The study indicates that “bracketing”, the practice of buying multiple items with the intention of keeping only one, has become common among Generation Z consumers.
Of the 1,000 US adults surveyed, 61% of Gen Z apparel buyers said they had bracketed a purchase, compared with just 15% of Baby Boomers.
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These habits are contributing to increased returns, as retailers must process a higher volume of back-and-forth shipments without delaying other orders.
The report also highlights the growing influence of social media on purchasing habits, with 79% of Gen Z and 75% of Millennials admitting they had bought an apparel, beauty, or skincare product after discovering it through social media. This compares to only 26% of Baby Boomers.
The majority of those influenced by social discovery made their purchase within three days, resulting in unpredictable spikes in demand.
Changing expectations for product availability and delivery speeds are also putting increased demand on fulfilment operations. 33% of respondents said that an unavailable item caused them to abandon or delay a purchase, while 17% indicated they require same- or next-day delivery.
Locus Robotics noted that these expectations place just as much importance on inventory management as shipping speed, particularly as consumer demand fluctuates rapidly.
The prominence of physical shops in the buying journey remains strong, with nearly half of respondents saying their most recent apparel, beauty, or skincare purchase was made in-store.
However, the study also found significant generational differences in preferred shopping channels. This underscores retailers’ need to optimise omnichannel strategies that include physical, e-commerce, marketplace, app and social commerce fulfilment.
These shifts come as apparel, beauty, and skincare continue to post strong sales growth in the US.
Growth is being driven by digital marketing, including influencer promotion; research from YouGov cited in the report found 41% of Gen Z shoppers discover new products through influencers.
Returns remain a significant operational concern. Data from the National Retail Federation and Happy Returns cited in the report shows that 82% of consumers see free returns as essential to their online shopping experience, forcing e-commerce operators to absorb increased reverse-logistics costs to retain customer loyalty.
“Retail fulfilment operators are facing an entirely new reality, where demand patterns can change in hours and days, not seasons,” commented Locus Robotics CEO Rick Faulk.
“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 behaviour and business needs continue to evolve.”
