With two months until Christmas 2025, holiday spirits are already heating up in the European and American markets. Google search data shows that search interest for keywords like "Christmas gift" has already peaked, with users in the UK and US leading the way. Many retailers have also launched "100-day countdown promotions" in advance to capitalize on the pre-holiday traffic window.
Overall, e-commerce remains optimistic about the 2025 holiday shopping season. An Adobe report indicates that US e-commerce holiday season sales will reach $241.4 billion in 2024, an 8.7% year-on-year increase. Despite shifts in the economic environment, holiday gift products remain a key driver of e-commerce growth.
However, cautious spending and inflationary pressures are increasingly influencing buyer decisions. A McKinsey report indicates that US consumers will place greater emphasis on "value" when spending on gifts this year, and many are already buying early.
However, for cross-border sellers, the Christmas season presents both a peak in sales and a potential peak in returns. Maintaining stable sales while addressing returns is key to successful operations.
Holiday Return Pressure Should Not Be Underestimated
1. Return Rates Often Rise
During the holiday season, product return rates are typically higher than usual. According to data compiled by Mailmodo, the average e-commerce holiday return rate is approximately 17.9%. According to Shopify, some high-risk categories (such as apparel and footwear) can have return rates as high as 30%.
A survey by Fit Small Business indicates that the overall return rate for holiday purchases in 2023 will be 15.4%, lower than in previous years but still high. This suggests that even if merchants tighten return policies and shorten return windows, this common practice will be difficult to completely eliminate.
Furthermore, a PYMNTS report indicates that retailers generally expect holiday return rates to be approximately 17% higher than usual in 2024. The SGB report also indicates that as holiday sales rise, the total value of returns is also showing a significant upward trend.
2. Costs and Risks of Returns
For cross-border sellers, returns are more than just returning the product; they also involve shipping costs, customs clearance delays, warehouse space utilization, quality inspection difficulties, and the risk of re-listing. Many sellers are unable to process returns promptly after the holiday season, resulting in significant inventory backlogs and shrinking profit margins.
Even worse, if the processing procedures are unprofessional or standards are inconsistent, problems such as missed inspections, secondary returns, and negative review disputes can occur. Especially during the holiday season, with the influx of returns, unstable warehouses and quality inspection channels can lead to massive backlogs and mishandling.
U-Speed US return warehouse: Building a Holiday Backend Defense for Cross-Border Sellers
Against this backdrop, having reliable US return warehouse processing capabilities has become a core competitive advantage for cross-border sellers. U-Speed has established return warehouses on both the East and West Coasts in the US, specifically designed to address holiday return issues for sellers.
1. Dual Warehouse Layout, Covering the East and West Coasts
U-Speed operates a US East Coast (New Jersey) return warehouse and a US West Coast (Los Angeles) return warehouse in the US, each measuring 7,250 square meters. The US East Coast warehouse can handle over 20,000 pieces per day, while the US West Coast warehouse can handle approximately 10,000 pieces per day. This dual-warehouse layout allows sellers to direct returns to the nearest location by region, shortening transit time and reducing logistics costs. It also facilitates return diversion during peak periods, improving overall processing efficiency.
2. Professional Quality Inspection + Fast Turnaround
U-Speed has designed standardized quality inspection processes for various products (including gifts, apparel, accessories, electronics, etc.), and has enhanced packaging inspection, functional testing, and appearance inspection to accommodate holiday seasons. Returns typically complete quality inspection and evaluation within two days and are then returned to the shelf-ready process.
Return logistics typically takes 3–5 days from the warehouse to the destination. This short turnaround time reduces inventory backlogs and improves capital utilization.
3. Integrated Return + Forward Logistics Service Loop
In addition to return quality inspection and restocking services, U-Speed also provides forward logistics capabilities such as first-leg transportation, warehousing, and drop shipping, forming a complete closed loop from "incoming - shipping - selling - returning." Sellers can manage both forward and reverse processes within a single system, eliminating the need to switch between multiple service providers. This simplifies operations and reduces risk.
4. Systematic, Visual Management
U-Speed provides a returns management system, allowing sellers to monitor the receipt status, quality inspection progress, and restocking results of each return in real time. All operations are traceable, significantly reducing manual coordination costs and communication errors.
The Christmas gift season is one of the most important shopping periods of the year, with demand for gifts in the European and American markets surging early, presenting opportunities for cross-border sellers. However, a return surge also carries inherent risks. If mishandled, it could erode profits and even damage brand reputation.
U-Speed's US return warehouse, with dual warehouse coverage, local quality inspection, fast turnaround, and system management, provides sellers with a reliable return defense. With this guarantee, cross-border sellers can confidently plan their Christmas sales with confidence, making returns no longer a burden but a reflection of their after-sales service capabilities.
