RTO Rate Benchmarks India 2026
What RTO rate is normal for your category, and how far COD pushes it up. Benchmarks from the sources that publish them — kept side by side, because they measure slightly different things — and what each rate actually costs per 1,000 orders.
Last verified 25 Oct 2026 · No public primary study breaks RTO down by category and payment mode, so treat category figures as directional
National benchmarks
| Fee | RTO rate | Confidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| COD orders | ≈ 26% RTO (most sources: 20–30%) | Medium | GoKwik (own network data)Base: RTO rates in India by category |
| Prepaid orders | Under 2% RTO (GoKwik); 4–8% in other estimates | Medium | GoKwik (own network data)Base: RTO rates in India by category |
| All orders, blended | ≈ 20–25%, up to 40% in high-risk categories and pin codes | Medium | GoKwik (own network data)Base: RTO rates in India by category |
| Delivery speed | ≈ 22% RTO when delivered in 1–2 days vs ≈ 35% when delayed beyond 5 days | Low | GoKwik (own network data) |
RTO by category
| Category | Blended average | COD | Prepaid | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion & apparel | 25–40% | 35–55% | 8–15% | Low |
| Ethnic wear | 30–45% | — | — | Low |
| Footwear | 20–35% | 30–50% | 7–12% | Low |
| Jewellery & accessories Sources disagree sharply here: one puts the blended rate at 4–12%, the other puts COD alone at 25–45%. | 4–12% | 25–45% | 6–12% | Low |
| Home décor & furnishings | 10–25% | 20–35% | 5–10% | Low |
| Sports, fitness & activewear | 15–28% | 18–30% | 5–10% | Low |
| Electronics & accessories | 8–18% | 15–25% | 3–8% | Low |
| Beauty & personal care | 5–15% | 12–22% | 4–8% | Low |
| Health supplements | 6–14% | — | — | Low |
| Pet care | 8–18% | — | — | Low |
| Home care & cleaning | 5–12% | — | — | Low |
| FMCG, grocery & packaged food | 2–8% | 8–15% | 2–5% | Low |
Blended averages: Base: RTO rates in India by category. COD and prepaid split: Lokally: India e-commerce RTO statistics (which describes its own figures as indicative). Ranges are what the sources state; we haven't averaged them.
Official = a primary, published study. High/Medium = at least two independent sources agree. Low = a single source, a very wide range, or sources that disagree.
What each RTO rate costs you
1,000 orders dispatched a month, ₹400 product cost, ₹65 forward and ₹55 return freight, and 15% of returned stock damaged or unsellable. RTO costs you the freight both ways plus that damage — the product itself goes back into stock.
| Scenario | RTO rate | RTO orders | Monthly RTO loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepaid-heavy store | 2% | 20 | ₹3,600 |
| Typical mixed COD/prepaid | 10% | 100 | ₹18,000 |
| National COD average | 26% | 260 | ₹46,800 |
| High-risk fashion COD | 40% | 400 | ₹72,000 |
Going from the national COD average to a prepaid-heavy mix saves ₹43,200 a month on these numbers — before counting the margin you lose on orders that never convert.