In 2025, e-commerce returns represent a real challenge for merchants’ profitability. Selling online has become easier, but managing returns without losing money remains complicated. Between rising costs, higher customer expectations and ecological issues, e-commerce reverse logistics must evolve.
- Why returns management is the #1 challenge in 2025
- The 5 key trends in e-commerce returns in 2025
- How to optimize your reverse logistics process with OMS/WMS
- Checklist: 6 steps to review your e-commerce returns policy
In this article, discover key trends, best practices and tools like OMS/WMS to better manage your returns, reduce your losses, and improve the customer experience.
Why returns management is the #1 challenge in 2025
With the rise of e-commerce in recent years, consumer expectations have reached new heights: express delivery, one-click payment, and of course… easy returns. But what was once a competitive advantage is now becoming a real Achilles’ heel for merchants.
In 2025, managing e-commerce returns is a major concern. And with good reason: it has a direct impact on margins, brand image and customer loyalty. Before discussing solutions, let’s take a look at the scale of the phenomenon.
Return rates: a money pit for e-tailers
In 2025, the average e-commerce return rate will be 15%, depending on the sector. The rate can even climb to over 30% in textiles (source: Amra & Elma (2025)). Each return costs on average between €15 and €20, a cost that includes logistics, repackaging, labor and loss of product value.
For a merchant shipping 10,000 orders per month with a 20% returns rate, this represents a monthly loss of €30,000. You can see why the cost of e-commerce returns is now one of the most important profitability levers to monitor.
The psychological impact of return policies on the act of purchasing
A flexible returns policy can reassure customers and encourage conversion. But the perverse effect is well known: the notorious “wardrobing”, where customers order to wear once and then send it back. This particularly affects the fashion and luxury sectors.
Consumers expect easy returns, but they are also increasingly aware of their ecological and financial impact. So the key is tooptimize your e-commerce returns policy so that it remains an incentive without encouraging abuse.
The 5 key trends in e-commerce returns 2025
Faced with rising costs and changing purchasing behavior, e-tailers have no choice but to review their returns management strategy. In 2025, new practices are emerging, at the crossroads of customer expectations, logistics performance and environmental commitments.
Here are the 5 key logistics trends for 2025, designed to turn cost center returns into sustainable growth levers.
Trend 1: The end of unconditional free returns and the emergence of responsible paid returns
For years now, free returns have been an essential selling point. A veritable standard imposed by the web giants, it has shaped consumer expectations… and undermined the profitability of e-tailers. But in 2025, the rules are changing.
Faced with the ever-increasing cost of e-commerce returns (logistics, repackaging, loss of value), merchants are rethinking their policies: free returns are no longer automatic.
This shift is motivated both by the need to protect margins and to limit abuses, notably e-commerce returns fraud such as wardrobing or bracketing. According to The Guardian (2024), the phenomenon of “serial returners” – customers who buy and then systematically return – accounts for billions of euros in losses every year.
Today, we’re seeing the emergence of responsible paid returns, framed by fairer, more sustainable criteria. Here are the models that are gaining ground:
- Free return only at a relay point or via a left-luggage office to encourage the pooling of flows.
- Free subject to minimum purchase or customer loyalty status.
- Refund in vouchers rather than cash to avoid opportunistic purchases.
- Shared (e.g. 50/50) or capped return costs, to empower consumers without discouraging them from buying.
This paradigm shift not only reduces the average e-commerce return rate, but also turns it into a genuine lever of engagement. Returns become a thoughtful act, more in tune with today’s environmental and economic challenges.
And the good news is that consumers increasingly understand this logic. In 2025, the vast majority of online shoppers are aware that a return represents a logistical, human and ecological cost. As long as information is transparent and the e-commerce customer returns process remains fluid, acceptance will be high.
Last but not least, this changeover also enables you to better segment your customers: who returns often, for what reasons, and within what timeframe? This data is invaluable for fine-tuning your offers, personalizing your return conditions and accurately anticipating needs.
To remember: The days of the “open bar return” are over. Make way for smarter, more sustainable and more strategic e-commerce returns management. In 2025, returns policies will become more professional and a marker of logistics maturity.
Trend 2: The urgent need for green reverse logistics (reusable packaging, optimized transport)
In 2025, environmental pressure is becoming as important as economic pressure. E-commercereverse logistics must meet a dual objective: reduce costs while limiting ecological impact. And yet, returns are a massive source of carbon emissions, excess packaging consumption and logistical waste.
Consumers know it. Regulators know it. And brands can no longer afford to turn a blind eye. As a result, initiatives are multiplying to make returns more sustainable.
Among the most common practices today :
- Use of reusable or recyclable packaging, with deposit systems on dispatch and return,
- Optimization of e-commerce return transport via collection hubs or pooling with outbound flows,
- No more systematic returns for low-value products or products that are difficult to recondition, replaced by a no-returns refund,
- Choice of eco-responsible or low-carbon carriers in the returns process.
Some brands go even further, proposing solutions forself-processing of returns by the customer (donation, local resale, recycling). It’s a way of transforming a logistical act into a social initiative.
This green approach to e-commerce reverse logistics (definition: all flows linked to the return, sorting and re-circulation of products) is not only virtuous: it’s also strategic. It enables us to stand out from the crowd, communicate our concrete CSR commitments and win the loyalty of customers who are sensitive to eco-responsibility.
An OMS/WMS like Shippingbo can integrate these ecological considerations into returns flows: optimized choice of carrier, printing of responsible return labels, and monitoring of environmental indicators.
In 2025, reducing the carbon footprint of your returns also means improving your logistics efficiency and your brand image.
Trend 3: The seamless omnichannel returns experience (Drop-off, Ship-from-Store, relay point returns)
Gone are the days when returns were synonymous with long delays and complex processes. In 2025, consumers expect the returns experience to be as seamless as the initial purchase. Returns are becoming an essential part of the satisfaction equation.
To meet this challenge, retailers need to integrate an omnichannel logic into their e-commerce customer return process. This means offering several options:
- Drop-off at your local drop-off point, fast and without queuing;
- Ship-from-store for immediate advice or exchange;
- Return from home with collection by carrier or via a connected locker.
This flexibility enables us to adapt to the varied needs of our customers, while optimizing logistics costs. It plays a crucial role in e-commerce returns and loyalty issues: a customer who experiences a quick and simple return is more likely to recommend the brand, even if the product is not to their liking.
For retailers with physical stores, integrating returns into the point-of-sale network becomes a major asset. This can increase in-store traffic, offer instant exchanges and even generate additional sales.
100% digital brands, on the other hand, rely on networks of partner relay points or collection solutions via connected lockers. These systems have the advantage of reducing unit transport costs, and are very well received by consumers in search of convenience.
Finally, for this omnichannel approach to work, it must be supported by a solid infrastructure. An OMS/WMS-type tool centralizes all sales and returns channels, synchronizes inventories, automates flow management and improves post-purchase customer satisfaction.
Omnichannel reverse logistics is no longer an option. It’s an essential standard for gaining customer trust and improving the efficiency of your returns.
Trend 4: Software automation: rapid reimbursement and inventory reintegration
Automation of reverse logistics is cited as a key trend by DHL in its E-commerce Trends Report 2025, notably via OMS/WMS integration and increased use of AI for return tracking, refunds and restocking.
In 2025, automating e-commerce returns management is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. The growing complexity of flows, the diversity of sales channels, and customers’ demands in terms of reimbursement times, make human intervention ineffective on a large scale. This is where OMS/WMS software solutions come into play.
Theautomation of product returns streamlines the entire process, from the return request to the return to stock. Among the most impactful functionalities:
- Automatic generation of return labels on customer request,
- Assignment to a dedicated sorting area on receipt in the warehouse,
- Semi-automated quality control, with visual assistance and product checklist,
- Real-time notification of status (receipt, validation, reimbursement),
- Automatic stock availability update upon validation,
- Quickly trigger a refund or issue a voucher.
These features save considerable time, improve centralized return logistics, and reduce costly human error.
Another key benefit: greatly optimized e-commerce dispute management. In the event of a dispute, everything is traced, dated and documented. The entire returns cycle becomes transparent, controllable and exploitable in terms of data.
A good tool also enables you to segment returns (defective products, sizing errors, changes of mind, etc.), in order to trigger differentiated scenarios: express returns, reconditioning, donations, recycling, etc. In this way, you optimize your margins while enhancing your return-product customer experience.
Automation is the key to making returns a profitable, smooth and controlled process. And it’s also a powerful lever for reinforcing your customer promise.
Trend 5: Predictive analysis of return patterns to reduce volume
When a customer returns a product, it’s not just a logistical problem: it’s a signal. In 2025, the ability to analyze the reasons for returns is becoming a strategic weapon for anticipating, correcting and, ultimately, reducing returns in fashion e-commerce and other sensitive sectors.
Thanks to AI and data, e-commerce returns management software tools can now collect and cross-reference thousands of pieces of data:
- Customer-declared reasons (size, defect, non-conforming product, etc.)
- Product type, brand, supplier
- Purchase history, customer profile, sales channel
- Return rate by product card or category
This advanced processing is known aspredictive returns analysis. It allows us to identify deep-seated trends: a poorly cut product, a misleading product sheet, a material that doesn’t go well with delivery…
Once you have identified these causes, you can :
- Correct your product sheets (photos, size charts, descriptions)
- Train your customer service to better support choice
- Adjust your supplies or suppliers
- Implement more refined product recommendations
Better still, you can activate intelligent rules to prevent returns. For example, display an alert message for a frequently returned item, offer a more visual sizing guide, or block certain products from sale on certain marketplaces.
In the long run, this logic will not only reduce the average e-commerce return rate, but also increase customer satisfaction, by avoiding unpleasant post-delivery surprises.
Preventing returns starts with understanding them. In 2025, the winners in e-commerce will be those who learn quickly from their mistakes, and adjust in real time.
How to optimize your reverse logistics process with OMS/WMS
The complexity of reverse logistics is often underestimated. reverse logistics logistics. Yet managing returns efficiently means juggling physical flows, customer information, inventory reintegration, refunds and post-purchase satisfaction. If you want to stay on top of things without having to devote an army of staff to the task, the right tool makes all the difference.
An OMS/WMS (Order Management System / Warehouse Management System) becomes your best ally. A veritable control tower for your logistics operations, it enables you to automate, centralize and ensure the reliability of every stage in the e-commerce customer return process. But how do you actually make the most of this type of solution? We explain.
Centralization and control of return flows
In an omnichannel environment, returns can come from dozens of entry points: e-commerce sites, marketplaces, relay points, physical stores, after-sales service, etc. Without a centralized solution, chaos can quickly ensue. Without a centralized solution, chaos ensues.
Good e-commerce returns management software, like Shippingbo, brings all these flows together in a single interface. Each return is automatically traced, categorized and assigned to a specific action: reintegration, repackaging, refund, after-sales investigation, etc.
This centralization of flows is essential for gaining a clear view of your performance, identifying bottlenecks and prioritizing your actions. You can monitor in real time the status of your returned stock, your volumes, your re-sale rates, or even the products most prone to returns.
This is the sine qua non for centralized returns logistics that won’t disrupt your overall operations, and guarantees the scalability of your returns management, even during periods of strong growth.
Speed up quality control and restocking
Every day that a returned product is delayed is lost revenue. A reverse logistics WMS helps you shorten this cycle with automated processes and dedicated sortation zones.
On receipt of the parcel, the product is directed to a specific zone according to its nature and condition (new, damaged, open, for reconditioning, etc.). Thanks to standardized procedures and guided quality control (with scan or checklist), processing is faster and more reliable.
The returned goods reconditioning module then gives a second life to eligible items (repackaging, cleaning, reconditioning). This reduces your losses and increases your margins.
At the same time, automatic restocking on all your sales channels (website, marketplaces, ERP) guarantees better stock rotation and avoids unjustified stock-outs.
A good WMS transforms the return of a product into an opportunity to recover value.
Manage the customer experience after the return (follow-up, refund)
A poorly managed return is a double loss: for your sales and for your customer relations. A good returns management OMS enables you to orchestrate every post-purchase interaction with efficiency and transparency.
Customers can track their returns online, receiving clear notifications at every stage (package received, product checked, refund initiated). At the same time, the merchant effortlessly respects the legal e-commerce retraction period (14 days minimum), which limits disputes and reinforces trust.
Better still, you can personalize the experience: offer an immediate voucher, display alternative product recommendations, or gather feedback on the reason for the return.
This approach transforms a product return into an opportunity for loyalty customer loyalty. Rather than suffering dissatisfaction, you prove that your after-sales service is up to modern expectations – responsive, fluid and satisfaction-oriented.
With a high-performance OMS/WMS, reverse logistics becomes a lever for customer relations, not just a technical service.
Checklist: 6 steps to review your e-commerce returns policy
Ready to take action? Here’s an operational checklist to turn your returns from a cost center into a performance lever. This approach will not only help you secure your margins, but also offer your customers a better experience, while integrating ecological and technological issues at the heart of your strategy.
Adapt to your sector, volumes and logistics maturity.
Analyze your current return rate and identify the products, channels or typologies most affected.
Modify your returns policy to empower your customers without hurting conversion.
Integrate an OMS/WMS solution to automate reverse logistics and track flows.
Offer an omnichannel experience with multiple return options (relay, home, store).
Work on root causes: product description, visuals, size, supplier quality.
Communicate your policy clearly to reassure without encouraging abuse.
Making returns a lever for profitability and loyalty
Mastering e-commerce returns 2025 is no longer an option: it’s a survival strategy. In a context of soaring costs and pressure on margins, your ability to optimize your e-commerce returns policy will determine your future profitability.
It’s also an essential lever for loyalty, post-purchase customer satisfaction and differentiation in an ultra-competitive market.
To meet this challenge, you need the right tools. That’s where Shippingbo comes in: our all-in-one solution integrates an OMS/WMS complemented by a TMSto automate and centralize all your reverse logistics. Tracking returns, rapid reintegration into stock, automated reimbursements, clear reporting: you manage your returns like you do your shipments, with the same focus on profitability and efficiency.
In 2025, a good product is no longer enough. What will make the difference is your ability to master every return with precision, and Shippingbo is here to help you do just that.
Want to find out more about optimizing your logistics? Download our white paper “The challenges of omnichannel e-commerce” to discover best practices:
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about e-commerce returns 2025
Between €15 and €20 per return, on average. A 20% return rate can be enough to jeopardize your profitability.
Thanks to a WMS or OMS, you can automate return labeling, sorting, restocking and reimbursement. The result: fewer errors, lower costs and greater fluidity.
Yes, if it’s properly supervised. It discourages fraud and makes customers feel more responsible. Be careful about communication, to avoid slowing down conversion.
It means offering customers several channels for returning their products: at a relay point, at home or in a store. Objective: flexibility, speed, satisfaction.
Glossary
OMS (Order Management System)
Omnichannel order management software.
WMS (Warehouse Management System)
Warehouse inventory and flow management software.
Reverse logistics
All operations related to product returns.
Wardrobing
Abusive practice of returning a product after use.
Reconditioning
Refurbishment of a product returned for resale.