Every return costs you twice: once in shipping, handling and often unsellable stock, and again in the customer's confidence. Some returns are unavoidable, and a generous returns policy can increase sales. But a large share of returns come from preventable problems: unclear sizing, misleading photos, missing information or damage in transit. Here are 12 practical ways to reduce them.
Start with your return reasons
Before changing anything, find out why products come back.
| Return reason | What it usually points to |
|---|---|
| Wrong size or fit | Weak size guides or fit information |
| Not as described | Inaccurate photos or descriptions |
| Arrived damaged | Packaging or courier problems |
| Arrived late | Unclear delivery promises or fulfilment issues |
| Changed mind | Impulse buying, sometimes misleading urgency |
| Ordered multiple to compare | Not enough information to decide |
Collect reasons with a simple dropdown in your returns process, then review them by product monthly.
Better product information
1. Write accurate, detailed descriptions
Cover materials, dimensions, compatibility and care. Our guide to writing product descriptions shows how to answer questions before they become returns.
2. Improve size guides
- Measurements in centimetres and inches, for the garment and the body
- How to measure yourself, with a diagram
- Fit notes: "runs small", "relaxed fit", "true to size"
- The model's height and the size they're wearing
3. Show products honestly
- Multiple angles, close-ups and scale references
- Colours that match reality, photographed in natural light
- Lifestyle images showing the product in use
- Video for products where movement or texture matters
4. Use reviews to answer fit and quality questions
Reviews that mention fit, quality and sizing help shoppers choose correctly. Display fit feedback prominently, such as "most customers say this runs small".
5. Add Q&A or FAQs to product pages
Answer the questions customers ask most, from compatibility to washing instructions.
Better buying experience
6. Offer comparison tools
Side-by-side comparisons help shoppers choose the right option the first time, instead of ordering two and returning one.
7. Avoid fake urgency
Pressure tactics lead to regretted purchases. Real deadlines are fine; misleading countdowns aren't, and they can breach consumer law. See our guide to dark patterns.
8. Set clear delivery expectations
Show delivery dates, not just "3–5 days", and keep customers updated after ordering.
Better fulfilment
9. Package for the journey
Right-sized boxes, protective inserts for fragile items and testing packaging with your courier reduce damage returns.
10. Check orders before dispatch
Picking errors, such as the wrong size or colour, are entirely preventable with good processes and checks.
Better post-purchase support
11. Send helpful post-purchase emails
Setup guides, care instructions and how-to videos help customers get value from products, especially complex ones.
12. Offer exchanges and support first
Make it easy to exchange for a different size, or contact support with a problem, before the customer reaches for a refund.
A fair returns policy still matters
Clear, fair returns policies increase confidence before purchase. Make the policy easy to find, explain it in plain language and keep within your legal obligations. Most UK online purchases can be cancelled within 14 days of delivery under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, with some exceptions.
Tracking your returns
| Metric | Why track it |
|---|---|
| Return rate by product | Find problem products |
| Return reasons by product | Know what to fix |
| Return rate by channel or campaign | Spot traffic that buys impulsively |
| Cost per return | Understand the real impact |
| Exchange vs refund ratio | Measure how much revenue you keep |
Calculating the true cost of a return
Returns cost more than the refund. A simple model helps you see where money goes.
| Cost element | What to include |
|---|---|
| Outbound shipping | The original delivery cost, if you offered free delivery |
| Return shipping | Prepaid label or courier collection |
| Handling | Staff time to receive, inspect and restock |
| Refurbishment | Cleaning, repackaging, repairs |
| Unsellable stock | Items that can't be resold at full price |
| Payment fees | Fees that may not be refunded |
| Customer service | Time spent on return queries |
Even rough figures for each line show which products and return reasons cost most, so you know where improvements pay back fastest.
Returns policy wording tips
- Use plain language: "You have 30 days to send items back" rather than legal phrasing
- State clearly what can't be returned, such as personalised or hygiene-sealed items
- Explain how refunds work and how long they take
- Say who pays for return postage
- Offer exchanges prominently
- Link to the policy from product pages and checkout
A clear policy increases confidence before purchase and reduces support questions afterwards.
How we help
We help stores reduce returns through better product page SEO and content, product photography direction and checkout optimisation. For more on keeping sales, read our guide to cart abandonment fixes.
The short version
Find out why products come back, then fix the causes: accurate descriptions, better size guides, honest photos, helpful reviews and FAQs, comparison tools, clear delivery expectations, better packaging and picking, and helpful post-purchase support. Keep the returns policy fair and clear.
