Starting from July 15, 2025, eBay US will implement new return regulations for auto and motorcycle parts (Parts & Accessories, referred to as P&A): eligible sellers must provide a free return service of no less than 30 days. This policy will cover a large number of sellers and products, and is an important part of the platform to improve the buyer experience and standardize the shopping process.

However, while improving user satisfaction, this also means that cross-border sellers need to bear higher return costs and operational pressures, especially in the auto parts category with a high return rate, sellers will face more severe compliance and cost challenges.

The return rate of US cross-border e-commerce remains high

According to the "2023 US Retail Return Report" jointly released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Appriss Retail, the average return rate of US e-commerce in 2023 was 16.5%, much higher than the 8.2% of offline retail. According to Capital One Shopping data, the return rate of online sales in the United States has climbed to 24.5% in 2024, especially during the holiday peak and in the field of high-priced goods.

In the category of automobile and motorcycle accessories, the return rate is even more significant. According to Statista and market platform data analysis, automobile accessories have always been at the top of the list of high return rates due to factors such as product compatibility, installation complexity, and frequent mispurchases. A study on e-commerce returns pointed out that the return rate of this category is about 19.4%, especially in cross-border transactions, "mismatch" or "not as described" has become the main reason.

Although returns are part of the buyer's experience, for sellers, returns not only represent sales losses, but also involve multiple costs such as logistics fees, quality inspection, manpower, warehousing and re-delivery. A UPS return logistics report shows that return costs account for 20% to 65% of sales, becoming an important variable affecting profit margins.

How do cross-border sellers deal with eBay's new regulations?

The pressure brought by the new regulations is real, but every change in platform rules often also heralds opportunities for operational upgrades. If cross-border sellers want to maintain profits and services, they must establish a stable, efficient and professional return processing system in the context of free returns gradually becoming the new normal of the platform.

On the one hand, it is necessary to optimize store settings and product descriptions to reduce the return rate of non-quality issues; on the other hand, building localized return processing capabilities is the core operation link that sellers need more urgently.

In this context, U-Speed US return warehouse has become the "return backing" for many cross-border sellers with its multi-point layout, efficient processing and cooperation between Chinese and American teams.

Highlights of U-Speed US return warehouse Service

At present, U-Speed has three core return warehouses in the United States, located in New Jersey, Los Angeles and Miami, forming a warehousing network covering the East, West and South markets of the United States, providing nearby return support for sellers in different sales areas.

New Jersey Return Warehouse (Eastern United States): There are two warehouses with a total area of 212,000 square feet, with an average daily processing capacity of 20,000+ pieces, suitable for sellers facing the East and Central markets of the United States.

Los Angeles Return Warehouse (West Coast): After expansion, the area reaches 80,000 square feet, with an average daily processing capacity of over 10,000 pieces, which is more in line with the return needs from West Coast e-commerce platforms and independent station sellers.

Miami Return Warehouse: With an area of 21,000 square feet, it processes 2,500+ pieces per day, which can better handle the return processing of Latin American market return or local customers in Florida.

All warehouses are equipped with forklifts, light and heavy shelves, fire equipment, all-weather CCTV and security systems to ensure the safety of goods and efficient operation. At the same time, a digital file is established for each return to ensure that the quality inspection process is transparent and traceable.

Chinese and American teams work together to create refined return processing

Another core advantage of U-Speed's US return warehouse lies in the collaborative mechanism of the Chinese and American teams - the Chinese management team leads the overall return process and customer service communication, while the local Chinese team in the United States is responsible for daily operations and warehouse operations. This model ensures barrier-free communication between Chinese and English on the one hand, and controllable and consistent service standards on the other hand.

In terms of return processing time, U-Speed can achieve an efficient rhythm of completing quality inspection within 2 days and completing logistics transfer within 3-5 days, which is significantly better than the market average, helping sellers to quickly recover inventory and shorten the return cycle.

At the same time, U-Speed can also provide sellers with customized cross-border logistics services, including integrated solutions for first-leg transportation, warehousing, drop shipping and return processing, eliminating the tediousness of connecting with multiple suppliers and improving the agility of the overall supply chain.

Looking to the future, returns are no longer a "pain point"

From the adjustment of eBay's return regulations, it can be seen that the platform is constantly improving its requirements for user experience, and it also prompts sellers to further improve their service capabilities. Return processing is no longer just an "after-sales link", but a key factor in determining repurchase, ratings, traffic and profits.

U-Speed's US return warehouse helps sellers quickly respond to changes in platform rules under the premise of controllable costs through a professional team, multi-point layout and stable operation, and achieves a truly "worry-free return". For cross-border sellers who are preparing to deepen their presence in the North American market, deploying return warehouse services first may become a key move to win in the second half of the year.