Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Online Retailers Averaged 1 Million Returns in December

UPS is expecting a record 1.4 million returns on Jan. 3 after averaging more than 1 million returns every day before Christmas in December.

by Staff
January 2, 2018
Online Retailers Averaged 1 Million Returns in December

Photo: UPS

1 min to read


Photo: UPS

UPS is expecting a record 1.4 million returns on Jan. 3 after averaging more than 1 million returns every day before Christmas in December.

Record breaking Black Friday and Cyber Week e-commerce sales produced a flood of package deliveries for UPS as as well as large numbers of returns. The number of returns is expected to peak on Jan. 3,  National Returns Day, up 8% from the year prior and the fifth consecutive annual record.

Ad Loading...

“While the day after Christmas used to be reserved for long return lines at department stores, the growth of e-commerce has changed when and how consumers return gifts,” said Alan Gershenhorn, chief commercial officer. “A customer-friendly returns program is now an essential part of any successful e-commerce program, and UPS continues to expand its suite of innovative solutions to help shippers. This season, UPS added Returns Manager, a free platform that allows e-commerce merchants to customize return shipments according to their e-tailer policy.”

According to a 2017 UPS online shopping study, 75% of consumers have shipped returns back to the retailer, and as a result, many business have added or expanded return offerings.

“A simple and speedy experience should be part of the retailer’s toolkit to help increase customer loyalty while managing the cost of processing these returns,” said Gershenhorn.

More Operations

Cover of the "Top 50 Green Fleets" report presented by Automotive Fleet and Inspiration Fleet, featuring an aerial nighttime photo of a lit highway interchange with looping ramps.
SponsoredJuly 16, 2026

The Top 50 Green Fleets

The List Is in: The Top 50 Green Fleets

Read More →
A car dealership with added inscription "Every fleet vehicle eventually becomes local."
Operationsby Chris BrownJuly 15, 2026

Your Local Dealer Knows More Than You Think

Your local dealer can provide an information advantage that extends well beyond courtesy deliveries.

Read More →
Portrait of Austin Schutte, founder and CEO of Anew Solutions, featured in Automotive Fleet's Fleet Meets series highlighting his career, leadership philosophy, and fleet industry insights.
Operationsby Faith HowellJuly 14, 2026

Fleet Meets: Austin Schutte

Here are some industry insights, personal touches, and words of advice from the CEO and Founder of Anew Solutions.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of Team Brown building soap box derby
Operationsby Chris BrownJuly 13, 2026

Soap Box Derby Challenge: What’s Powering Team Brown

The car is coming together, the students are solving real build problems, and the fleet industry is helping push Team Brown toward the starting line.

Read More →
Green and black bar graphs showing 2026 versus 2025 fleet sales.
Vehicle Researchby Martin RomjueJuly 8, 2026

Commercial Fleet Sales Contribute To June, YTD Gains

The fleet sector has boosted its vehicle purchases at a reliable pace in the first half of this year compared with 1H 2025.

Read More →
A black square with white color font text
OperationsJuly 2, 2026

What Fleet Managers Really Want From Vendors

From customer service frustrations and technology breakdowns to RFQs, change management, and the growing impact of turnover across the industry, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the real operational challenges fleet managers are navigating every day.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A black square with white color font text
OperationsJuly 2, 2026

Fleet Safety Masterclass: Industry Leaders on Storytelling, Strategy & Innovation

In this special masterclass episode, industry leaders break down what it really takes to build safer fleets in today’s increasingly distracted and data-driven world.

Read More →
A black square with white color font text
OperationsJuly 2, 2026

Integrating Legacy Fleet Systems and Historical Data

In this episode, we bring together fleet and technology leaders to unpack the realities of data integration, system migrations, and the evolving role of AI in fleet management.

Read More →
A black square with white color font text
OperationsJuly 2, 2026

From Resistance to Results: Change Management Strategies for Fleets

From new technologies and safety programs to evolving regulations, fleets are under constant pressure to adapt. But as Dr. Betz explains, success isn’t about the system you implement—it’s about whether your people actually use it.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A black square with white color font text
OperationsJuly 2, 2026

Where We're Headed: A Practical Look at AI in Fleet

Discover how AI is actually being deployed in fleets, not just marketed, including practical use cases and emerging risks.

Read More →