If you’re someone who likes to return and exchange gifts after the holidays, prepare yourself: Making returns could feel a little different this year.
“It’s going to be hard for consumers to navigate,” says shopping expert Trae Bodge. “The return policies are all over the place.” The biggest change, she adds, is that more retailers are charging fees for returned merchandise.
About 40% of online and brick-and-mortar retailers are charging fees for returns this year compared with 31% last year, according to David Morin, vice president of customer strategy at Narvar, which handles shipping, tracking and returns information post-purchase for online retailers. Those return shipping or restocking fees are generally $3.99 to $9.99, he says.
The good news is there are ways to minimize return fees and in some cases avoid them altogether. In Kimberly Palmer’s latest for the Seattle Times, learn how to pay less return fees.