January 22, 2026
Holiday Returns Are Testing Customer Loyalty. Shoppers Think AI Can Fix It
The purchase is already complete, the excitement has passed, and what remains is the returns process. When that process drags, confuses, or surprises, customers notice, and they remember.
New survey data from Ada suggests that returns have become a frequent, high-impact interaction that increasingly dictates how customers judge a brand.
According to the research, 55% of shoppers have already made or plan to make a return after the holiday season. A little over 20% return items more than once a month. At that frequency, returns stop being exceptions and start behaving like any other core customer interaction.
Yet satisfaction with the returns process is lukewarm. Only 36% of shoppers describe themselves as “very satisfied” with it, while most land somewhere in the middle, an outcome that suggests the job is getting done, but rarely well.
Small Frictions Add Up Quickly
The issues customers report are familiar, and that is precisely the problem. Unexpected return fees affect 42% of shoppers, shipping inconveniences frustrate 41%, and another 32% struggle with unclear policies. These are not edge cases but recurring sources of friction that surface most often during high-volume periods.
Brands often treat a completed return as proof that everything went well. Customers do not. Fifty-seven percent say a poor returns experience would affect their decision to buy again, even if they were previously loyal. A smooth checkout does not make up for a frustrating return. It’s like a support ticket was closed, but not really resolved.
When asked how they prefer to make returns, shoppers lean toward options that minimise effort. Self-service ranks first at 31%, followed by in-person returns at 23%. Control and clarity matter more than interaction style.
Chatbots remain a harder sell, with only 12% selecting them today. However, sixty percent say they would be willing to use an AI agent if it could instantly answer questions and process a return.
Trust Defines AI’s Role
Trust is crucial when it comes to AI. Shoppers worry that AI may misunderstand their issue, provide inaccurate information, or slow resolution rather than speed it up. All they really want for it is to handle straightforward requests efficiently and escalate when it cannot. Thirty-five percent say they only want a human involved after one failed AI interaction, while just 31% want human support immediately.
The data suggests returns have moved beyond back-office optimisation. Forty-five percent of shoppers already feel comfortable using AI to manage returns, with another 29% undecided. That places returns firmly in the category of moments that can either reinforce trust or quietly undermine it.
Returns may never be enjoyable, but they no longer have to be the reason customers hesitate to return themselves.
