For over a decade, the golden rule of online shopping was simple and universally understood: buy it, try it, and if you hate it, send it back for free. We treated our living rooms like fitting rooms, ordering multiple sizes with zero guilt. We ordered three sizes of the same jeans, knowing full well we would return two of them. It felt efficient, it felt risk-free, and it drove massive sales for retailers. But the party is officially over, and the bill is coming due.
Retailers have crunched the numbers, and they have realized that your “bracketing” habit (buying multiple sizes) is destroying their profit margins. Processing a return can cost a company anywhere from $10 to $30 once you factor in shipping, restocking, and inspecting the item for damage. Now, they are passing that bill onto you to recoup their losses. Here are the major players who are done subsidizing your indecision and are adding return fees to the fine print.
