Easy returns are non-negotiable for most Gen Z consumers, even when it comes to online thrift stores, according to a new survey by Seel.
The post-purchase platform, which helps merchants with their return policy by assuming liability for the refund, surveyed 1,100 U.S. consumers, analyzing their purchase behavior within the past year and their top considerations.
The survey found that most Gen Zers would not buy again from an online thrift store if they had a difficult time returning a product.
No other age group bought secondhand clothes online as much as Gen Z (57.4 percent) did in the past 12 months. Millennials came close with 52.8 percent, while only 26.2 percent of Gen X consumers (ages 46 to 61) thrifted.
As much as Gen Zs have patronized the secondhand clothing market last year, 57.1 percent were just as quick to call it quits after a bad return experience. It didn’t even get to the point of an actual sale. Most (61.2 percent) decided against an online purchase after seeing the return policy.
Such is the duality of the first generation that had never known a world without the internet. Seel said this highlights how building consumer trust should continue even after a purchase is made, especially at a time when returns have become the norm.
“The brands that win customer loyalty long-term aren’t going to be the ones with just the best product selection,” said Laura Huddle, Seel’s chief revenue officer in a statement. “They’re going to be the ones that make it easy to come back if a return or exchange needs to be processed.”
The survey also asked about the motivations behind shopping for preloved clothes, a market which ThredUp said would reach $78.8 billion by 2030 in the U.S. alone.
It was largely practical, with 54.8 percent saying the low price, 39.9 percent for getting better value for branded items, and 38.1 percent because of a positive experience. Only 27.8 percent said they shopped seconhand for environmental or sustainability reasons.
