Product Returns

Returns fraud is accelerating, and “keep it” policies are making it worse. Frankly, they should be illegal. On paper, telling a customer to keep a low-cost item and issuing a refund looks efficient. No shipping. No processing. No restocking. No warehouse touch. In practice, it's lazy operations dressed up as customer convenience. It creates fraud…

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is no longer theoretical. It’s rolling out, starting with textiles. And the message is simple: if you put product into the market, you’re responsible for where it ends up. That’s not a sustainability slogan. That’s an operating shift. EPR means accountability for collection, reuse, recycling, reporting, and proof. Not estimates. Not…

Peak season may be behind us, but for many warehouses and third-party logistics (3PLs) providers, the real test begins after the holidays. The returns wave has a way of exposing operational friction that steady volumes can mask: crowded receiving areas, delayed restocking, inconsistent inspection steps, and limited visibility into what’s actually moving through the building.…

For customers, returns are often when customer experience and loyalty is really tested. A confusing process, long wait times, or inconsistent answers can undo months of brand trust in minutes. Unfortunately, returns are a simple fact in retail. Post-holiday returns may spike in January, but the pressure they create extends throughout the entire year. The…

Retail returns abuse has become internet famous. In recent months, social media users have populated posts on channels like TikTok, highlighting how they could save hundreds of dollars by taking advantage of returns policies set by retailers like Costco, Amazon.com, and Target. In fact, the videos have grown to become a veritable theme on social…

Last holiday season, one of a brand’s most loyal customers ordered three party dresses, intending to keep the one that fit best. What should have been a routine return turned into a viral disaster: confusing instructions, a missing confirmation email, and a delayed refund pushed her frustration onto social media. The brand scrambled to respond,…

Fraud in retail is on the rise; retailers reported a whopping 93 percent increase in the average number of shoplifting incidents per year in 2023 vs. 2019. And return fraud — i.e., abusing returns for monetary gain — plays a big role in this. In 2024, more than 16 percent of retail sales were estimated…

As Gen Z comes of age, they’re not just influencing what gets bought, they’re reshaping what happens post-purchase. Returns are key. Gen Z feels the most green guilt of any generation, with 43 percent expressing worry about the impact of excessive online shopping and returns. For this generation, return policies aren’t customer service features; they’re…

Instead of traditional reactive policies and trying to figure out how to reduce product returns​, learn smarter strategies that reduce costs, prevent abuse, improve customer experience, and enhance sustainability efforts. Return fraud is no longer an anomaly; it’s a persistent challenge baked into the e-commerce experience. As online shopping grows, so does the volume of…

Picture this all-too-common scenario: A shopper is packing for a long-awaited summer trip when she realizes that the black bathing suit she had recently ordered — classic, safe — just didn’t fit the vibe. Fortunately, Frankies Bikinis made the fix easy. A few clicks later, a butter yellow set is on its way: more on-brand,…