By Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan, a contributing editor at Checkbook.org
As retailers brace for a record number of post-Christmas returns, many have modified their return policies to help cut costs.
“Consumers should be prepared for shorter return windows, with 42 percent of retailers planning to reduce them for the holidays,” according to the 2023 Holiday Predictions report by goTRG, a company that helps stores manage returns.
Continuing a trend that started a few years ago, more retailers are making consumers share the cost of handling their returns. Half the retailers surveyed by goTRG have introduced return fees in the past year.
Some big-name retailers have “tweaked” their return policies this year by adding or raising return-by-mail fees or shortening the return window for holiday purchases—including Amazon, Macy’s Staples, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls—according to the 2023 Return Policy Survey by Consumer World.
“Most stores continue to offer extended holiday return periods whereby gifts purchased as early as October first, such as in Walmart’s case, can be returned until mid- to late-January, considerably beyond the normal deadline, but they’re not as generous as they used to be,” said Edgar Dworsky, Consumer World’s founder.
Dworsky studied the return policies for 11 major chains and found that “return windows, in some cases, are shrinking,” and fees for mail-in returns are becoming more common. But all 11 retailers Consumer World surveyed do still provide free returns in person.
“Holiday return policies remain complex and incredibly detailed,” Dworsky told Checkbook. “There are different rules for different categories of merchandise. It’s not one size fits all, in most cases.”
The return window for electronics is typically shorter than for other merchandise, such as clothing and household goods. This is done, in part, to reduce return fraud, he said.
Key findings from this year’s annual Consumer World survey:
Two retailers were singled out for continuing their generous return policies:
You’ll find a summary of the holiday return policies for the 11 retailers Dworsky surveyed, as well as tips for hassle-free returns, on Consumer World’s website.
If have things you want to return, check the retailer’s rules right away to find out how long you have and if there are any charges involved. The shopping site DealNews has a list of return policies for every major retailer, as well as the 40 retailers that let you buy online and return in-store.
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Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan, is a contributing editor at Checkbook.org, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help consumers get good service and low prices. It does this by providing unbiased ratings, advice, and price information. Checkbook is supported by consumers and takes no money from the service providers it evaluates.