Brands undervalue the return.
Most companies treat a return as a cost to shrink. It’s also the moment a customer decides whether to buy from you again. In the National Retail Federation’s 2025 survey, about 71% of shoppers said they’re less likely to shop with a retailer again after a poor returns experience, and 82% called free returns a major consideration before they buy.
I’ve watched it work from the inside twice. At Prime Wardrobe, a simpler return raised NPS about two points. At Gorjana, automating the returns flow meant fewer customers had to follow up with customer care about a return.