What do claims really cost my store?
Lost parcels, damaged items, wrong orders, returns and chargebacks all land in your inbox. Enter your own numbers to see the monthly cost of staff time, refunds or reships and dispute fees — then the helpdesk that fits your volume.
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Take the 2-minute Claims Inbox Chaos Score and get a shareable score card.
Context from published research
- NRF and Happy Returns estimate US shoppers would return about $849.9B of merchandise in 2025, a 15.8% overall return rate and 19.3% for online sales; retailers estimated 9% of returns were fraudulent. NRF 2025 Retail Returns Landscape
- Optoro's 2024 report puts the cost of processing returns at $26.50 per $100 of returned goods. Optoro State of Returns 2024 (PDF)
- SafeWise estimates 104.3 million packages were stolen in the US over 12 months (about 250,000 a day). SafeWise package theft report
- Stripe charges a $15 dispute fee, plus a $15 counter fee if you choose to contest (refunded if you win). Stripe docs. Other processors differ — check yours.
These are industry-wide figures, not predictions for your store. The calculator only uses the numbers you type in.
FAQ
How do I calculate the cost of handling a claim?
Add up three parts: staff time (minutes per claim × hourly cost ÷ 60), money paid out (refunds or reships, plus extra shipping, minus anything you recover from the carrier, an insurer or resale), and fees such as chargeback fees. This calculator does exactly that with the numbers you enter.
Are the default numbers industry averages?
No. The defaults are example assumptions so the tool shows a result straight away. Replace them with your own figures from your helpdesk, payment processor and order data.
Which helpdesk is best for handling claims?
It depends on volume and channels. Low-volume stores can start on free plans (Help Scout Free, Tidio Free, the Freshdesk free program). Shopify-first stores often look at Gorgias because order data sits next to the ticket. Marketplace sellers look at eDesk. Larger teams look at Zendesk or Richpanel. Always compare current pricing on each vendor site.
How much is a chargeback fee?
It depends on the processor. Stripe lists a $15 dispute fee plus a $15 counter fee if you contest, which is refunded if you win. Check your own processor for its current fee.
Are the links affiliate links?
Some are. Links to vendors with an approved affiliate program are marked sponsored and StoreVetted may earn a commission at no cost to you. Recommendations follow fixed rules based on your inputs.