From Cost Center to Growth Engine: Redefining the Returns Experience in 2026

In a market where customer acquisition costs continue to climb, the post-purchase experience has become the ultimate decider of brand stickiness. Yet, many ecommerce leaders are still treating returns as a static cost of doing business rather than an opportunity for margin growth.

The challenge in transforming returns into a growth engine is two-fold: When you treat every return as a high-risk event, you alienate your most valuable shoppers and drag out the entire experience when consumers want their refund now. On the other hand, when you treat every return as “low-risk” you rack up returns costs and leave your margins vulnerable to abuse.

In this exclusive deep dive, we’ll discuss:

• The 2025 holiday post-mortem: A look at the data-driven trends that defined the most recent peak season and what they mean for 2026.
• The rise of SNAD: Addressing the surge in Significantly Not As Described claims, the fastest-growing return reason. Learn how to manage increasingly demanding shoppers without triggering costly chargebacks.
• The loyalty loop: 1 in 4 customers will make a return and these returners on average spend 4x more than other consumers who don’t. Discover practical ways to create long-term profitable customer relationships with these VIPs.

Who should join:

This session is for ecommerce leaders, finance executives, and CX strategists looking to evolve their returns process into a sophisticated engine for growth and customer retention.