UK retailers may be putting as much as £34.1bn ($44.87bn) in annual sales at risk if they make returns policies more restrictive, according to research by logistics technology company Locus.
The company based its estimate on Office for National Statistics figures showing that UK spending on textiles, clothing and footwear totalled around £57.8bn over the past year.
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It combined that data with responses from a survey of 2,000 shoppers in the UK to assess the potential impact of tougher returns terms.
According to the survey, 59% of the respondents said they would be discouraged from buying if a retailer introduced charges for returns or narrowed the conditions under which items could be sent back.
Meanwhile, 56% said they would switch to another retailer if such measures were introduced.
Only 38% said they would choose to keep purchases rather than return them if confronted with a new charge or stricter policy.
The findings also pointed to the extent of expected returns activity.
One in five respondents said they anticipate returning items from most orders, while the same share said they regularly buy products with the intention of sending some of them back.
The main reason cited for ordering multiple items online was inconsistent sizing.
The report comes as 2.8% inflation continues to put pressure on household finances and follows debate in the fashion sector over changes to returns policies.
Locus referred to criticism faced by ASOS after changes that could result in frequent returners being charged £9.90 for next-day delivery.
The company said the results suggest that efforts to reduce costs linked to returns may have unintended effects on sales and customer loyalty if shoppers view the measures as unfair.
