Product Returns

Retailers have spent years strengthening fraud defenses at checkout, but today, wrongdoing committed after customers hit the buy button is far more costly for merchants. Return fraud and abuse have become the newest form of “digital shrink,” which shows up through customer refunds, false claims, policy abuse, and inventory that can’t be resold. And as…

Appriss Retail recently brought together a group of 10 senior retail executives for a closed-door discussion on total retail loss. These were VP-level leaders across loss prevention, finance, operations, e-commerce and customer experience; they’re the minds behind the business and how to plug retail loss. A question was posed: Who operates from a shared loss…

The convenience of online shopping makes it easy for consumers to treat their homes as fitting rooms. In apparel especially, shoppers are increasingly ordering multiple sizes, styles and colors with no intention of keeping everything. What was once occasional behavior is now expected, with shoppers planning for returns as part of the purchase. It’s no…

Retail has no shortage of “artificial intelligence shopping agent” demos that promise to get shoppers to the right product faster. And discovery is still hard. Shoppers still get lost in endless options, retailers still struggle with relevance, and the stakes are high when the product is physical. But in apparel and footwear, the failure that…

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,…