers will use a drop-off network when it’s available

Consumers want unconventional offerings such as printerless returns and drop-off networks, yet fewer than 20% of retailers offer some form of printerless, boxless, or contactless returns.