Chain Store Age | Returns affect online purchase behavior – here’s how

Two points especially struck me:

Retailers are also concerned about alienating shoppers if they crack down too hard on return fraud. Fifty-seven percent are concerned about social media or public backlash if they tighten returns policies and 56% worry that toughening their returns policy could cause customers to leave the brand.

The survey also reveals that duplicitous online return behavior is relatively common among consumers. More than four-in-10 (44%) consumer respondents admit they have previously provided a different reason for making an online return rather than the exact truth, while 31% admit to substituting the original item with something else when making a return.

You can get the original report directly from Loop Returns here, but they want your details: The Returns Revenue Gap Report 2026 | Loop.

alienating shoppers if they crack down too hard on return fraud

WTF???

Those committing fraud are damaging these companies’ bottom lines.

I cannot understand why companies feel the need to cater to those that are STEALING from them.

No, they are alienating honest customers who have to jump through too many hoops. I don’t steal anything, but I like shopping where returns are easy.

What is too many hoops?

Having a damn receipt? Actually returning the item before getting money back? Returning the actual item you bought? Not using the item before you return it?

Seriously, if you need to return that much stuff that doing it is difficult, take the time to make sure what you’re buying you truly want / need / getting the right thing BEFORE you buy.

The culture of buy and return however and whenever you want is ludicrous.

It has gotten completely out of hand, even for the “non thieves” because “you” (not specific you but “honest buyers”) are taking little to no responsibility for your own choices.

It’s interesting because I have been getting a increase in returns lately.

Every single one is either “item defective” or “inaccurate website description”

Every single detail “not as expected” Yeah that is on you the buyer not me the seller.

Then I have to file a safe-T claim for each and every one and I win about 95% of my claims.

They have AI that can “help sellers” Why not have AI look at the details and say “not as expected is a buyer faulted return reason”

Stop yelling. You are making wholly incorrect assumptions. I hardly ever return. I just like knowing the option is there and I can do it without much effort. The stores know that is what draws customers and that not all customers are scammers. They wouldn’t do what they do otherwise. They know it, and just because the truth is not what you like, it doesn’t make it not truth.

Again, most customers who return are not scammers, nor are they buying without thinking. That has been my experience, and I am a seller just like you.

Most of the customers who file for return never ever return the item (and we don’t have to refund).

An Amazon spokesperson commented in a recent news story, that they are advising some buyers that their returns pattern is not normal, but was careful to state that no buyer had their account closed because of too many returns.

I noted on a listing I bought from this gem. “This item, based on your returns pattern, is unlikely to be returned”.

I noticed that on my latest order. I sort of like it.

Well that is something we already know. Our return pattern is basically null as we might have returned one item in the last 3 years. Now if Amazon says “This item has a high return rate.”, well that is something we would like to know and would investigate why before we made a purchase.

Now, if it is a customer who returns 50% of the time, Amazon could be saying “This item, based on your returns pattern, has a 50% chance of you keeping it”.

Amazon also has warnings on the listings pages of items which have high rates of return.

Not what you are asking about, but also potentially useful, if you are not a seller listing on that page.