Wardrobing, also known as “abusive returns,” refers to the practice of a customer purchasing clothing or fashion accessories with the intention of wearing them temporarily before returning them for a refund. This practice relies on stores’ generous return policies or legal rights related to distance selling. Initially associated with formal or evening wear, often expensive and worn only occasionally, wardrobing has expanded to other types of clothing, sometimes intended solely for “compulsive wearers” or for social media displays.
The term “wardrobing” is a portmanteau of “wardrobe” and “robbing,” emphasizing the idea of temporarily enjoying an item of clothing before returning it. This practice can also be observed with other types of products. To combat wardrobing, which can be costly for retailers, they are adjusting their return policies, particularly for in-store purchases, and sometimes using specific labeling systems that require customers to use the product only for trying it on at home.
An example of an “anti-wardrobing” label has been developed by Checkpoint to discourage this type of behavior and protect retailers’ interests from this harmful practice.
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