The Price of Fashion: Decoding Retail Policies Amidst Rising Supply Chain Costs

 

Recently, fast fashion retailer H&M backtracked on a decision to charge its UK customers a small return fee on online purchases returned to its brick-and-mortar outlets. But the price of fashion is high, and recent trends like ‘try-and-return’ purchases have prompted several clothing brands to change their return policies. So, how do underlying supply chain factors like fuel and labor costs impact retail pricing and policies?

Travis Tokar, Ph.D., a Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Texas Christian University, offers insight into the ‘price of fashion’ that retailers like H&M navigate.

He explains, “I think that we could look at things like increased fuel and labor in the supply chain costs. That contributes to product as well being more expensive,” linking these elements to the decisions retailers make regarding customer policies.

Article written by MarketScale.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

professional advancement
The Measured Mindset: How Mentorship, Curiosity, and Listening Drive Professional Advancement and Growth
July 29, 2025

Not every path into analytics starts with code and spreadsheets. For some, it begins with curiosity, adaptability, mentorship, and a willingness to learn something entirely new. That’s the case for Mayank Malviya, whose journey from a humanities education in India to a career in U.S.-based market research reveals how initiative and mentorship can accelerate…

Read More
future-ready workforce
Building a Future-Ready Workforce: Disrupting Outdated Education with Employer-Driven, Community-Powered, Practical Skills Training
July 28, 2025

Workforce training is undergoing a radical transformation as industries face critical talent shortages and rapid technological change. Building a future-ready workforce requires rethinking traditional higher education models. These models emphasize broad academic development over targeted skill-building and struggle to keep pace with employer demands. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report…

Read More
The Silent Health Crisis: Indoor Air Quality in Long-Term Care
July 28, 2025

The Silent Health Crisis: Indoor Air Quality in Long-Term Care Most nursing homes have infection control down to a science. They’ve got medication protocols that would make a hospital jealous. Fall prevention? They track every risk factor. But ask them about their air quality and you’ll likely get a puzzled look. That’s a problem, because…

Read More
educators
JUST THINKING… About Bringing out the Best in Educators and Learners with Ross Kimball
July 25, 2025

As the educational landscape rapidly evolves—shaped by advances in communication technology, growing mental health awareness, and post-pandemic classroom dynamics—one key question persists: How can we better connect with and empower both educators and students in the classroom? The stakes are high: studies show that teacher-student relationships directly impact student motivation, academic success, and long-term…

Read More