26% of Zoomers will return Valentine’s Day gifts

Not to be cynical, but if you’re young and plan on buying your significant other a Valentine’s Day gift this year, don’t bother.

A survey of 2,000 consumers found that more than a quarter (26%) of Gen Zers plan on returning gifts this Valentine’s Day, a figure that is almost 2x higher than Gen X and 5x higher than that of baby boomers, according to SAP Emarsys.

• The data is indicative of broader trends when it comes to returns, as almost a third (32%) of Gen Zers say they’ve done the same for the December holidays.
• But it appears that sometimes returning is not worth the hassle. Nearly half of Gen Zers (48%) don’t bother to return items that cost less than $15, while 43% just simply regift.

SAP Emarsys says return rates are on the rise; 86% of Americans have made a return in the last year.

“Buying the perfect Valentine’s Day present isn’t easy, and retailers need to do everything possible to help shoppers get it right,” Sara Richter, SAP Emarsys’s CMO, said in a statement. “If retailers can help shoppers get it right [the] first time, they’ll not only see revenue gains, but also save time and effort on costly returns.”