Behind the scenes
Returned products get a second life
by Tobias Billeter
Not for you? The most frequently returned products of 2025
15/1/2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
A little under seven per cent of items bought on Galaxus are sent back. The most-returned Christmas purchases? Smartwatches, graphics cards and mobile phones. Here’s what else customers returned last year and why.
For both brick-and-mortar and online retailers, returns are part and parcel of doing business. At Galaxus, returned products are checked and resold if they’re still fully functional: «Provided an item isn’t defective, it’s put up for sale again with a 'returned & tested' label or is donated to social partner organisations. We only dispose of or recycle products that can’t or mustn’t be reused, such as hygiene products,» says Lauritz Fricke, Head of After Sales & Retail at Galaxus.
Smartwatches and graphics cards are the most likely post-Christmas returns
Mobile phones, smartwatches and headphones were the most likely products to be sent back after Christmas 2024. Following the 2025 Christmas period, however, graphics cards have made their way into the top three for the first time. Ranking behind smartwatches and before mobile phones, no other product type was returned as frequently in absolute terms in the two weeks after Christmas Eve.
People often send back clothes, but keep foodstuff and multimedia products
In relation to order volume, last year’s most frequent returns fell into the categories of clothing, vehicle supplies and watches and jewellery. Office supplies, multimedia products and foodstuff, on the other hand, are least likely to be sent back. The average return rate for Galaxus’s EU shops is 6.9 per cent.
Online retailers aim to keep return rates as low as possible – for environmental reasons and to save costs. That’s why Galaxus focuses on offering a wide range, detailed product descriptions (that can even be tweaked by customers), extensive filter functions, honest editorial content and helpful shopping features such as its AI buying guide.
If it’s not the right fit, it’s sent back by post
In a bid to improve its shop and product range, Galaxus asks customers to state a reason when they return an item. «Mostly, it’s down to a bad fit,» explains Lauritz Fricke. «Too big, too small and not compatible with another product are the most common reasons. After an unwanted item has been sent back, we make sure it’s put up for sale again as quickly as possible.»
The «Other reasons» drop-down menu provides a selection of more specific reasons, including «Product was delivered too late» (one per cent) or «Product not needed any more» (one per cent). Lauritz Fricke: «We’re currently working on dynamic return reasons for different products for 2026. This means we’ll be able to understand the reasons why customers send back purchases even better and avoid returns altogether by providing optimised product information.» In other words, Galaxus is striving to help customers make informed purchases in a user-friendly environment. Part of this effort includes transparency initiatives such as warranty scores and return rates for products.
What would be a reason for you to return a product?
Daniel Borchers
Senior Communications Manager
Daniel.Borchers@galaxus.deA soft spot for good series, loud music, science fiction and (second division) football. As PR Manager, I am available to answer journalists' questions about Galaxus and honest e-commerce.
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