One of the foundations of online shopping has been free returns, but not anymore.
After years of subsidizing them, more retailers are charging customers to send back unwanted goods. It’s a risky move because shoppers have become accustomed to buying an item in multiple sizes and colors and returning what doesn’t fit for free.
The list of retailers cutting back includes Zara, Abercrombie & Fitch and Boohoo. In the US, the number of large retailers requiring a return fee has jumped from 31% to 40% this year, according to research by Narvar, a logistics software firm.
