Returns of online holiday gifts to hit record - electronics and clothing top the list

After the holiday party comes the hangover for retailers: handling millions of returns this week.

With a Christmas season that has seen record e-commerce sales coming to a close, returns should hit an all-time high on Tuesday for United Parcel Service.

The delivery company expects to handle more than 550,000 returns on Tuesday, a record, and up almost 8% from a year earlier. Several other days during the first week of 2012 will also top half a million returns, UPS said.

Even when returns spike, that can be good news. If shoppers know they can bring products back to stores or mail them back to online retailers, they are likely to buy more from that retailer.

When consumers buy electronics online, they do not get a chance to try out the devices first. Categories with the highest percentage of returns will also include apparel and footwear. Such items are not easy to purchase online because they need to fit properly and require being tried on before consumers commit fully.