In the United Kingdom, nearly three in four online shoppers consider return fees to be a crucial factor in their shopping decisions. In 2023, ** percent of online shoppers taking part in a survey stated that return fees would make them less likely to shop with a retailer. Return fees might be expensive for cross-border retailers based in the EU, as they now charge UK consumers higher shipping and return costs due to Brexit trade conditions.
Cross-border e-commerce in the UK
In the UK, cross-border e-commerce represents less than ** percent of the entire B2C online market and has remained quite stable since 2019, except for 2020. Contrary to what geographical location might suggest, European countries have a minor role in the UK cross-border market, which is dominated by China and the United States, leaving Germany in the third place.
Chinese presence in the UK market
Chinese players do not just dominate cross-border e-commerce, they are key players in the UK online retail ecosystem. In 2023, Temu, Alibaba, and Aliexpress were among the five most downloaded marketplace apps in the UK In some cases, the retention rates equaled those of established and domestic retailers. Over*** UK consumers would purchase again from fast-fashion e-commerce Shein, surpassing the share of loyal customers of ASOS and Zalando.
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Retail Week. (December 6, 2023). Share of online consumers changing their shopping with a retailer due to return fees in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2023 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved August 03, 2026, from /statistics/1450096/impact-of-return-fees-on-online-shopping-united-kingdom/
Retail Week. "Share of online consumers changing their shopping with a retailer due to return fees in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2023." Chart. December 6, 2023. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed August 03, 2026. /statistics/1450096/impact-of-return-fees-on-online-shopping-united-kingdom/
Retail Week. (2023). Share of online consumers changing their shopping with a retailer due to return fees in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2023. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: August 03, 2026. /statistics/1450096/impact-of-return-fees-on-online-shopping-united-kingdom/
Retail Week. "Share of Online Consumers Changing Their Shopping with a Retailer Due to Return Fees in The United Kingdom (Uk) in 2023." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 6 Dec 2023, /statistics/1450096/impact-of-return-fees-on-online-shopping-united-kingdom/
Retail Week, Share of online consumers changing their shopping with a retailer due to return fees in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2023 ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/1450096/impact-of-return-fees-on-online-shopping-united-kingdom/ (last visited August 03, 2026)
Share of online consumers changing their shopping with a retailer due to return fees in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2023 [Graph], Retail Week, December 6, 2023. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1450096/impact-of-return-fees-on-online-shopping-united-kingdom/