Returns are one of the most important aspects of e-commerce. For customers, they are a guarantee of safe shopping, and for sellers, they are a test of trust and service quality. However, the number and process of returns differ significantly depending on where the product is shipped from. The difference is especially visible between parcels sent from China and those shipped directly from the United Kingdom.
Transport Costs and Customs Procedures
• Returning a parcel to China is very expensive and complicated.
• It requires customs clearance, additional documents, and often exceeds the value of the product itself.
• In practice, this means that a physical return to China is unprofitable for both the customer and the seller
Practices of Chinese Sellers
• Many Chinese sellers (for example, on AliExpress) prefer to refund the customer rather than bear the costs of accepting a return.
• As a result, they often do not require the item to be sent back, especially for low-value products.
• The customer quickly gets their money back, while the seller avoids logistical costs.
Lack of a Local Return Address in the UK
• If a parcel does not have a local return address, the customer knows that sending it back will be practically impossible.
• This creates the expectation that the seller will refund the money without asking for the product to be returned.
• Over time, customers become accustomed to this and expect easy refunds when buying from China.
Returns from the UK
• For domestic shipments or those from UK warehouses, the procedure is simple and transparent.
• The customer sends the parcel back to a local address, and the seller is obliged to accept the return in line with consumer law (14 days to withdraw from the contract in the EU/UK).
• Returns are more formal and require the actual product to be sent back.
Consequences for E-Commerce
• Products from China → more often end with a refund without the parcel being returned.
• Products from the UK → returns are formal and require the product to be physically sent back.
• Customer perception → many buyers believe that Chinese sellers will not expect returns, as it is not cost-effective for them.
The Side Effect: Spoiled Customers
• Such a return policy, where customers often receive refunds without sending the product back, spoils and overindulges buyers.
• Customers learn that they can always expect a refund, even without returning the item.
• This creates the belief that “everything can be free,” which leads to abuse and undermines the value of the seller–customer relationship.
• For e-commerce businesses, this means higher financial risks and the need for more thoughtful return strategies.
What This Means for Sellers
• A UK return address increases customer trust and reduces the risk of abuse.
• The lack of a local address may cause customers to expect refunds without returning the product.
• Strategy: many Chinese sellers use warehouses in the UK or EU precisely to simplify returns and improve their reputation.
Conclusion
Shipping from China generates more returns because sellers prefer to refund money rather than accept costly returns. Shipping from the UK is more formal, requiring customers to actually send the parcel back. However, the “easy refund” policy from China has a side effect: customers become accustomed to always receiving refunds without returning products, which fosters the belief that shopping can be free.
For sellers, the solution is clear: a local return address and transparent rules are not only an investment in customer trust but also in maintaining healthy shopping habits.