Survey: 30% of Shoppers Admit to “Borrowing” Items—Would You?

Would you buy something just to return it after using it? According to a new national survey of more than 1,700 U.S. shoppers, 30% say yes—they’ve “borrowed” items by purchasing them with the full intent to return them later.

The most commonly “borrowed” items? Clothing and electronics. Many admit to wearing an outfit once for an event before sending it back, tags still attached. The trend is most common among millennials, parents with kids under 18, and shoppers earning over six figures.

So, what about our team?

Anthony Turk says absolutely not. “I grew up Catholic. I had nuns my whole life. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night with that guilt,” he said. “Never done it.”

Katrina Dixon, on the other hand, owned up to it. “Oh, I absolutely have. You buy a fancy dress for a special event and don’t have the budget to keep it? You return it. Of course, nothing can happen to it—no spills, no stains, and the tags stay on.”

Fred Roggin chimed in, amused: “You don’t sweat in it. You just… glide.”

While some treat it as a harmless workaround, others say it blurs ethical lines. At what point does a savvy shopper become a serial returner?

Tell us: have you ever “borrowed” an outfit or gadget?

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