Returning items to Amazon? There may be a new fee for that.
Published 6:30 am Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Amazon’s amazing growth in the world of retail and eCommerce is often credited to the ease of having items not only delivered straight to the front door but also how easy it is to return said items right back to Amazon. Now, there has been a change to one part of the return policy that will cost some customers a new fee.
People choosing to return items to UPS Stores instead of using other return locations within the same distance may be required to pay $1 per return now.
“We offer convenient, easy returns to Amazon customers, with one or more options for label-free, box-free returns at no cost,” Steve Kelly, an Amazon spokesperson, said in an email to USA Today. “We always offer a free option for customers to return their item – if a customer would prefer to return their item at a UPS Store when there is a free option closer to their delivery address, a very small amount of customers may incur a $1 fee.”
Free locations Amazon would prefer returns to be made include Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, and Kohl’s.
USA Today reported Tuesday that returns are a large chunk in expenses for retailers. For every $1 billion in sales, the National Retail Federation reports, there are $165 million in costs for returns.