Policy abuse doesn’t always look like fraud. It often looks like everyday shopping. And more shoppers are doing it than you might think. In fact, in a recent survey of consumers, 52% of U.K. and 45% of U.S. adults say they’ve taken advantage of retailer policies in the past year.
The challenge? Stopping these behaviors without overcorrecting and losing good customers. Here’s how digital leaders are doing just that.
The Most Common Consumer Abuse Tactics
Digital commerce abuse doesn’t always appear malicious — it often blends in with everyday shopping behavior. None of the following behaviors are new, but they’re growing more common. Without the right controls, they are quietly chipping away at revenue, inventory, and trust.
Returns Abuse
Nearly 1 in 5 respondents (18%) say they’ve used free return policies to “try before they buy,” creating inventory complications for retailers. However, the preference for these policies runs deep: 49% of U.K. and 47% of U.S. adults are more likely to shop with retailers offering lenient return policies, and 16% have even stopped shopping with retailers that make returns too hard. Many customers recognize the risk returns pose for retailers: 68% agree that flexible return policies are easy to exploit.
Returns abuse tactics like wardrobing — wearing an item once and returning it — and item-not-received (INR) claims are especially hard to spot because they often fall within policy guidelines but still result in lost revenue.
Promo Abuse
63% of consumers say they rely on promotions and perks more now than they used to. And 58% believe it’s easy to open multiple accounts to game first-time offers.
The Ripple Effect of Consumer Abuse
Abuse doesn’t always trigger alerts, but the impact is real. It leads to lost revenue, delayed inventory, and longer support queues.
Generosity builds trust, but without the proper safeguards, it leaves the door wide open for abuse. You might reach for the quick fix: tighter policies. But that can backfire.
Strict returns and rigid rules push away loyal customers, and the brand damage can last far longer than any discount abuse.
Common Abuse Red Flags to Look For
Abuse often hides in plain sight, but there are patterns. Watch for:
- Repeat promo redemption tied to similar names, emails, or devices
- Inconsistent IP or device usage
- High return rates, especially in categories prone to wardrobing
- Frequent INR claims on high-value products
- Spikes in activity during launches or promos
- Linked accounts or identities sharing devices
Strategies That Work to Prevent Commerce Abuse
The goal is to stop abuse without punishing your best customers.
Start with:
- Identity-based trust assessments that go beyond email addresses
- Dynamic policy enforcement based on trust signals
- Cross-journey analysis across browsing, purchasing, returns, and support
- Device and identity linking to limit multi-account abuse
Finding the right balance between fairness and friction is key. Forter’s tools – like Policy Builder – make it easier to scale trust-driven rules without compromising customer experience.
Designing Policies for All Customers
Abuse tactics are shifting — but they’re no longer fringe. More shoppers are testing policy limits, and your systems need to keep up.
With the right strategy, you can keep policies generous while protecting your margins — ensuring they’re working for the customers they were designed for.