Comment: Kicking the serial returners habits
It’s that time of the year again when shoppers are returning unwanted goods to retailers in serious volumes in what is an ongoing problem that has been severely damaging to online retail. But things are finally looking a tad more positive on the returns front.
The issue – especially in the fashion category – has been driven by two factors: retailers’ traditionally offering free returns online and consumers taking full advantage of retailers’ largesse in this department. The latter has involved the legit ordering of multiple sizes but there has also been plenty of dodgy activity such as ‘wardrobing’ that involves the wearing or using of items once and then returning them for a full refund.
Subscribe to TRBThis advantageous situation for the less-than-honest shopper has led to serial returners whose activities cost UK retailers £6.6 billion in 2024 but in 2025 a shift has taken place, with the number of such shoppers falling from 12% to 8%, according to returns specialist ZigZag. This has resulted in retailers facing £1.7 billion less returns from this serial returners grouping.
Driving this change in behaviour is the gradual move towards charging for returns. For far too long retailers pussyfooted around the issue and believed the many surveys that have been pumped out suggesting shoppers would abandon them if they charged for returning unwanted items.
Thankfully for the survival of many retailers they have ultimately adopted charges, according to ZigZag and Retail Economics. They found around 76% of the UK’s 100 largest clothing retailers have introduced a small fee or are withholding delivery refunds as part of a clampdown on serial returners.
It is this minority – undoubtedly gaming the system – who have been the problem rather than the majority, who are regular shoppers, legitimately sending back the odd item. Taking such action has frequently being met with opprobrium on social media by those individuals most impacted – no doubt the serial returners who have been a drain on retailers’ resources. They are unwelcome customers.
Respect must be given to those retailers who have stood up to the blowback. Asos has often been in the firing line for its actions and has again been in the news recently for its continued proactive measures. Rather than just adding on a fee to send back goods, which is a rather blunt instrument, the online retailer has initiated a returns rate percentage system for its customers – based on the value of items returned.
Those who sit above 80% will be subject to an additional £3.95 charge every time they place an order. For customers on 70% to 79% on over three orders will be charged £3.95 if they don’t keep £40 worth of their order. Stricter rules apply for those over 80% on five orders or more. This only affects a small number of shoppers, Asos suggests, but it maybe includes banning certain people by closing their accounts.
Taking a more intelligent approach to the problem is certainly a sensible move by Asos. Al Gerrie, CEO at ZigZag, agrees: “Demonstrating to consumers how close they are to a returns tipping point provides an incentive to tweak their habits without the need to issue a blunt ban that many retailers, including ASOS, have previously drawn criticism for.”
Although we are seeing positive trends in returns retailers must still be acutely aware of any changes in shopper activity. Gerrie reckons social commerce is fuelling new behaviours, with 39% of Gen Z saying it’s acceptable to wear clothing once and return it, and a third of this age group identify as serial or slow returners. This issue has snowballed with the explosion of shopping on social marketplaces – like Instagram or TikTok Shop – which pushes consumers towards more impulsive and irresponsible purchasing decisions.
Progress is being made with new types of data-led returns policies being implemented but retailers must very much continue to keep on top of events if they are to keep the serial returners at bay.
