[July Returns Series]: Wardrobing, Bracketing, Serial Returners - How Retailers Are Responding

In the world of e-commerce, one return isn’t just one return. For fashion and footwear sellers especially, it may signal a systemic challenge that continues to weigh down margins, disrupt inventory planning and increase logistics costs. Among the main culprits: wardrobing, bracketing and serial returners—behaviors that are no longer rare, but ingrained in how some consumers shop online.

These trends have been accelerated by the growth of free returns policies, faster fulfillment and shopper expectations for convenience. As the retail calendar enters its busiest return cycle in July, a high-discount month across Europe, the pressure on reverse logistics is intense. Understanding who’s returning what—and why—is now critical to managing profitability.

This article is part of our July series on returns, exploring every angle of reverse logistics during one of the most return-heavy season of the year. Let's dig in!

What Are Wardrobing and Bracketing?

Wardrobing refers to the practice of purchasing items with the intention of using them briefly (e.g. wearing to an event) and then returning them. 

Bracketing, on the other hand, is when shoppers buy multiple versions of the same product—say, different sizes or colors—with the intention of returning some or most of them.

While bracketing often stems from genuine uncertainty (especially in sizing), wardrobing is increasingly treated as a form of return abuse, especially when evidence of use is clear. Both behaviors are prevalent in fashion e-commerce and both contribute to higher return rates, lower resale value and higher operational costs.

The Scale

According to the IPC Cross-Border E-Commerce Shopper Survey 2025, return rates in fashion and footwear remain among the highest of any product category. Over 50% of online fashion orders in Germany and the UK are returned and clothing is the most frequently returned category globally.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates that 16.9% of all retail sales in the U.S. in 2024 were returned, amounting to $890 billion (all retail returns, including online, B2B and miscellaneous channels; for consumer retail only, the figure is approx. $743 billion), with e-commerce returns outpacing brick-and-mortar by more than 20%. For apparel, return rates regularly exceed 30% and are even higher during discount periods like July and January.

Meanwhile, a 2024 Returns Report from ZigZag reveals that:

• 63% of shoppers say easy returns make them more likely to buy again
• 41% of retailers say serial returners are hurting their bottom line
• 22% of returns are deemed unsellable, especially for fashion, due to signs of wear or damage

Who Is Returning the Most?

Return behavior varies by demographics, as we've seen in our previous article on generational dynamics in e-commerce. As another 2024 study, this time from Loop, highlights:

• 43% of Gen Z shoppers admit to wardrobing
• 51% of Gen Z and Millennials regularly bracket purchases
• 35% of all online shoppers have returned an item after using it

This age group also expects leniency, with high demand for free returns, long return windows and multiple return options. For retailers, this creates a balancing act between offering a good customer experience and minimizing the cost of abuse.

How Landmark Global Helps You Stay in Control

Wardrobing and bracketing may be complex shopper behaviors, but your returns process doesn’t have to be. At Landmark Global, we provide customisable, data-driven returns management solutions that help e-commerce brands distinguish between high-value customers and problematic return patterns. With our whitelabel returns portal, end-to-end tracking, flexible routing options, and over 154,000 drop-off points worldwide, retailers can offer a frictionless return experience while gaining the visibility and control needed to make smarter decisions.

The Cost of Returns

Beyond logistics costs, returns also reduce the resale value of items. In fashion, this is particularly acute due to:

• Seasonal markdowns: Returned items often come back after the relevant fashion window.
• Repackaging and restocking: Items require inspection, steaming, sometimes repairs.
• Sustainability issues: Many returned items are incinerated or sent to landfill, especially fast fashion items that are too cheap to restock.

An IPC survey found that 62% of retailers say returns have a measurable impact on profitability, while 28% are considering new return rules in response to high abuse levels.

How Retailers Are Responding

To mitigate the cost of wardrobing and bracketing, many e-commerce retailers are rethinking their returns policies:

1. Charging for Returns

According to ZigZag, 66% of fashion retailers now charge for at least one type of return. This is a dramatic shift from a few years ago. Moreover, fees are often tiered based on return reason or customer history.

2. Reducing Return Windows

Some retailers have cut their return window from 100 to 30 days in key markets. The idea is to reduce the window of use-abuse while still offering enough time for legitimate returns.

3. Personalized Return Policies

Asos now flags and limits accounts that return too frequently. Some brands use AI models to assign customer return “scores,” adjusting return eligibility based on behavior. This kind of trust-based return policy is gaining popularity.

4. Improving Product Data

Reducing uncertainty (and thus bracketing) is another approach. Brands now invest more in accurate sizing charts, virtual try-on tools and detailed photography to help consumers buy the right item the first time.

5. Item Tagging

Some brands use security tags that must remain on items for them to be returnable—especially in high-risk categories like dresses or formalwear.

Logistics Partners: A Strategic Role

Handling these returns efficiently and recovering value from them require the right reverse logistics partner. Landmark Global offers:

• Fully tracked reverse flows with consumer drop-off or pickup
• Label-free and box-free return options, now preferred by 84% of online shoppers
• Local consolidation to reduce cross-border return costs
• Return portals with real-time tracking, return reason insights, and reporting dashboards

These systems also help detect return abuse patterns and support policy enforcement.

Final Thoughts

Wardrobing and bracketing aren’t going away. They are baked into the logic of online shopping, especially in fashion. For brands, the challenge is not to eliminate returns but to differentiate between high- and low-value return behaviors and to build a strategy that protects margin without sacrificing loyalty.

As July’s discount-driven surge in orders and returns unfolds, this is the moment to assess your returns strategy. 

Is it reactive or ready?

Sources:

• International Post Corporation (IPC) – https://www.ipc.be
• Loop Returns – https://www.loopreturns.com
• ZigZag Global – https://www.zigzag.global
• National Retail Federation (NRF) – https://nrf.com
• Business of Fashion - https://www.businessoffashion.com/