PYMNTS Daily Data Dive: National Returns Day

On this year’s National Returns Day (Jan. 5), more than 1.3 million packages were shipped back to retailers, with a total of 5.8 million slated to find their way back sometime this week. That’s up nearly 30 percent from 1 million packages on last year’s National Returns Day. Likewise, this year’s weekly rate was up 16 percent from last year’s 5 million. Return rates for brick-and-mortar stores average in the 5 to 10 percent range. For online retailers, it’s not unusual to see return rates of 30 to 40 percent.

Here are the numbers:

1/5/17 | National Returns Day

1.3 million | Items returned on National Returns Day in 2017

30 percent | Year-over-year (YoY) rise in items returned

1 million | Items returned in 2016

5.8 million | Estimated items to be returned this week

16 percent | YoY rise in items returned over the same period last year

5 million | Items returned this week in 2016

5–10 percent | Average return rates for brick-and-mortar stores

30–40 percent | Average return rates for online retailers