Returns are one of the biggest cost pressures in e-commerce. The NRF’s 2025 Retail Returns Landscape projects that 19.3% of online sales will be returned this year, while 82% of consumers say free returns are an important consideration when shopping online. That is exactly what makes the topic difficult: returns are expensive for retailers, but making them harder can damage conversion and loyalty.
For growing online brands, the better goal is not to discourage every return. It is to reduce avoidable returns and build a reverse logistics process that handles the rest more efficiently. That is also where Boomerang fits naturally into the picture. Boomerang positions itself as a 3PL partner for e-commerce with a strong focus on cross-border fulfilment and return management, and says it is the largest return-handling operator in the Nordics.
Why returns are so expensive in e-commerce?
The cost of a return is rarely just the refund. It usually includes outbound shipping that has already been paid, reverse shipping, inspection, handling, restocking, customer support, and sometimes markdown, repair, or disposal. NetSuite notes that businesses moving goods through reverse logistics often struggle with the cost of transporting and processing returns while also trying to maintain customer satisfaction and recover resale value.
This is one reason returns need to be viewed as an operational process, not only a policy issue. Boomerang’s service pages describe reverse logistics as a core part of its offer: returned goods are transported to its warehouses, unpacked, inspected, and directed toward restocking, recovery, repair, or disposal depending on condition. The company also says it offers recovery services such as spot cleaning for fashion items to reduce the number of returned goods that become non-sellable.
Why customers return products in the first place?
A large share of e-commerce returns starts long before the parcel arrives. Customers return products because the item feels different from what they expected based on the product page. Shopify notes that common return drivers include items not matching the description, damage, and improper fit, while Baymard’s product-page research shows that even small weaknesses in product detail pages can affect purchase decisions and usability.
In practical terms, this often comes down to product information. Descriptions may be too vague, imagery may not show texture, scale, or colour accurately, and shoppers may fill the gaps with their own assumptions. When expectations and reality drift apart, return rates usually rise with them. That is why reducing return costs often starts on the product page, not in the warehouse.
Sizing remains one of the biggest return triggers, especially in categories like fashion and footwear. Statista reporting highlights that clothing and shoes are among the most returned online purchase categories, and NetSuite notes that retailers often improve sizing guides and product descriptions when data shows specific products are being returned too often. Baymard also says many apparel sites still do not provide sufficient sizing information, which leaves shoppers guessing.
This matters because sizing problems do not always mean the size chart is missing. They can also reflect poor fit guidance, unclear model information, or a lack of context such as whether a garment runs small, loose, or true to size. When those cues are absent, customers often order multiple sizes or simply return the item after trying it on.
Some returns are not caused by product choice at all. They happen because the item arrives damaged or in worse condition than expected. Shopify includes damage among common return causes, and that makes packaging part of return prevention as well as fulfillment. If products are not protected properly in transit, businesses pay twice: once for the original shipment and again for the return or replacement.
How to reduce returns before they happen?
Improve product descriptions and images
The clearest first step is to make product pages more informative. Better descriptions reduce uncertainty around dimensions, materials, fit, compatibility, and use cases. Better images help customers understand what they are buying from multiple angles and in more realistic contexts. Baymard’s research emphasizes how important product page execution is for ecommerce usability, and NetSuite notes that when brands analyze high return rates, one practical response is to revise product descriptions and sizing content.
For many brands, this is one of the highest-return improvements available. It usually costs less than absorbing ongoing returns, and it improves both conversion quality and customer confidence. The goal is not to make the product page longer for its own sake, but to remove the ambiguity that leads to disappointed customers later.
Add stronger sizing guidance
For categories where fit matters, sizing guidance needs to be more practical than a basic chart. Baymard’s research on size guides points to major gaps in sizing support across apparel sites, and NetSuite specifically highlights sizing guides as one of the areas retailers often revise when return data suggests a fit problem.
Useful sizing support often includes more than measurements. Fit notes, model size references, guidance on whether an item runs large or small, and category-specific cues can all help customers choose more confidently. In categories with consistently high fit-related returns, those improvements can reduce unnecessary reverse logistics at the source.
Use packaging to prevent avoidable returns
Packaging influences return costs in two ways. First, it protects the item in transit and reduces damage-related returns. Second, it affects how efficiently goods can be processed when they come back. Boomerang’s reverse logistics model includes inspection and recovery options, and its wider fulfilment process includes picking, packing, and shipping tailored to client guidelines. That makes packaging part of both outbound quality and reverse logistics efficiency.
This does not mean heavier packaging is always better. The real goal is to package products securely and appropriately for the category, so goods arrive in good condition without creating unnecessary fulfilment cost or waste.
Track return reasons by SKU
Not every return problem is broad. Sometimes one product, one size range, or one sales channel is causing a disproportionate share of the issue. NetSuite notes that analyzing return patterns can reveal specific products that need better descriptions or sizing support. That makes return data valuable far beyond the warehouse. It can inform merchandising, product content, quality control, and packaging decisions.
How to reduce return costs through better reverse logistics?
The longer returned stock sits idle, the more value it loses. Reverse logistics becomes more cost-efficient when goods are inspected quickly and moved to the right next step without delay. Boomerang says its reverse logistics process includes thorough inspection, restocking, and, where needed, repair or disposal, all aimed at maximizing the value of returns while reducing overall cost.
This is especially important for fast-moving or seasonal products. A returned item that is restocked quickly has a much better chance of being resold at full price than one that waits too long in a returns queue. That is a practical reason why returns handling speed matters to margin, not only to operations.
Not every returned item needs to become dead stock. Boomerang’s services mention recovery work such as cleaning fashion garments and reconditioning returns to reduce non-sellable items, and its broader reverse logistics model includes inspection and repair where appropriate. Those steps matter because the most effective return-cost strategy is often to recover as much resale value as possible from goods that come back.
Reducing cost should not mean creating a frustrating returns experience. Baymard’s returns UX research highlights how important the return experience is for retention, and NRF’s 2025 data shows how strongly shoppers value flexible returns. A smoother process with clear tracking, realistic timelines, and quick resolution is usually better for both customer trust and operational efficiency than a confusing process that creates more support contacts.
Boomerang’s customer care service is built around that post-purchase experience, covering support from order placement through delivery and returns. Combined with its return-handling and fulfilment services, that gives brands a way to improve reverse logistics without making the customer do more work.
Returns cost more when they are handled separately from fulfilment, inventory, and customer service. Boomerang’s model connects return management with warehousing, inventory visibility, fulfilment, and delivery processes, which helps brands keep stock data cleaner, process returned goods more efficiently, and reduce operational friction across the full order journey.
Final thoughts
The most effective way to reduce return costs is usually not to make returns harder. It is to prevent the avoidable ones through better product content, clearer sizing guidance, and stronger packaging, then handle the remaining returns through faster and more efficient reverse logistics. That approach protects customer experience while improving margin.
For e-commerce brands, this is exactly where Boomerang brings practical value. With cross-border fulfilment, return handling, recovery capabilities, customer care, and regional logistics support, Boomerang is set up to help businesses lower return-related costs without weakening the post-purchase experience customers expect.