The insight: Nearly half of US and UK consumers admit to abusing retailers’ returns policies in the past 12 months, according to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll for digital commerce platform Forter.

That shows some restraint, considering over two-thirds say that retailers make it easy to do so.

By the numbers: Returns fraud has become an effective tactic for consumers looking to avoid paying full price for items, as well as those who see an opportunity to use a product and then return it for a full refund (also known as wardrobing).

• These behaviors are especially prevalent among younger consumers, with 46% of US shoppers and 48% of UK shoppers ages 18 to 34 admitting to wardrobing items they wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford.
• Other tactics include purchasing more to qualify for free shipping with the intent of returning the excess (21%) or opening multiple accounts with a retailer to take advantage of promotions (12%).

Our take: Retailers face a Catch-22 when it comes to returns. On the one hand, being too generous opens the door for fraud and can result in retailers being overburdened by reverse logistics costs. On the other hand, being too restrictive can deter shoppers from opening their wallets: 16% of consumers surveyed by The Harris Poll say they have stopped shopping with retailers who made their returns policies stricter.

Go further: Read our report on US Retail Ecommerce Returns 2025.

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