Retailers will face new fulfillment requirements from surging returns in the coming peak season, as younger shoppers are reshaping purchasing and returns behaviors across apparel, beauty, and skincare, according to a survey from Locus Robotics.
Notably, 61% of Gen Z apparel shoppers “bracket” their purchases, buying multiple sizes or styles to keep just one, compared to only 15% of Baby Boomers. Younger shoppers are also far more likely to discover products through social media and make purchases quickly after discovery.
The data is based on a quantitative survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers 18+ examining purchase frequency, shopping channels, delivery expectations, and returns behavior.
Additional findings show:
- Bracketing is generational, and for many it’s a habit: 61% of Gen Z and 52% of Millennials have bracketed an apparel purchase, compared with 37% of Gen X and just 15% of Baby Boomers, creating additional returns volume that retailers must absorb without slowing or disrupting order fulfillment.
- Social discovery makes timing harder to predict: 79% of Gen Z shoppers and 75% of Millennials have bought an apparel, beauty, or skincare product after discovering it on social media, compared with 26% of Baby Boomers. More than two-thirds of those buyers purchased within three days, creating the potential for sudden demand spikes as trends take off almost overnight.
- Availability depends on keeping inventory moving: 33% of shoppers said an unavailable item, size, shade, or formula led them to abandon or delay a purchase, the most frequently cited reason, while 17% require same- or next-day delivery. That makes inventory availability and replenishment just as important as shipping speed when consumer demand shifts unexpectedly.
- Physical stores remain central to the omnichannel journey: 48% of respondents’ most recent apparel, beauty, and skincare purchases were made in a physical store, making it the most frequently used purchase channel overall. However, shopping preferences vary significantly by generation, requiring retailers to support an increasingly complex omnichannel mix of store, e-commerce, marketplace, app, and social-commerce demand.
According to Wilmington, Massachusetts-based Locus Robotics, those generational behaviors reinforce the need for retailers to use flexible automation systems that can adapt as volume, order profiles, and channels change.
“Retail fulfillment operators are facing an entirely new reality, where demand patterns can change in hours and days, not seasons,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “We’re seeing this firsthand with a record number of peak robot requests to help retailers around the world respond to demand surges. The generational shifts underscore why warehouses need automation that can flex with volume, adapt across workflows, and evolve as consumer behavior and business needs continue to evolve.”
