Two-thirds of consumers now feel a surge of anxiety after clicking "buy," according to Narvar's 2025 State of Post-Purchase Report, a signal that uncertainty is now defining the ecommerce experience. Rising theft, delivery failures, and inconsistent communication have turned the post-purchase experience into one of the biggest sources of friction and risk for retailers working to protect both margins and loyalty.
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Two-thirds of consumers now feel a surge of anxiety after clicking “buy,” according to Narvar’s 2025 State of Post-Purchase Report, a signal that uncertainty is now defining the ecommerce experience. Rising theft, delivery failures, and inconsistent communication have turned the post-purchase experience into one of the biggest sources of friction and risk for retailers working to protect both margins and loyalty.
The data reveals what’s driving shopper anxiety and the ripple effects it’s having on how people buy. Forty-one percent of consumers say they’ve had a package stolen, and 40% abandoned a purchase in the past year because they feared it would be. This growing sense of vulnerability, paired with inconsistent delivery experiences, is reshaping shopping behavior. Seventy-four percent of consumers experienced a late delivery in the past year, and 86% encountered at least one delivery issue. After even a single bad experience, 60% of 18–29-year-olds say they won’t shop again with that retailer, compared with only 17% of shoppers 60 and over.
“In a volatile economy marked by rising costs and cautious consumers, shopper trust has become a retailer’s most valuable asset,” said Anisa Kumar, CEO of Narvar. “Every missed update or vague delivery estimate erodes that trust and the impact shows up on the P&L as support costs, cancellations, and lost loyalty. Retailers giving consumers clarity, consistency, and control after they buy will be the ones that preserve profitability in an uncertain market.”
Post-Purchase Problems Cost Retailers More Than Loyalty
Anxiety doesn’t stop at checkout but continues through every step of delivery, return, and resolution. Narvar’s 2025 State of Post-Purchase Report reveals how that lack of trust translates into financial and operational strain for retailers, shaping policies, pricing, and ultimately the consumer relationship. From fraud to fees to shifting expectations, the data paints a picture of an industry under pressure to protect both trust and profitability.
- Fraud continues to plague retailers. The number of shoppers who admitted to return fraud fell 35% year over year (from 57% to 37%), yet retailers still absorbed $103 billion in fraudulent returns in 2024 as abuse becomes harder to detect.
- Delivery reliability is slipping. 74% experienced late deliveries; 86% encountered at least one issue.
- Late deliveries cost loyalty. 60% of young shoppers (ages 18–29) will not buy again after a late delivery, compared with only 17% of Baby Boomers.
- No peace of mind, no purchase. Shoppers are paying to feel more confident about their purchases: 37% paid for shipping insurance last year.
- Communication calms anxiety. 38% said frequent tracking updates reduce anxiety; nearly half prefer SMS/push/WhatsApp for urgent updates.
- Delivery dates drive decisions. 73% say estimated delivery dates (EDDs) influence purchase decisions; if no date is shown, 40% won’t buy.
- Returns make or break the relationship. 90% check the policy before buying; 76% won’t buy again after a poor experience.
What Shoppers Expect
When issues occur, shoppers want acknowledgement (46%), clear explanations (46%), and real-time updates (45%) before they have to ask. Each generation prioritizes different strategies to reduce their anxiety: accurate EDDs (30–44), frequent tracking updates (45–60), and immediate access to support (youngest and oldest cohorts).
About the Report
The State of Post-Purchase 2025 report combines platform data from Narvar’s retailer network, including tracking and returns metrics, with a national survey of 3,461 U.S. online shoppers in August 2025 to reveal new insights into post-purchase expectations, preferences, and the actions brands must take to retain trust and protect revenue.
Download the full report here.
About Narvar
Narvar is the #1 platform for intelligent personalization “Beyond Buy,” empowering over 1,500 of the world’s most admired brands—including Sephora, Levi’s, Sonos, Warby Parker and LVMH—to engage consumers, deliver seamless operations and grow their business. Powered by IRIS™ and billions of data points, Narvar transforms the post-purchase journey by delivering personalized insights that build trust, safeguard operations and unlock sustainable growth. From returns and exchanges to tracking, notifications and fraud prevention, Narvar sets the standard for data-driven retail experiences. To learn more, visit Narvar.com.
SOURCE Narvar
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