Quick Tip: Are you a 'use and return' offender?

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Here's a Quick tip about a bad consumer habit. It's known as "use and return" shopping.

A new LendingTree study says 39 percent of shoppers admit to returning items after using them, treating purchases like temporary rentals.

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From clothing to electronics, shoppers are buying, using, and then returning products.

Lending Tree says Millennials, parents and high earners lead this trend.

So why dos this matter? Retailers are tightening return policies, making it harder to take back a product legitimately.

The costs of this habit can also be passed along to all consumers though higher prices.

Shoppers could also be at risk of racking up debt when those "use and return" strategy doesn't go as planned.