UPS and Overstock launch return pilot program as returns surge during peak sales season

Overstock.com and UPS will launch a pilot program in the fourth quarter to make returns more convenient for buyers. Through the pilot, buyers can return products purchased on Overstock.com at home. Overstock's website currently recommends that buyers make sure the items they want to return are well packaged and placed in a box suitable for shipping.

UPS and Overstock are already familiar return partners. According to Overstock's website, buyers can get return shipping labels through UPS. The pilot will help the two companies better understand buyers' shopping preferences and evaluate their end-to-end shopping experience. Overstock.com said that the cooperation with UPS can greatly increase repeat business.

The plan to work with Overstock is part of UPS’ recently announced logistics-as-a-service offering, the delivery giant said in an emailed statement. Creating a strong reverse logistics business is one of five key pillars of the plan, which is designed to build new revenue streams for the company, Chief Executive Carol Tomei said on an earnings call. “We are combining the strength of UPS’s physical network with digital-first tools and platforms.”

It is learned that the pilot launch of the fourth quarter return program will debut during the holiday shipping peak season to cater to the surge in package returns during the peak sales season. Data shows: From November 14, 2021 to January 22, 2022, UPS processed more than 60 million return packages, setting a record high in the company's history.

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