SAN FRANCISCO – A 2025 Returns and Refunds Report from Seel, the agentic post-purchase platform, revealed that shoppers are buying earlier, returning items sooner, and expecting faster refunds. To view a summary of the report, visit: https://www.seel.com/blog/2025-state-of-returns-refunds
According to Seel’s data, many treat returns as a normal part of shopping, with nearly one-third of shoppers returning at least one item a year and a smaller group returning multiple items across categories. The study noted that, during the holiday period, defined as November and December, return activity increases by 16%.
“Our goal with this report is to shed light on what retailers are really facing and what shoppers are experiencing during the busiest weeks of the year. Between recession fears, job uncertainty, increased buyer’s remorse, and growing trends like ‘try before you buy,’ we’re seeing shoppers be more thoughtful and take extra time thinking through purchases,” said Laura Huddle, chief revenue officer at Seel. “Post-purchase experience is playing an increasingly important role in a shopper’s view of the brand, with the vast majority now preferring that option to buy with confidence.”
Key Findings
- Post-purchase confidence affects conversions, with 74% surveyed shoppers saying they would not make a purchase without a return option.
- Secondhand return rates remain significantly higher than new items, with resale returned 140% more often on Seel’s platform.
- Delivery issues are driving returns in fashion and accessories, including sharp increases in late deliveries (124% increase YoY) and missing packages (42% YoY).
- Product quality concerns continue to influence returns across categories, including a year-over-year rise in defective products among computers and electronics (164% increase).
- The average returned item falls in the 100 to 200 dollar range, and the report shows a 50% increase in shoppers selecting purchase protection for items $50 and above.