The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) newly released 2025 Retail Returns Landscape reveals an eye-popping forecast: U.S.
retailers are expected to process $849.9 billion in merchandise returns this year, representing nearly 15.8% of total sales—a slight decrease from 2024 but still indicative of how consumer expectations, e-commerce habits, and reverse logistics are reshaping the retail economy.
with an estimated 19.3% of digital purchases coming back to retailers. Younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, are fueling this trend—averaging 7.7 online returns in the past 12 months, more than any other generation.
Returns Are No Longer the End of the Transaction Katherine Cullen , NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights, noted, “ Returns are no longer the endpoint of a transaction. They provide an opportunity for retailers to create a positive experience for customers and can translate to brand loyalty.
Retailers are constantly evolving and working to meet customer expectations, and they recognize the importance the returns process. ” Read more in the official NRF press statement .
Fighting Fraud and Modernizing Reverse Logistics Return fraud remains a significant issue: the NRF report found 9% of all returns are fraudulent, including overstated quantities, counterfeit item swaps, and “box of rocks” incidents…
