British clothing retailer Boohoo has introduced return fees for online shopping.
The amount of 1.99 pounds sterling (approximately 2.35 euros) will be automatically deducted from the refund amount – the return process otherwise remains the same. Returns remain free for Boohoo customers who have a ‘Premium’ membership.
In May, the Spanish clothing group Inditex had a return fee for the brand zara introduced, followed a little later by Uniqlo with a return amount.
For fashion companies, the increase in online shopping and the associated processing of returns represents a significant cost and logistics effort. In addition, the free return shipment tempts consumers to order more and more often and thus burden the system. Some fashion companies see the introduction of return fees as a way to control this process and encourage their customers to act sustainably.