UPS and Happy Returns are expanding the Return Bar network, thereby “reaching a new milestone of 10,000 drop-off locations nationwide,” the companies said, adding that this growth adds “more than 1,700 locations, primarily through new partnerships with Annex Brands and PackageHub Business Centers.”
The expansion is expected to further remove friction across the e‑commerce shopping experience for retailers and consumers. Speed and convenience also play a role. The companies said returns now move from shopper drop-off back to retailers “in as little as 3.6 days, with an average return transit time of seven days across all customers.”
Related Stories
“For retailers, that simplicity drives faster drop-offs and a better customer experience, helping build loyalty while accelerating the return cycle,” a Happy Returns spokesperson told Sourcing Journal. “At the same time, our network is designed to deliver confidence at scale—from faster restocking through our integrated UPS logistics to built-in fraud prevention—so retailers can reduce friction for shoppers without increasing risk.”
The companies said in a statement that the expansion builds upon “a strong foundation of trusted partners including The UPS Store, Staples and Ulta Beauty,” and added that the expansion via UPS Authorized Shipping Outlets (ASOs) “reinforces Happy Returns’ position as the largest consolidated return network in the U.S., now more than three times the size of the next-largest alternative.”
The statement also noted that UPS and Happy Returns operate “the only end-to-end reverse logistics network that supports the full lifecycle of e-commerce orders—from delivery through return or exchange.” UPS acquired Happy Returns from PayPal in 2023 to bolster its reverse logistics capabilities.
“We are putting our customers—and their consumers—at the center of our reverse logistics business,” said Matt Guffey, executive vice president, chief commercial and strategy officer at UPS. “We are simplifying the end-to-end e-commerce journey, and when it comes to returns or exchanges, UPS and Happy Returns have a network that is unmatched.”
Capital One Shopping estimates that U.S. retail returns totaled $849.9 billion in 2025 and pegs the average retail return rate at 15.8 percent. Researchers at the bank said in a recent report that online retail returns average 24.5 percent while items purchased at brick-and-mortar stores have a 8.72 percent return rate.
UPS and Happy Returns said consumers can find Return Bar locations in retailers they frequently visit. With the new locations, the companies said 79 percent of the U.S. population now lives within five miles of a Return Bar. This compares to 76 percent previously.
David Sobie, co-founder and chief executive officer of Happy Returns said the goal is to make returns a seamless process. “Our Return Bar network is now more than three times the size of the next closest option, significantly expanding access to box-free, label-free returns with immediate refunds,” Sobie said. “This growth allows us to deliver unmatched convenience to online shoppers across the country.”
