A returned parcel is the most expensive thing in online selling. The product travelled to the customer and back, and you earn nothing for it. The good news is that most returns have a clear cause, and many can be prevented before the parcel ever leaves.
How common are returns?
Our data from about 5,000 cash-on-delivery orders from Sri Lankan online shops shows:
- Selling to strangers online, 30–37% of parcels came back.
- When customers knew and reordered from the seller, about 96% were delivered.
That gap tells you returns are not just bad luck. They depend a lot on trust and on how the order was handled.
What a return costs you
- No profit. Your profit reaches your wallet only when the parcel is delivered. A returned parcel earns nothing.
- Return fees after the free ones. Every seller gets 3 free returns. After that, Amber and Red sellers pay a Rs 150 return fee per return.
- Your level. Seller levels (Green, Amber, Red) depend on your return rate. Green sellers get the best terms, and many returns can suspend an account. See how seller levels work.
The reasons, one by one
Here is why parcels came back in real Sri Lankan online shops, and what you can do about each.
1. No answer: 42% of returns
The courier called and nobody answered. This is the biggest reason by far.
What helps:
- Call the buyer yourself before placing the order. If they don't answer you, they may not answer the courier. See confirm every order.
- Ask for a second number.
- Tell them the courier will call from an unknown number, and to keep the phone close.
English: Your order is placed! In the next few days the courier will call you from an unknown number. Please answer so your parcel reaches you.
සිංහල: ඔයාගේ ඕඩර් එක දැම්මා! ළඟ දවස් කිහිපයේදී කූරියර් නොදන්න නම්බර් එකකින් කෝල් කරයි. පාර්සල් එක ලැබෙන්න ආන්සර් කරන්න.
தமிழ்: உங்கள் ஓடர் போடப்பட்டது! அடுத்த சில நாட்களில் கூரியர் தெரியாத நம்பரிலிருந்து கால் பண்ணுவார். பார்சல் கிடைக்க ஆன்சர் பண்ணுங்கள்.
2. Refused: 19% of returns
The customer saw the parcel and said no.
What helps:
- No surprises at the door. Say the full total, including delivery (usually around Rs 450), before the order is placed.
- Don't push someone who sounds unsure. An order made under pressure is often refused.
- For doubtful orders, a payment link where the customer pays an advance shows real commitment. MyKade may also ask for a deposit or confirmation on risky orders, such as a number that refused parcels before.
3. Changed their mind: 8%
Between ordering and delivery, the buyer lost interest or bought elsewhere.
What helps:
- Reply and confirm quickly, so the order is placed while interest is high. See reply within an hour.
- Make sure they really need the item. Asking "What will you use it for?" helps both of you.
4. Courier failed: 7%, and delivery delayed: 4%
Sometimes the delivery itself goes wrong or takes too long.
What helps:
- A full address with a clear landmark makes the courier's job easier.
- Check the phone number digit by digit.
- If a customer asks where their parcel is, answer quickly and contact MyKade support from the app (WhatsApp or phone) if something looks wrong. Most parcels arrive within 2 days of dispatch, and order to door is about 3 days on average, so tell customers that honestly from the start.
5. Not as expected: 2%
The customer expected something different from what arrived.
What helps:
- Use photos that show the real product, without colour-changing filters. See great product photos with just your phone.
- Write honest captions: real size, real material, what's in the box. See captions in three languages.
Sell to people who trust you
The single biggest difference in the numbers is trust. Customers who know you and come back are delivered far more often. That's why it pays to start with your first 10 customers from people around you, to treat every buyer well, and to choose everyday products people buy again (see products people buy again and again).
A return-proof checklist
Before every order:
- Did I tell them the full total, including delivery?
- Did I speak to them on the phone, on the number the courier will use?
- Do I have a full address with a landmark?
- Did they sound sure?
- Do my photos and caption match the real product?
Five yeses won't stop every return, but they stop many of the avoidable ones.
Ready to build a shop with fewer returns? Download the MyKade app and use this checklist from your very first order.