Shopping online has long been a convenient and relatively low-stakes way of purchasing everything from clothing and accessories to electronics and home goods—especially if you can simply pack up anything you don't want and send it back at no charge. This has made it easy to turn your home into a private dressing room or give products a test drive before committing to them. In many cases, however, those days are over, thanks to a decline in free returns and an increase in customer-paid return shipping labels or item restocking fees deducted from your refund.
While not all of these fees are brand-new, the number of merchants that charge them has been on the rise. According to logistics company Happy Returns, more than 80% of retailers charge for some return methods.
Retailer return fees in 2024
Abercrombie: $7
Amazon: $1 for some UPS returns
Anthropologie: $5.95
Backcountry: $6.99
DSW: $8.50 (free for VIP Gold and VIP Elite members)
H&M: $5.99 (free for H&M members)
J.Crew: $7.50
Macy's: $9.99 (free for Star Rewards members)
Madewell: $7.50 (free for Madewell Insiders)
Nike: Varies by shipper (free for Nike members)
REI: $5.99
Wayfair: $4.99 or more
Zara: $3.95
Some major retailers, including Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athleta, Nordstrom, Sephora, and Lululemon, still offer free returns for online purchases. Others, like Williams-Sonoma, require customers to pay for return shipping on some orders.
How to avoid paying return fees
The best way to avoid return fees is to minimize the likelihood that you'll need to make returns in the first place.
Plan your purchases better
Research items thoroughly before purchasing, read return policies carefully, and keep impulse buying in check. Don't buy things simply because they're on sale or just to try on if you aren't confident you're going to keep them. If you want or need to shop online, start accounting for return fees as part of the cost of your order.
Join retailer loyalty or membership programs
As noted above, many retailers waive return shipping and/or restocking fees for customers who join their membership programs. In most cases, this simply requires you to create a free account and log in before you make a purchase. Some loyalty programs have additional benefits if you hit certain spending thresholds.
The trade-off is that you'll get a lot of marketing and promotional emails—a small price to pay for access to free returns and other perks.
Return items in-store
Most retailers that charge for online returns will accept them for free in-store. If there's a brick and mortar near you, you can avoid the fee by dropping your item in person. Amazon returns are accepted at Kohl's, Whole Foods, and Amazon Fresh locations.
Resell items
If your return window has passed or the refund you'll receive is significantly offset by the fee (small-ticket purchases, for example), consider reselling the item instead of returning it.