The global holiday shopping season from late 2025 to early 2026 once again confirmed one thing: returns have become an unavoidable "high-frequency event" for cross-border e-commerce.

Public data shows that during the 2025-2026 holiday shopping season, the overall return rate for global e-commerce exceeded 10%; in the first half of January alone, the return rate reached 12.2%, an increase of about 3 percentage points compared to the same period last year. In terms of the value structure, returns accounted for 14% of total online consumption.

The main reason given by consumers for returns was "the product does not match the description on the page." At the same time, fraudulent activities such as fake orders and malicious returns are also on the rise, especially in categories with high return rates such as clothing and footwear.

For cross-border sellers, this wave of returns brings not only increased logistics costs but also a systemic amplification of operational risks.

Behind the surge in returns, what are the real pressures on sellers?

With a surge in orders during the holiday season, the concentrated return of goods often brings three pressures.

First is the pressure of processing time. A surge in returns within a short period can easily trigger platform performance issues and even negatively impact account health if not received, registered, and processed promptly.

Secondly, verifying authenticity becomes more difficult. With the increase in fraudulent returns, it's challenging to determine the true condition of goods based solely on platform information—whether it's a legitimate return, a used item returned, or a malicious fraudulent return.

Finally, there's the issue of inventory and capital tied up. Returned goods that cannot be quickly inspected and categorized remain indefinitely, tying up both warehouse space and capital.

Against this backdrop, "whether there's a professional returns warehouse to assist with processing" has gradually transformed from an "option" to a "necessity" for many sellers.

Why is a professional overseas returns warehouse even more necessary after the holiday season?

The peak of returns during the holiday shopping season typically has two characteristics: high concentration and high complexity.

On the one hand, returns don't occur sporadically but rather in large quantities within a short period; on the other hand, issues such as fraud, incorrect shipments, damage, and signs of use are intertwined. Without local processing capabilities, sellers are almost unable to make accurate judgments.

A professional overseas returns warehouse's core value goes beyond simply "return collection," encompassing:

Standardized quality inspection and recording of returned goods;

Helping sellers remotely assess handling options through photography and categorization;

Release resaleable goods back into the distribution chain as quickly as possible.

This is why sellers with higher return rates and larger order volumes find it increasingly difficult to rely on "temporary handling" or "passive returns."

Why does return management in the US market demand even greater service capabilities?

The US has consistently been one of the e-commerce markets with the highest return rates globally. Its mature no-reason return policy results in extremely low consumer tolerance for the return process.

During peak holiday season returns, problems are amplified if the returns warehouse has weaknesses in the following areas:

Insufficient warehouse capacity;

Inconsistent manual processing efficiency;

Untimely and opaque information feedback.

This is why sellers increasingly prioritize scale, timeliness, and process stability when choosing a US returns warehouse.

U-Speed US returns warehouse Capacity and Layout

To address peak return processing needs, U-Speed has established professional returns warehouses on both the East and West coasts of the United States, covering major return destinations.

The U-Speed East Coast (New Jersey) returns warehouse has a total area of 7,250 square meters and a daily processing capacity of over 20,000 items, suitable for handling peak return periods.

The U-Speed West Coast (Los Angeles) returns warehouse also has 7,250 square meters of storage space and a daily processing capacity of over 10,000 items, efficiently handling returns from the West Coast and the platform.

Both warehouses are equipped with forklifts, light and heavy-duty shelving, fire protection and monitoring systems, and implement 24-hour security and CCTV management, providing a safe and standardized processing environment for returned goods.

From quality inspection to re-transfer, returns are no longer a "black box"

In practice, U-Speed US returns service emphasizes the visibility and controllability of returns processing.

Returned goods undergo quality inspection within the warehouse within 2 days, with a photo inspection service provided. Three real photos are uploaded for each item to help sellers determine its true condition. Return logistics are generally completed within 3-5 days.

For eligible goods, repackaging services are also available to meet the requirements for resale or relisting, thereby reducing overall losses from holiday season returns.

Simultaneously, a collaborative model between the US operations team and the Chinese management team ensures both efficiency and consistent service standards.

Return issues are not unique to the US market.

It's worth noting that holiday season return pressures are not unique to the US. Many European countries also face the problem of rising return rates and fraud risks.

Currently, U-Speed has established return warehouses in countries such as the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, helping cross-border sellers handle overseas returns more efficiently in multi-market environments.

As returns evolve from an "occasional problem" to a "routine challenge," the value of professional return warehouses is gradually shifting from a cost item to a crucial infrastructure for the stable operation of cross-border sellers.