The 2017 Christmas holiday hit record highs in e-commerce sales. Record-breaking Black Friday and Cyber Week set the stage for another record, return shipments.

According to SupplyChain247, in December 2017, consumers shipped more than 1 million returns packages to retailers daily, a pace expected to last into early January 2018. On UPS National Returns Day, January 3, the count was expected to peak at 1.4 million packages, up 8% from a year ago and marking a fifth-consecutive yearly record.

Data shows consumers expect a customer-friendly experience.

• Over 75% of consumers value free shipping on returns as important
• 44% of online buyers indicate the top issue encountered when returning an item online is paying for return shipping

Online retailers are listening to buyers’ needs, as many retailers have added or expanded their return offerings.

Read more from SupplyChain247 on how the growth of e-commerce has changed when and how consumers return gifts.