According to Savills’ latest Impacts research, global ecommerce sales are projected to hit US$4.8 trillion in 2025, with customers expected to return US$1 trillion in goods this year.

Managing returns remains one of ecommerce’s most persistent and costly challenges, notes Savills, with businesses worldwide working to address the demands of reverse logistics. As online sales continue to surge and the industry continues to grow, so too does the pressure on supply chains and real estate strategies to handle complex, high-volume returns efficiently and competitively.

A recent DHL survey found 53 percent of respondents listed “free returns” as the second most requested improvement for ecommerce, behind only “free delivery”, while 39 percent cited return fees as their biggest frustration when shopping online. If retailers hope to keep their buyers while charging for returns, they must prioritise speed and convenience.

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