What Drives Satisfaction With Product Returns Today

Returns Are Down – And So Is the Willingness to Take Risks

According to the ZigZag Annual Returns Report 2025 by Retail Economics and ZigZag Global, the total value of non-food items returned in the UK is expected to drop from £26.7 billion in 2024 to £25.1 billion in 2025. At first glance, that sounds like good news: fewer returns mean lower costs.

But that’s not just because shoppers are planning better. Three-quarters of UK retailers now charge a return fee or don’t refund postage. For some customers, that’s a deal-breaker – if they have to decide in advance whether they’re willing to pay for a mistake, many simply choose not to buy.

The share of customers who complete returns quickly and smoothly has also dropped, from 32% last year to just 21%. Stricter policies may cut down on abuse, but they also discourage honest customers who would handle returns properly.

Real-World Testing Across the Biggest Retailers

The analysis included hands-on testing of returns processes at 100 of the UK’s biggest fashion and footwear retailers. Researchers made 100 online purchases and tracked every step of the return, evaluating each against six criteria: ease, cost, options, communication, speed and sustainability.

In addition, 2,000 UK consumers were surveyed to capture their expectations and tolerance levels when it comes to fees, refund speed and eco-friendly practices.

Speed Is the New Quality

The average refund time in the UK is 7.3 days. ZigZag calls this the frustration zone – the point at which customers start to lose patience. Satisfaction drops noticeably after day five, and trust in the brand begins to erode after day ten. Returns processed within 48 hours achieve 90% customer satisfaction, yet only 9% of retailers are able to meet that standard.

How quickly an online store handles returns is now just as important as how fast it delivers orders.

Sustainability Takes a Back Seat

The report confirms that sustainability still ranks low when it comes to returns. While 65% of retailers use recyclable packaging, few customers consider it a key factor. Most care about how fast they’ll get their money back and how much the process will cost them.

Eco-friendly initiatives make sense only when they don’t slow down the process or add unnecessary friction.

Fees Become the New Balancing Act

While ZigZag described 2024 as a returns crisis, it now sees a market moving towards stability. The growing number of return fees has curbed impulse shopping, but it’s also created a new dilemma: how to set rules that protect profits without driving customers away.

Data show that shoppers under 45 are willing to pay around £2 for a return, while older customers tend to see any fee as unfair. For retailers, that means testing where the real threshold lies – the point where they can keep conversions without sacrificing margins.

What Online Stores Can Take Away

• Speed matters. Refunds processed within five days maintain trust; beyond ten days, it’s gone.
• Test your fees. Small, symbolic amounts can work – penalties don’t.
• Be transparent. Customers should always know when to expect their money.
• Promote sustainability wisely. It helps only if it doesn’t come at the expense of convenience.