Prevalence of Apparel Returns
Returns are all-too-common for apparel brands and retailers. Of consumers who have made an apparel purchase in the past 90 days, over half (53%) have made a return. In 2022, this number was 54%.
Why Consumers Return Apparel
Consumers return apparel for any number of reasons. However, the top reasons for returns are related to an item not meeting the shopper’s expectations in some way.
Nearly four in 10 (39%) consumers return apparel because they don’t like the way it fits. And 28% do so because the item didn’t look the way they thought it would.
Apparel Returns are Extremely Common
If a large percentage of merchandise you sell is returned, you’re not alone. More than half of consumers who have purchased apparel within the last 90 days have returned at least some of that merchandise.
There’s no way to completely eliminate returns. However, you can reduce them. The first step is to understand the reasons behind those returns.
Setting Clear Expectations Can Dramatically Reduce Return Rates
The most common reasons for returned merchandise are related to a product not meeting a shopper’s expectations. Be sure to include plenty of information on your product details pages to ensure your shoppers have a better idea of what to expect from each of your products. Of course, brand-provided content, imagery, and sizing information is important. But increasingly, consumers want to hear about the experiences of others like them.
Be sure to collect and display reviews, photos, and videos from your customers. This content will help future shoppers understand how a product has (or hasn’t) worked out for others like them. Shoppers’ will have realistic expectations – and they’ll be less likely to return merchandise after it arrives.
Interested in learning what apparel shoppers want from reviews? We explore that topic in detail here.
