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Consumers with higher incomes are more likely to return purchases than lower- or middle-income shoppers, according to a new report by the Bank of America Institute. Higher-income households had the most retail refunds (5.3% of their 2025 purchases), while lower-income households had the least (3.7%). The report said that while shoppers nationwide love the flexibility of returning what they’ve bought76% consider “free returns” an important factor in where they shopthe practice is wreaking havoc on retailers, who lost $890 billion from returns alone last year, according to the National Retail Federation. In fact, return rates have more than doubled since 2019 among large retailers. These return costs come at a time when retailers are already struggling due to inflation, higher prices, changing consumer habits, tariffs, and overall economic uncertaintyall of which have many Americans buying less. Why are the wealthiest shoppers more likely to send things back? One reason may be that higher-income households are less cash-constrained and so are more likely to buy items speculatively when they are searching for a particular purchase, in the knowledge they can return it later if they decide its not right for them, according to the BoA report. Returns to department stores were particularly high, with wealthier shoppers returning a whopping 20% of purchases, compared with lower-income shoppers who only returned 11%. What generation makes the most returns? Boomers (the wealthiest generation), Gen Xers, and millennials all currently send items back at around 16%, whereas those born before 1945, called traditionalists or the Silent Generation, are at 15% and Gen Zers at 10%. Gen Z returns goods at lower rates than other generations, except when it comes to electronics. Gen Zers typically have a lower net worth than previous generations do at the same age, due to inflation, student-loan debt, and the fact that they are buying homes later in life.
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E-Commerce
Check your Ding Dongs: According to a recall notice issued by Hostess, some of its iconic chocolate treats may be contaminated with mold. The notice, published by Hostess parent company J.M. Smucker Co. on August 21, identifies several lots that are believed to be at risk. Heres what to know about the recall: Whats happened? According to Hostess, the Ding Dongs in question are being recalled due to potential for the presence of mold. Our investigation into this matter confirmed a mechanical issue with a piece of equipment created conditions that could support the development of mold in the product prior to the expiration date, Hostess explanation reads. This mechanical issue was present for a limited period and resolved in a timely manner. As a result, it adds, only a limited selection of products were impacted. Which Ding Dongs are being recalled? The impacted products all included a best-buy date of August 31, 2025 through September 3, 2025. The specific product details are as follows: UPC 8-88109-01002, Hostess Chocolate Ding Dong Single Serve, two count UPC 8-88109-11061, Hostess Chocolate Ding Dong, 10 count UPC 8-88109-11092, Hostess Chocolate Ding Dong Family Pack, 16 count Lot numbers for the recalled Ding Dongs are also available on this chart. What should I do if I have the impacted product? If you have a pack of the recalled Ding Dongs, do not consume them. Instead, J.M. Smucker Co. suggests that you return them to the place of purchase for a refund or a replacement. Concerned customers can reach J.M. Smucker Co. at the customer service line 1-800-451-8500 or via Hostess contact page.
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E-Commerce
Opposites might not attractat least when it comes to mental health. A new large-scale global study revealed that across cultures, people were more likely to marry a partner who shares the same psychiatric diagnosis. Published in Nature Human Behavior, the new research examined data from almost 15 million people in Denmark, Sweden, and Taiwan, relying on massive data sets collected in government registries. The trend didnt just prove true for a single diagnosis. The study examined married pairs across nine psychiatric disorders: bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anorexia, and substance-use disorder. The study found that across diagnoses, if one spouse in a married couple had a psychiatric disorder, their partner was significantly more likely to share that diagnosis. The main result is that the pattern holds across countries, across cultures, and, of course, generations, study coauthor Chun Chieh Fan told Nature. In general, the study found people with any psychiatric disorder were also more likely to marry someone else with a psychiatric diagnosis than someone without one. When the study looked at diagnostic data divided by birth cohort, the likelihood of married partners sharing a diagnosis went up each decade over time from the 1930s to the 1990s. Consistent findings across the globe One of the most fascinating aspects of the study is how consistent the findings were. Across nine psychiatric disorders, there is evidence of positive correlations among spouses, independent of country and generation, for the past 90 years, the authors wrote. Despite differences in cultural contexts, patterns of spousal correlation across psychiatric disorders have limited variation between Taiwan and Nordic countries. The finding is one aspect of a well-studied phenomenon of married couples having a lot in common, which can be explained a few different ways. The first explanation, known as assortative mating, happens when people choose a partner with personality traits, behaviors, and other qualities that they share. The second explanation is convergence, or the idea that, over time, married couples become more alike by spending time together and sharing an environment. The third explanation is known as social homogamy, or the way that people tend to pair with others from a shared social background. Within the study results, OCD, anorexia and bipolar disorder trends showed some differences between Taiwan and the Nordic countries, but patterns were similar for all of the other disorders. In the Nordic countries, couples were less likely to share an OCD diagnosis than they were in Taiwan, for instance. The studys results could have interesting implications for research on the genetic underpinnings of mental health disorders. Many disorders are considered to have genetic risk factors, including autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia, but genes and the environment interact in complex ways that are difficult to tease apart. In a study published earlier this year, researchers identified genetic hot spots that could be useful for developing treatments for symptoms shared across psychiatric disorders. This area of research explores how single genes can influence multiple traitsa concept called pleiotropy. Pleiotropy was traditionally viewed as a challenge because it complicates the classification of psychiatric disorders, UNC Neuroscience Center associate professor and study lead Hyejung Won, PhD, said. However, if we can understand the genetic basis of pleiotropy, it might allow us to develop treatments targeting these shared genetic factors, which could then help treat multiple psychiatric disorders with a common therapy.
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E-Commerce
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