Marketplace Learn

Notifications

Guides

Guide

Performance dashboard: Return Rate

Last updated on Nov 6, 2026

Reading time: 2 min

In this guide:

Overview
What is the policy?
Additional guidelines
Frequently asked questions

Overview

Return Rate is a Seller Performance Standard that measures the percentage of delivered items returned for seller-accountable reasons. Walmart monitors both overall and item-level Return Rate to identify performance issues. In this guide, you’ll learn about this policy and how to address high return rates.

Notes:

If you use Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS), most performance metrics will be met for you, including the Return Rate.

What is the policy?

Return Rate measures the percentage of delivered items returned for seller-accountable reasons within the past 60 days. Seller-accountable reasons are customer returns attributed to issues within your responsibility, such as defective, damaged, incorrect or late items. You must maintain an overall Return Rate of 6% or below for new inventory and 9% or below for Resold inventory.

Walmart also monitors Return Rate for individual items. Items with high rates of seller-accountable returns may receive a warning or be temporarily deactivated, even if your overall Return Rate meets the standard.

Notes:

Item-level actions apply only to items flagged for high returns. Broader or repeated performance issues may result in additional action under Seller Performance Standards.

Additional guidelines

To access the Return insights dashboard, navigate to Returns in Seller Center and select View returns insight. Use the dashboard to:

Review item-level Return Rate, units returned and top return reasons.
Prioritize items with recurring returns and use the recommendations below to address potential causes.
Monitor return performance to evaluate whether corrective actions are effective.

This table outlines common seller-accountable return reasons and recommendations for improvements:

Driver	Definition	Recommendations
Defective	The item does not function properly or has a manufacturer's defect, such as missing parts or quality issues.	Inspect inventory to ensure all parts are included as advertised. Verify that product quality matches what is displayed on Walmart.com. Work with manufacturers to address recurring product defects. Ensure product photos and descriptions accurately reflect the item customers will receive.
Damaged	The item arrived broken, leaking or visibly damaged.	Use sturdy, protective packaging appropriate for the product type and weight. Test packaging to ensure it protects items during transit. Evaluate carrier performance to identify and address repetitive handling issues.
Incorrect item	The customer received an item different from what was ordered.	Review product listings to ensure photos and descriptions accurately represent the item. Confirm UPCs are correctly associated with the appropriate products. Implement fulfillment quality checks to prevent picking and packing errors.
Arrived late	The item was delivered to the customer after the Expected Delivery Date.	Use reliable carriers with consistent on-time delivery performance. Review carrier performance regularly to identify patterns of delay. Ensure lag times and transit settings are accurate and realistic.

Notes:

The third-party information found within this policy and the related hyperlinks is for general informational purposes only and is not considered legal or business advice. This policy may contain links to third party content, which Walmart does not warrant, endorse, or assume liability for and your reliance on such content is solely at your own discretion.