Shoe return research at a glance

This page collects the return numbers we could trace to a real source, says what kind of evidence each one is, explains why the headline figures disagree, and leaves out what we could not verify. If you are shopping rather than researching, skip to what this means for shoppers, read our ultimate footwear buying guide, or see how fit varies in our shoe size statistics.

Key findings

1. There is no official or independent US shoe-only return rate. The closest well-sourced figures cover all retail: NRF and Happy Returns put 2025 returns at $849.9 billion, or 15.8% of sales, and online returns at 19.3% of online sales.
2. Two estimates of 2025 returns disagree. Appriss Retail reports $706 billion returned in 2025 against NRF’s $849.9 billion. They use different data and methods, so neither is a correction of the other.
3. NRF’s yearly series is not a clean trend. NRF said its 2023 numbers cannot be compared with its 2022 report because the method changed, and the 2023 report used Appriss data while the 2024 and 2025 reports were produced with Happy Returns. Treat changes between years as indicative.
4. Published online shoe return rates we could chart run from 19% to 56%, almost a threefold spread. The figures count different things: orders, items or dollars, one retailer or a whole market, survey recall or records, and different countries and years.
5. Fit is the reason sources name most. The peer-reviewed evidence is on wearers rather than returns: 63% to 72% wore ill-fitting shoes across 18 studies. Vendor and trade reports put the fit-related share of shoe returns at roughly 40% to 70%, but we could not trace those figures to original data.
6. Online purchases drive a large share of returned dollars. Appriss attributes 48% of the $706 billion to purchases made online: 29% brought back to a store and 19% returned online (the 48% is our sum of the two).
7. Free returns still shape where people shop: 82% of surveyed consumers call them a major consideration, up from 76%, and 71% say a poor returns experience makes them less likely to shop with a retailer again, up from 67% in 2024.
8. Retailers are weighing fees. NRF’s retailer survey lists rising operating costs (40%), rising carrier shipping costs (40%) and economic uncertainty or tariff risk (33%) as reasons retailers charge for returns. New Balance charges non-members a $5 restocking fee online.
9. Return windows at six shoe brands range from 30 to 90 days, and wear rules differ: adidas accepts performance footwear in any condition within 30 days, Brooks offers a 90-day trial run, and Zappos requires shoes to be unworn.

What we know and what we do not know

Research integrity starts with saying where the evidence stops. This is the state of the public evidence as of October 2026.

15 shoe return statistics you can cite

Each card gives a number, a one-sentence explanation and its source. “Copy text” opens a box with the sentence, the source and a link back to this page. For any single statistic, please cite the original source listed on the card. Cards marked E are UrbanStyle calculations or comparisons, with the method stated.

How many returns are there in the US?

Before looking at shoes, it helps to know what the wider numbers say. Two organisations publish totals for 2025, and they do not match. Neither covers footwear alone, so use them as context, not as a shoe figure.

Why there are two totals for 2025

<figure style="margin:0"><a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/"><img src="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/usf-us-retail-returns-2022-2025.png" alt="Bar chart of estimated US retail returns: $817 billion in 2022, $743 billion in 2023, $890 billion in 2024, $849.9 billion in 2025 (NRF) and $706 billion in 2025 (Appriss Retail)" width="800" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><figcaption>Source: UrbanStyle Footwear, based on NRF, Happy Returns and Appriss Retail. <a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/">Shoe Return Statistics 2026</a></figcaption></figure>

From 2024 to 2025, NRF’s projected dollars fell 4.5% (from $890 billion to $849.9 billion) and its return rate fell 1.1 percentage points (from 16.9% to 15.8%). These are our calculations, tier E. Because the surveys differ each year, we treat them as indicative rather than as proof that returns are falling.

Fraud and abuse

• NRF and Happy Returns estimate that 9% of all 2025 returns were fraudulent. In 2023, NRF with Appriss put fraud losses at $101 billion, about $13.70 per $100 of returned merchandise.
• Appriss Retail reports $100 billion (14.2%) in preventable loss from returns fraud and abuse in 2025. It separates abuse ($86 billion, described as six times fraud) from fraud, so the two reports are not measuring the same thing.
• NRF’s retailer survey lists overstated quantities (71%), empty-box returns (65%) and decoy returns such as counterfeit items (64%) among the fraud trends retailers tracked.

Who measures what in returns

A return can be counted in five different ways, and each organisation uses one. That is why the numbers do not line up. Select a step to see what is counted and where this page uses it.

What share of shoes bought online are returned?

This is the number most articles quote, and the one with the weakest evidence. We found no official or independent figure for the US. We found a handful of published estimates, listed below with what each covers, and we say whether we read the original or only a report of it. D

<figure style="margin:0"><a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/"><img src="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/usf-published-online-shoe-return-rates.png" alt="Bar chart of published online return rates: shoes 56 percent, Zappos 35 percent in 2010, India clothing and shoes 30 to 35 percent, US apparel and footwear 24.4 percent, all online retail 19.3 percent, UK footwear 19 percent" width="800" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><figcaption>Source: UrbanStyle Footwear, based on published reports compared by UrbanStyle Footwear. <a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/">Shoe Return Statistics 2026</a></figcaption></figure>

Why the numbers differ so much

• What is counted. A return rate can be returned orders, returned items or returned dollars. They give different answers for the same shop.
• Who is counted. One retailer, a trade group’s members or every shopper. Zappos built its business on free returns, so its 2010 figure is not a market average.
• Records or recall. A shopper survey asks people what they remember returning. Retailer records count what actually came back.
• Channel. The British Footwear Association’s member survey reported a median of 19% online against 5% in store for footwear. NRF’s 2023 figures showed 17.6% online and 10.02% in store for all retail.
• Place and year. The figures span India, the UK and the US, and 2010 to 2026.
• Type of shoe. The 2026 shopper survey reported that fashion shoes had the highest return rates within footwear, and that ankle and combat boots were often returned for calf-width mismatches.

Why shoes get returned: fit comes first

Every footwear source we read names fit or sizing as the main reason shoes come back. The strongest evidence is not about returns at all. A systematic review in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research (Buldt and Menz, 2018) covered 18 studies and 3,205 participants and found that 63% to 72% of wearers had shoes that did not accommodate the length or width of their feet. Fit definitions differed between studies. A

That is a finding about the shoes people already own. It suggests that many people struggle to pick a size, which is consistent with, but not proof of, fit being the main driver of online returns. Our shoe size statistics page covers why sizes vary between brands and countries.

The one unverified claim to avoid

You will see statements such as “93% of shoe returns are about size”. We found that figure attributed to an unnamed UK study, with no way to trace it, so we do not use it.

Where returns happen: online, in store, or both

Appriss Retail splits its $706 billion of 2025 returns by where the purchase and the return happened. Just over half started and ended in a store. The rest began online, and a large share of those were returned in person. C

<figure style="margin:0"><a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/"><img src="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/usf-us-returns-by-channel-2025.png" alt="Bar chart of 2025 US returns by channel: bought in store and returned in store $367 billion, bought online and returned in store $208 billion, bought online and returned online $131 billion" width="800" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><figcaption>Source: UrbanStyle Footwear, based on Appriss Retail benchmark report, 2026. <a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/">Shoe Return Statistics 2026</a></figcaption></figure>

• $208 billion (29%) was bought online and returned in a store. Appriss describes this path as the fastest-growing fraud and abuse vector.
• $131 billion (19%) was bought online and returned online, usually by post.
• Online purchases returned either way total $339 billion, or 48% of the $706 billion (our sum, tier E).
• These are all-retail figures. They do not say how footwear splits across the three paths.

For shoppers, the practical point is that many retailers with stores let you return online orders in person, and some brands make that free. New Balance, for example, says all in-store returns are free while online returns are free only for members. See the policy comparison.

Shoe return policies compared, October 2026

We read each brand’s own help page on October 9, 2026. These are the brands whose US pages we could read in full. Policies change, so confirm the terms at checkout. C

<figure style="margin:0"><a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/"><img src="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/usf-shoe-return-windows-2026.png" alt="Bar chart of shoe return windows in days: Brooks 90, Nike 60, Zappos 60, New Balance 45, HOKA 30, adidas performance footwear 30" width="800" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><figcaption>Source: UrbanStyle Footwear, based on brand help pages read on October 9, 2026. <a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/">Shoe Return Statistics 2026</a></figcaption></figure>

Five things to check in any shoe return policy

• The window and its start date. From delivery, from purchase or from shipment can differ by days.
• Wear rules. “Unworn” (Zappos), “new condition” (New Balance) and “any condition” (adidas performance footwear) are very different promises.
• Who pays. Free for members only, free in store only, or a restocking fee.
• Exceptions. Final sale, clearance and custom items are usually excluded.
• What happens after the window. A defect is a warranty matter rather than a return. Nike, for example, points to its shoe warranty after 60 days.

What returns cost and who pays

Retail-wide, NRF and Happy Returns project $849.9 billion in returned merchandise for 2025. That is the value of goods sent back, not the cost of handling them. We found no verified cost per shoe return.

• Who pays now. Brooks says returns are free with no restocking fee. Nike returns are free for Nike Members. New Balance charges non-members a $5 restocking fee online. Zappos says noncompliant returns could incur a restocking fee of up to 50% of the item price.
• Why retailers charge. In NRF’s retailer survey, rising operating costs (40%), rising carrier shipping costs (40%) and economic uncertainty or tariff risk (33%) were listed as reasons retailers charge for returns. The release does not state the base for these percentages.
• Typical fees. A Wharton Baker Retailing Center article (January 8, 2026) says mail-in return fees at many major stores are typically $4 to $12, without naming a source. D
• Shoppers still want free returns. 82% of surveyed consumers call free returns a major consideration, and 76% are more likely to choose an option offering an instant refund or exchange.

Figures we did not use

• Cost per shoe return. Vendor blogs quote per-pair processing costs and shares of the item price with no stated method, so we leave them out.
• Environmental totals. Optoro’s page says 9.6 billion pounds of returns go to landfill and about 27 million tons of CO2 are emitted each year, but it names no source or year for those two figures. Its other results are modelled estimates from its own clients. We do not repeat the totals.

Shopper and retailer behaviour

NRF and Happy Returns surveyed 2,006 consumers who had returned an online purchase in the past 12 months and 358 e-commerce professionals at large retailers. Because the consumers all returned something, the results describe returners, not every shopper. C

<figure style="margin:0"><a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/"><img src="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/usf-shopper-attitudes-to-returns-2025.png" alt="Bar chart of shopper attitudes to returns: 82 percent say free returns matter, 76 percent prefer instant refunds or exchanges, 71 percent are less likely to shop again after a poor return, 45 percent say bending the truth is acceptable" width="800" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><figcaption>Source: UrbanStyle Footwear, based on NRF and Happy Returns, 2025. <a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/">Shoe Return Statistics 2026</a></figcaption></figure>

• About four in five consumers said they would share a negative returns experience with friends and family.
• 45% said bending the truth on a return is acceptable. NRF estimates that 9% of returns are fraudulent.
• 85% of retailers use AI to detect or prevent return fraud, and 64% said updating their returns process in the next six months is a priority.
• For the holidays, retailers expect about 17% of holiday sales to be returned. Their plans include third-party logistics partners (49%), seasonal staff (43%) and longer return windows (37%).
• In Appriss’s survey of more than 1,000 consumers, 90% said they would buy again after receiving a warning about their returns.
• In Europe, Zalando warns customers with persistently excessive returns, then restricts account functions, and can pause an account for 12 months. This is not a US policy and it gives no return-rate figure. D

What to watch next

We do not forecast. These are the signals worth tracking, each with its source.

• Retailer priorities. NRF’s 2025 report says retailers’ top 2026 priorities are increasing online sales and reducing return rates. C
• Fee and policy changes. Fees, shorter windows and account restrictions are all being used or discussed. Watch the brand pages in the policy table.
• The next NRF report. NRF published its 2024 report in December 2024 and its 2025 report in October 2025. We will update this page when the 2026 report appears.
• A real footwear number. A shoe-only return rate from retailer records, with a stated method, would settle much of this page. If you publish one, tell us.

We record every change in the freshness log.

What existing shoe return articles get wrong

Most shoe return content shares the same weaknesses. This page is built to avoid each one.

• Problem 1They quote a shoe return rate with no source, or with a source that does not contain the number.
• Problem 2They treat a range such as “20% to 35%” or “50% or more” as established fact.
• Problem 3They mix returned orders, items and dollars.
• Problem 4They present a 2010 Zappos figure as a current industry rate.
• Problem 5They apply apparel or all-retail rates to shoes.
• Problem 6They treat a software vendor’s client benchmark as an industry average.
• Problem 7They quote NRF’s $849.9 billion or $890 billion as footwear returns.
• Problem 8They compare NRF years without noting that the method and partner changed.
• Problem 9They repeat return-window claims without a date. Zappos’s own help page says 60 days, so check the date on anything older.
• Problem 10They repeat landfill and emissions totals that name no source.

What these findings mean for shoppers

Fit is the most common reason shoes go back, and policies vary a lot. These steps are practical advice, separate from the research above.

1. Get your size right before you order. Measure at home with our foot measuring guide, convert between systems with the size conversion calculator, and see why sizes differ in our shoe size statistics.
2. Read the return policy before you buy. Check the window, who pays, and the wear rule using the policy table. A long window helps only if the shoes can be worn or tried as the policy allows.
3. Match your try-on method to the policy. If a policy says unworn, try shoes indoors on a clean surface and keep the packaging. If it offers a trial run, such as Brooks’s 90 days, wear them for real routes and note how they feel.
4. Use store returns when allowed. About 29% of returned dollars in Appriss’s data were online purchases returned in a store, and some brands make store returns free.
5. Be careful with ordering two sizes. Retailers track return patterns. HOKA says it may deny abusive requests, and Zalando restricts accounts with persistent excessive returns. If you bracket, send back the extra pair promptly.
6. Watch for exclusions. Final sale, clearance and custom items are often not returnable, and defects after the window are handled by warranty.
7. Get more from each pair. The cheapest return is the one you avoid. See how long walking shoes last, our shoe care guide, and comparisons such as New Balance vs Brooks vs Hoka and the best running shoes under $100. For price context, see our US footwear market statistics.

Sources and evidence tiers

Evidence hierarchy

• APrimary peer-reviewed research. Original data in a peer-reviewed journal. Only the Buldt and Menz review on shoe fit is in this tier. No peer-reviewed study of shoe return rates is cited here.
• BOfficial statistics. Government data. We found none that reports shoe returns, which is itself a finding.
• CIndustry research, surveys and company statements. NRF, Happy Returns and Appriss Retail research, and brands’ own published return policies. Useful, but the publisher may have a commercial interest.
• DSecondary reporting. A publication or vendor summarising someone else’s data, including trade press, blogs and commissioned studies read through news reports.
• EEstimates and calculations. Our own arithmetic and comparisons are labelled E, with the method stated.

Primary versus secondary data

Primary source: the organisation that collected or published the original data, or a company describing its own policy. Secondary source: a publication summarising someone else’s data. For several shoe return rates we could only read a secondary report, and the table says so.

Source table

Methodology and limitations

How we built this page. Every statistic was traced to its original source and read there wherever possible. We recorded the source, publication date, data year, sample or population and what kind of evidence it is. Where we calculate a number (changes, sums, ranges), it is labelled E and the method is in the dataset. Brand policies were read directly from each brand’s US help page on October 9, 2026.

What we left out. We did not use cost-per-return figures, environmental totals with no source, brand-level return rates, claims that size tools cut returns by a stated percentage, an unnamed UK study’s 93% fit figure, or any figure we could not tie to a named source.

Limitations you should know about

• No shoe-only US return rate exists in what we found. The footwear figures are surveys, vendor data and single-retailer disclosures from different places and years.
• NRF figures are estimates. They come from surveys of retail professionals, the sample is weighted to large retailers, and NRF changed its method in 2023. The 2025 release does not give exact fieldwork dates or margins of error.
• Appriss Retail’s release does not state how many retailers are in its data or what return rate it implies. The 29% and 19% channel shares and the $100 billion figure are as reported in the release; the 48% is our sum.
• The 56% figure comes from a commissioned study read through a news article. Its geography and full method are not published there.
• Several rates are secondhand. The Coresight and Statista figures are as cited by blogs, and the Zappos figure is from a 2010 disclosure reported by a trade magazine.
• Peer-reviewed fit evidence is about wearers, not returns, and definitions of fit vary between the 18 studies.
• The British Footwear Association survey does not state its respondent count, date or the unit counted, so treat its 19% median as a rough trade guide.
• Brand policies change. We read six US pages on one day. Some pages do not say whether worn shoes are accepted. Third-party retailers may apply different terms.
• Dates. Some sources (Footwear Magazine, Corso, PRIME AI) are undated.

Data freshness

Last full source review: October 9, 2026. Next scheduled review: January 2027.

Corrections. If you find an error or have better data, email info@urbanstylefootwear.com with the subject “Data correction”. We will review it and note any change in the table above. How we test and review products is explained in our methodology.

For journalists and researchers

Looking for shoe return data for an article, report or research project? You can use the statistics and charts on this page with attribution to UrbanStyle Footwear. Whenever possible, please cite the original source listed with each statistic. Our own calculations are marked tier E and can be cited to us.

Media kit

Cite this page

<a href="https://urbanstylefootwear.com/shoe-return-statistics/">Shoe Return Statistics 2026 by UrbanStyle Footwear</a>

Related resources

More from UrbanStyle

• US footwear market statistics 2026
• Shoe size statistics 2026
• Ultimate footwear buying guide
• Footwear knowledge hub
• How to measure foot size at home
• Shoe size conversion calculator
• New Balance vs Brooks vs Hoka
• Best running shoes under $100
• Podiatrist-recommended shoes under $100
• Prime Day shoe deals
• How long walking shoes last
• Shoe care guide
• How we test shoes
• Contact

Primary sources

• NRF and Happy Returns, 2025
• NRF and Happy Returns, 2024
• NRF and Appriss Retail, 2023
• Retail TouchPoints on NRF
• Appriss Retail, 2026 benchmark
• Buldt and Menz (2018)
• Overnight Glasses study via Retail Insider
• Return Prime via Apparel Resources
• Footwear Magazine
• British Footwear Association member survey
• eightx benchmark blog
• Corso blog
• PRIME AI benchmarks
• Baker Retailing Center
• FashionUnited on Zalando
• Optoro sustainability page
• Brooks returns page
• Nike returns policy
• Zappos returns page
• New Balance return policy
• HOKA guarantee
• adidas 30 Day Guarantee