SALT LAKE CITY — A lot of holiday shopping is done online, but not being able to hold and experience the product in real life can often lead to ill-fitting items that need to be returned. But not everyone is offering free returns anymore, and that can add some unexpected costs to your holiday shopping budget, busting the holiday savings you planned.
Many stores made online shopping easier during COVID by offering free shipping and free returns. But those perks are fading fast.
A new National Retail Federation report shows 72% of U.S. retailers now charge some kind of return fee — up from 66% last year. Macy's, Zara, H&M, and even Amazon now charge to ship items back in many cases.
So it's important to check return policies before you start shopping.
Ways to avoid return fees
Return items in-store: Many retailers that charge for mail-in returns allow free in-store returns.
Check loyalty programs: Some retailers offer free returns to members of their loyalty programs.
Use specific drop-off locations: As seen with Amazon, you can often avoid a fee by choosing a free drop-off location.
Use a store-specific credit card: In some cases, using a store's credit card for your purchase may exempt you from return fees.
Some retailers are extending holiday return windows. Amazon, Kohl's, and Walmart are accepting returns through Jan. 31. Best Buy and Macy's will take holiday returns through the end of December.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
