Consumer Behavior

Return policies impacting consumer shopping behavior

Generated by AI/Adobe Stock

September 18, 2026

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More than half, 63%, of U.S. shoppers have either stopped shopping with a retailer or abandoned a purchase because of the retailer's return policy.

That's a prime finding from a Loop research report, "The Returns Revenue Gap," that revealed return policies are playing a bigger role in where consumers shop. Loop is an e-commerce operations platform. The survey report polled 1,000 U.S. shoppers and 200 retail decision-makers.

The research suggests questionable returns behavior is becoming increasingly commonplace among US shoppers, according to a press release. More than four in 10 consumers admit they have previously provided a different reason for making a return rather than the exact truth, while almost one in three admit to substituting the original item with something else when making a return.

"Shoppers are judging brands on what happens after the sale, and that judgment turns into action. Looking at the data, shoppers are saying that a bad returns policy has made them walk away from a brand, whereas many retailers still aren't recognizing or acknowledging this risk. This gap represents a significant opportunity for the brands that do see returns as a driver of growth, rather than a cost center," Hannah Bravo, CEO of Loop, said in the release.

Additional findings include:

92% say return fees influence their online shopping behavior in some way.
65% of U.S. retailers say the returns experience has a significant impact on customer loyalty.
36% of consumers are willing to pay a return fee for a more premium experience.
54% of retailers encounter customers returning different or damaged items.
44% of consumers admit they have sometimes or often given a different reason for a return rather than the exact truth.

The independent research was conducted online by Sapio Research on behalf of Loop between May and June 2026.

Consumer Behavior