Named and shamed: Online retailers charging and banning customers for returns

We’ve all been there. There’s nothing worse than the disappointment of having to send something back, maybe it was that one jacket you saw and fell in love with, or perhaps those boots that you waited to be restocked for months. Whatever the item of clothing, sending back online shopping is a hassle and no one enjoys it – especially when you’re hit with a returns fee out of no where.

The era of free returns for online shopping may be coming to an end as more brands are starting to implement stricter policies, such as charging fees and suspending customer accounts. PrettyLittleThing is the latest brand to abandon free returns, introducing a £1.99 fee for all returned purchases. What do you mean I can’t impulse buy a new wardrobe at 11pm and face no consequences when none of it fits me?

Not only that, but brands such as PLT have also started banning customers with unusually high return activity, which is a bit of a personal attack on my spending habits to be honest. Under the new policy, UK customers will have the return fee deducted from their refund, so there’s no skirting around it unfortunately.

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While in-store returns remain free for most, online returns are gradually becoming more expensive due to high shipping and processing fees.

The upside of all this is that customers are actually becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of frequent deliveries and returns. In an ideal world, reducing the number of returns means fewer delivery vehicles on the road, which helps lower the carbon footprint of online shopping. Save the turtles and all that.

Whilst this trend marks a significant shift for fashion enthusiasts who often make large purchases and return unwanted items, many online retailers like Amazon, ASOS, and Missguided continue to offer free returns.

This move follows a growing trend among online retailers to charge for returns. Here’s a rundown of all the stores with online shopping return fees and what you can expect when you need to send something back to all the top brands.

ASOS

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ASOS is the newest company to introduce return fees. From 8th October a select group of customers will have to retain a minimum value from their purchase in order to avoid paying return fees.

If you’re an ASOS premium member you will have to keep at least £15 worth of your items from your purchase in order to avoid being charged for your returns. This is despite originally being able to complete unlimited free returns as a benefit of having a premier account.

For some standard account customers, the threshold is higher as you have to keep £40 of your items in order to return the rest for free.

PrettyLittleThing 

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Starting off with one of the biggest fast fashion brands on the market, PrettyLittleThing charges a return fee of £1.99, which is deducted from the refunded amount. The brand also recently closed the accounts of some customers with “extremely high” returns rates. This is really going to hit shoppers hard, with PLT being a very inexpensive brand that often kits out girls’ holidays, nights out and everything in between. I suppose something had to stop the PLT consumer habits of bulk buying bikinis and cargos. Enter online shopping return fees.

Oh Polly 

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Oh Polly previously charged a flat returns fee of £2.99, but now the fee can be as high as £8.99 depending on the amount of the order returned. This may not seem to offensive, with their items being high end and well made, but having to pay nearly a tenner to return something that doesn’t fit is quite a kick in the teeth. It’s definitely one of the more expensive online shopping return fees out there.

boohoo

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Boohoo also charges a £1.99 return fee, which is deducted from the refunded amount. Again, like with PLT, this won’t break the bank, but if you’re buying and returning multiple orders, it’s going to rack up a hefty bill.

Zara 

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Ah, Zara. Despite being scarred by the hell which is navigating these shops to find the last pair of denim shorts it promised online to have, the abundance of Zara stores across the country allowing free returns in stores means that it’s rare you’ll have to spend anything to return items. If you happen to be in the middle of nowhere or simply can’t be arsed travelling into a store, returns via drop points have a £2.95 charge.

H&M 

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Providing us with all the staples and basics we could ever need, H&M provides free returns in-store and for members, but non-members are charged a £1.99 return fee. This is proof that it’s not what you know, it’s who.  It’s giving Tesco Clubcard but I’m not mad about it. H&M knows a thing or two about marketing.

River Island 

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River Island offers free returns to stores, but online returns cost £2, which is deducted from the refund. I’m not sure who is shopping here to keep this store afloat in 2024, but slay. £2 is a measly fee to keep it’s neck above water, a fee I would gladly donate to the cause in all honesty.

Next 

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For all of us who have moved on from fast fashion and instead are in our mum era, Next provides free returns for in-store purchases, but online returns come with a fee of £2.50 per parcel. So you either need to shop smart or be an excellent crammer to get everything back in that bag. Either way, there are basically Next stores all over the country so I’m not too upset about this one.

It might feel hard to keep up with it all in this ever changing sea of policy changes, but hopefully these new fees will help us all shop a little greener. Happy shopping!

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