Return Rate

 

AbeBooks Performance Standards require that booksellers who receive more than 120 orders per year maintain an annual return rate of 5% or less; return rates for shorter time periods, as well as for sellers with fewer than 120 orders per year, are also monitored closely.

Return Rate is calculated by the following formula:

Total Returns / (Total Orders - Rejected and Expired Orders)

Just as with your completion rate, the following return reasons are excluded from your Return Rate:

  • Buyer does not want item
  • Buyer cancelled before shipping
  • Incomplete sales (Seller-direct orders where you don't receive payment from the buyer.)
  • Partial refunds

 

For example,

In a 12 month period, Seller A has: 

  • 140 orders
  • 8 orders rejected as 'previously sold.'
  • 5 returns - 2 for 'item not as described, 2 for 'incorrect item delivered,' and 1 for 'buyer does not want item.'

 

The return for 'buyer does not want item' is excluded, leaving 4 returns, so the formula is:

4 / (140 - 8) = 4 / 132 = .030

Seller A has a Return Rate of 3%.

 

View the full Policy.

 

To Calculate Your Return Rate:

  1. Sign on to your AbeBooks account with your email address and password.

  2. Select [Completion Rate] in the 'My Account Stats' section at the top of the Menu.

  3. In the 'Seller Ratings Overview' section, select a 3, 6, or 12 month order period. From the 'Ordered Items' total, subtract the 'Unfulfilled Items' total, to give you your total fulfilled items (including returns). (Note: The total fulfilled items count that appears on this page does not include returns, so should not be used to calculate return rate.)

  4. Take the 'Returned Items' total and divide it by the total fulfilled items number you arrived at in step 3 above.  The result will be your return rate for the order period selected. (Note: The 'Returned Items' total displayed on this screen has already excluded returns for the reasons listed above.)

 

Tips for Improving Return Rate