Retailers may be cracking under the weight of their own kindness. A new report from Forter, the Trust Platform for digital commerce, reveals that 68% of consumers in the U.S. and U.K. believe retailers make it too easy to exploit return policies and nearly half admit they’ve done just that.
Based on a survey of over 4,000 consumers conducted by The Harris Poll, Flexible Policies, Risky Business lays bare a troubling trend: more shoppers are taking advantage of flexible policies in ways that hit retailers hard, just as economic pressures make profitability more fragile.
Returns abuse is becoming the norm, not the exception. According to the data, 30% of respondents confessed to “wardrobing”—wearing pricey clothes once before sending them back. Among 18–34-year-olds, that number skyrockets to nearly half of all young shoppers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Policy abuse is costing retailers billions
Policy-bending behaviour has evolved beyond returns. Over 55% of consumers say it’s easy to create multiple accounts to cash in on new-customer discounts. One in five admit to buying more than they need just to unlock free shipping, fully intending to return the extras.
While shoppers game the system, retailers are caught in a dangerous balancing act. Overly strict policies could backfire as 16% of shoppers have already stopped buying from stores that tightened return rules. At the same time, 48% say they’re now more likely to shop at stores with lenient return policies, and 63% admit they rely on discounts and perks more than ever.
“Policy abuse is costing retailers billions of dollars. While consumers react to economic shifts, becoming more intentional and savvier with their spending, retailers must adjust, too,” said Ozge Ozcan, chief customer officer, Forter.