Haul culture's reckoning: returns, rage, and the algorithm's shift
The frenzy of online hauls—those meticulously filmed unboxings that fueled a generation of influencer marketing—is undergoing a dramatic evolution. What began as a simple showcase of new purchases has morphed into a complex landscape of ethical quandaries, shifting algorithms, and a growing consumer skepticism, forcing creators to radically rethink their strategies.
The rise and fall of the traditional haul
Remember the days when a creator, perched before a mountain of packages, would gleefully reveal their latest acquisitions? Those videos, once a dominant force on platforms like TikTok, are losing ground. Data from Traackr reveals that audience engagement on hauls and unboxings dropped from a 2.5x outperformance over “Get Ready With Mes” (GRWMs) in 2023 to a mere 1.7x in 2025, a clear sign of oversaturation. The sheer volume of haul content—a staggering 41 percent increase between 2023 and 2025—has dulled the initial appeal.
To combat this, creators are experimenting. Some resort to “ragebaiting”—showcasing absurd or intentionally disappointing items to provoke reactions—while others escalate the scale and price of their purchases. Mikayla Nogueira's 2025 luxury haul, featuring bags from Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Prada, sparked a viral frenzy and a wave of imitators attempting to estimate its six-figure value. But this tactic highlights a larger issue: the potential for creating an illusion of wealth and consumption.
The return rate reality check
The darker side of haul culture is its contribution to soaring return rates. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that two-thirds of Gen Z consumers admit to bending the truth when returning items. Behaviors like purposefully overbuying sizes and colors, or the increasingly common practice of “staging”—showing off items solely for social media before returning them—are eroding consumer trust and burdening retailers.
The NRF’s 2025 Retail Returns Landscape report estimates that 15.8 percent of purchases (approximately $849.9 billion) will be returned by year-end, with 9 percent of those returns deemed fraudulent. This raises a critical question: are these videos, particularly in an era where peer-to-peer reviews are paramount, truly adding value, or simply fueling a cycle of overconsumption and deceptive practices?
The hybrid model: try-ons and audience input
A growing number of creators are pivoting towards a hybrid model, blending the allure of hauls with the conversational nature of GRWMs. Incorporating try-ons and actively soliciting audience feedback—the “keep or return” prompt—has proven surprisingly effective. Fashion creator Vivian Li describes this prompt as a “known strategy,” though she admits, “Honestly, most of the time, the poster already knows what fits, what works, and what is worth the price.”
Stylist Zoe Stewart’s experience exemplifies this shift. She abandoned generic hauls in favor of try-on videos, finding that asking for feedback on bolder choices—pieces she was genuinely unsure about—generated far more engagement. As stylist Michelle Li puts it, these formats are a “lower lift,” offering a way to leverage audience input while maintaining creative control. The symbiotic relationship between creator and consumer is becoming increasingly apparent.
Brands take notice, retailers respond
Luxury retailers aren’t oblivious to this trend. Net-a-Porter and TheRealReal have implemented stricter return policies to combat “staging” and “serial” return behavior, with TheRealReal issuing “strikes” against accounts with excessive returns (defined as 30 or more items, purchases over $10,000, or an overall return rate exceeding 85%). Even ASOS is deducting fees from refunds for high-return customers, a sign that retailers are clamping down on abuse.
But brands are also recognizing the value of honest, user-generated content. Cait Marron, Senior Vice President of creative strategy at Billion Dollar Boy, notes that brands are increasingly “leaning into” creator honesty, citing Addison Rae’s Lucky Brand Jeans collaboration. Even negative feedback – like the candid critiques of low-rise jeans’ fit – can provide valuable customer insights.
The ability to build trust with an audience, often through affiliate links—a strategy mirroring the product recommendations that propelled early bloggers to success—translates directly into action. As Marron observes, “That trust often translates into action. When viewers see someone they relate to genuinely endorsing a product, it not only builds brand affinity but also drives intent.”
Ultimately, the evolution of haul culture reveals a fundamental shift in the influencer landscape. The era of mindless consumption and unchecked returns is waning. Creators who prioritize transparency, build genuine connections with their audiences, and offer valuable insights are poised to thrive in this new era, even if a few jackets occasionally find their way back to TheRealReal.