This holiday season, retailers weary of the costs of shipping and handling returns are adopting "returnless" or "keep it" policies for items where the cost of return exceeds their value, as reported by returns services firm goTRG. Over 500 U.S. retailers surveyed indicate returns are a severe problem, with 59% adopting "keep it" policies. For other items, retailers are toughening return policies due to increased return costs and oversupply issues, as revealed by the goTRG Holiday survey. Customers should prepare for more restrictive return policies. Around 42% of surveyed retailers plan to shorten the period during which items can be returned. Additionally, those wishing to return items may face return fees, as nearly half of the retailers intend to implement such charges. However, this tightening of return policies could further impact consumer spending, which is already under strain due to economic uncertainties. "The No. 1 reason customers don't make repeat purchases is bad return policies," commented goTRG CEO Sender Shamiss.
