RETAIL STORES CHARGING FEE FOR RETURNED MERCHANDISE

[caldreamer]

Just thought you would want to know...before you purchase Christmas gifts from your favorite retailer "online" beware because there may be $4-11 (return fee).

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-22/christmas-shopping-2022-online-return-policy-gets...

One of the foundations of online shopping has been free returns, but not anymore.

After years of subsidizing them, more retailers are charging customers to send back unwanted goods. It’s a risky move because shoppers have become accustomed to buying an item in multiple sizes and colors and returning what doesn’t fit for free.

[dnasilver]

Risky to the business or smart business when you have people buying an item in multiple sizes and colors and only keeping one and returning the remaining. It is sad that some people abused returns by doing what you have stated.

[spark-chaser1]

It costs time, money and labor for a merchant to " eat" unwanted merchandise. Not only that, but some of the items are now unsellable and disposed of. 

Especially when you consider a lot of returns are because of buyer negligence, why should a merchant take a hit? 

It's naive to expect merchants to not want to recoup those losses, nor should they.

[toomuchstuffagain35]

But how long do we have to wait for ebay to recognize this as an "industry standard"?

12th of never? 

[albertabrightalberta]

I will can never and have never purchased shoes or certain types of clothing items online because every style, every manufacturer and even different styles from the same manufacturer are all sized differently so items need to be tried on to see if they'll work. 

I shop at B&M stores where they have dressing rooms and I can try on items. 

Although I do understand the overhead involved and that it costs businesses money to accept returns and restock returned merchandise, it goes with the territory when selling online. 

I speak for myself but I won't pay a return fee and won't do business with a company that has one.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@albertabrightalberta wrote:

I will can never and have never purchased shoes or certain types of clothing items online because every style, every manufacturer and even different styles from the same manufacturer are all sized differently so items need to be tried on to see if they'll work. ....

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That's exactly why Zappo's had to have a "Free returns" policy right from the beginning: People won't take a chance on shoe fitting if they have to pay to return them.  Zappo's charges retail pricing for everything, so I figure the cost of both shipping and returns is built into the purchase price. I have a family member who is very difficult to fit, and this service has been a godsend saving him from frustrating fruitless mall trips.

[lawnmowerpartsstore2]

Also don't forget that in the end when the buyer returns said merchandise, the seller is still stuck with the credit card fees. So yes i would have to to say it is fair for the seller to charge a fee. It will be the new standard in the future.