Online shops often require customers to pay for returns because processing returns can be costly for the retailer. When a customer makes a return, the retailer has to inspect the item to make sure it’s in good condition, and then may have to repackage it for resale or dispose of it if it’s no longer in sellable condition. Additionally, there may be shipping and handling costs associated with the return, including the cost of sending the item back to the retailer and the cost of restocking or reselling the item.
To cover these costs, many retailers require customers to pay for their own returns or deduct the cost of the return shipping from the refund. Some retailers may offer free returns or cover the cost of return shipping for their customers as a way to compete with other online retailers and provide better customer service. It’s always a good idea to check a retailer’s return policy before making a purchase to understand the terms and conditions around returns.
Examples of the new normal for paying for returns are Wehkamp, Amazon and companies like H&M.
Wehkamp, a leading online retailer in the Netherlands, has introduced a new policy. Customers will be charged a fee of 0.50 Euro cents for each returned product.
According to Wehkamp, approximately 50,000 products are returned daily, and Wehkamp aims to raise customer awareness about the impact of this high volume of returns by charging a symbolic fee.
Amazon has recently implemented new policies regarding returns, including charging fees for some orders that are returned to UPS stores. Additionally, the company has added a “frequently returned” label to certain product listings.
Retail chains like Zara, H&M, J.Crew, Anthropologie, Abercrombie & Fitch, and others have implemented new policies for returning items purchased online. These policies include charging fees of up to $7 for returns, as well as shortening the return window for customers.
Pay for returns is becoming the new normal
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