We’re returning things at record levels – and that means retailers are starting the crackdown on returns.According to the National Retail Federation, we returned about $816 billion worth of merchandise in 2022. That’s one in five purchases that we’re sending back to retailers. Retailers are feeling it, especially when it comes to online shopping, as well. What’s the actual cost to process a return for a retailer? Amit Sharma, the CEO for Narvar, a returns-management company, says for every $100 of returned merchandise, it will cost them about $25. That’s why it’s now trickling down to us. Retailers are cracking down in different ways: They’re marking more items as final sale, they’re cutting down the number of days you have to return things. And now, they’re charging restocking and return fees – especially if you want to return something online by mail. That’s where they really want to get you. The return management solutions company goTRG did a full report on the return trends happening right now. In it, they found 48% of retailers said buy-online-return-in-store returns increased in the past 12 months. If you buy something online, it costs to ship it and have it shipped back. It also causes a lot of waste. That’s why retailers want you to come into the store to return merchandise. Plus, the retailers hope you’ll come in and buy more stuff.Charging return fees is the biggest way we’re getting hit. GoTRG says 66.4% of retailers said they charge fees such as restocking fees or return shipping fees. This is up from 60% in September 2022.How do you fight back?Before you buy, double-check the online return policy. They will most likely be different and stricter than if you bought in-store.Remember to keep all the tags and original packaging. Those have barcodes on them that are helpful for retailers to process returns. Return things in-store to avoid fees. But remember to try your best to avoid spending more on the things you see while waiting in line.Retailers that have return feesHere is a list of retailers that are charging some sort of fee, from Narvar: Abercrombie: $7 deducted from refundAmerican Eagle Outfitters: $5 deducted from refundAnthropologie: $5.95Big Lots: 20% of purchase price processing feeDillard’s: $9 deducted from refundDSW: $8.50 deducted from refund (free for Gold and Elite Rewards members)Eddie Bauer: $7 deducted from refundFoot Locker: $6.99 deducted from refundJ.Crew: $7.50 deducted from refundJCPenney: $8 deducted from refundL.L. Bean: $6.50 deducted from refund (free if purchased with L.L. Bean MasterCard)Lands’ End: $6.95, deducted from refundNeiman Marcus: $9.95 deducted from refund (free if you return within 15 days and it’s not clearance)REI: $5.99 deducted from refundSaks Fifth Avenue: $9.95 deducted from refundT.J.Maxx: $10.99 deducted from refundUrban Outfitters: $5 deducted from refundZara: $3.95 deducted from refund
We’re returning things at record levels – and that means retailers are starting the crackdown on returns.
According to the National Retail Federation, we returned about $816 billion worth of merchandise in 2022. That’s one in five purchases that we’re sending back to retailers. Retailers are feeling it, especially when it comes to online shopping, as well.
What’s the actual cost to process a return for a retailer? Amit Sharma, the CEO for Narvar, a returns-management company, says for every $100 of returned merchandise, it will cost them about $25. That’s why it’s now trickling down to us.
Retailers are cracking down in different ways: They’re marking more items as final sale, they’re cutting down the number of days you have to return things. And now, they’re charging restocking and return fees – especially if you want to return something online by mail.
That’s where they really want to get you. The return management solutions company goTRG did a full report on the return trends happening right now. In it, they found 48% of retailers said buy-online-return-in-store returns increased in the past 12 months. If you buy something online, it costs to ship it and have it shipped back. It also causes a lot of waste. That’s why retailers want you to come into the store to return merchandise. Plus, the retailers hope you’ll come in and buy more stuff.
Charging return fees is the biggest way we’re getting hit. GoTRG says 66.4% of retailers said they charge fees such as restocking fees or return shipping fees. This is up from 60% in September 2022.
How do you fight back?
- Before you buy, double-check the online return policy. They will most likely be different and stricter than if you bought in-store.
- Remember to keep all the tags and original packaging. Those have barcodes on them that are helpful for retailers to process returns.
- Return things in-store to avoid fees. But remember to try your best to avoid spending more on the things you see while waiting in line.
Retailers that have return fees
Here is a list of retailers that are charging some sort of fee, from Narvar:
- Abercrombie: $7 deducted from refund
- American Eagle Outfitters: $5 deducted from refund
- Anthropologie: $5.95
- Big Lots: 20% of purchase price processing fee
- Dillard’s: $9 deducted from refund
- DSW: $8.50 deducted from refund (free for Gold and Elite Rewards members)
- Eddie Bauer: $7 deducted from refund
- Foot Locker: $6.99 deducted from refund
- J.Crew: $7.50 deducted from refund
- JCPenney: $8 deducted from refund
- L.L. Bean: $6.50 deducted from refund (free if purchased with L.L. Bean MasterCard)
- Lands’ End: $6.95, deducted from refund
- Neiman Marcus: $9.95 deducted from refund (free if you return within 15 days and it’s not clearance)
- REI: $5.99 deducted from refund
- Saks Fifth Avenue: $9.95 deducted from refund
- T.J.Maxx: $10.99 deducted from refund
- Urban Outfitters: $5 deducted from refund
- Zara: $3.95 deducted from refund
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