A recent article in The New Yorker gave vivid detail to something retailers are all too aware of — consumer norms about returning the products they buy have gotten seriously crazy. The article starts with an anecdote about a friend of the author who ordered six new dresses for an upcoming wedding, planning to send
Returns are a touchy subject. When a famous and well-loved retailer, known for its iconic footwear, flannel products and liberal return policies, announced a few years back that it was tightening returns policies, it attracted considerable media attention. The media coverage was primarily negative, and upset consumers lambasted the retailer on social media. Despite the
WASHINGTON, December 14, 2022 – Consumers are expected to return more than $816 billion worth of retail merchandise purchased in 2022, according to a report released today by the National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail. As retail sales continue to grow, the average rate of return has remained flat at 16.5% compared with 16.6% in 2021.