Massive sales – great. Massive returns, not so much. Is it time to rethink your post-Prime Day logistics?
With Prime Day 2025 breaking records, you’d be forgiven for focusing only on what went out the door.
But the volume of what comes back in?
That’s the part many brands overlook – and new research from supply chain experts Manhattan Associates shows there’s a bigger cost than many realise.
The Real Cost of Prime Day Purchase Guilt
Polling both buyers and retailers, Manhattan Associates’ study shows that:
- Over half (55%) of UK consumers return Prime Day purchases.
- Over a third (33%) of consumers typically return 1-3 items.
- 39% expect a refund or exchange within 72 hours – and 28% are frustrated when that doesn’t happen.
- And a massive 61% experience purchase guilt, saying they “wish they could cancel or edit an order before it ships”.
With their high expectations for speed, clarity and convenience…
- 45% of consumers polled said they wouldn’t shop again after a bad return experience.
- And 38% expressed frustration with shipping or restocking fees.
Worse, for retailers receiving returns, it’s often the case that only a small proportion can be resold at full value – and there’s all the processing costs too…
It all means that returns aren’t an admin issue – they’re a frontline commercial and operational challenge that can directly impact your margins, the accuracy of your stock management and even customer loyalty.
What can Amazon Brands do
FBA users might not control the Amazon customer service environment, but you can – and should – influence:
- The clarity of your listings – reduce the risk of returns with well optimised, comprehensive and compelling product detail pages complete with easy-to-understand sizing/usage info.
- The reasons for your returns: Dig deep into why customers are returning your products, spotting the patterns and implementing solutions.
And if you’re fulfilling orders yourself (FBM or Vendor)?
Make sure your own reverse logistics are watertight – from returns handling to restocking and refund speed.
The Bottom Line
You should be treating this as more than a simple logistics problem.
If you’re finding your brand impacted by an influx of post-event returns, now’s the time to analyse the reasons why your buyers aren’t satisfied – and to build strategies that protect your margins, preserve customer satisfaction and turn one-off buyers into repeat customers.
Need help diagnosing where your post-purchase processes are letting you down?