Posted on 12/25/2025 5:16:20 AM PST by Libloather
Hassle-free returns might be a thing of the past.
You might want to reconsider returning that pile of unwanted gifts sitting under your tree because major retailers, like Macy’s and Zara, are charging fees for holiday gift returns.
Which means that the hideous, itchy sweater Aunt Suzy excitedly gifted you this year may actually cost you more to give back than to keep.
The good news is that in-store returns remain free — but if you plan to take the lazy way out by mailing something back, even if it’s unopened and in perfect condition, it’ll cost you.
Macy’s is charging displeased customers a $9.99 fee if they’re not a Stars Rewards Member, and sister stores T.J. Maxx and Marshalls are hitting their customers with an $11.99 return charge.
JCPenney, J. Crew, Abercrombie & Fitch, H&M, Zara, American Eagle Outfitters, UNIQLO and Urban Outfitters are being less Scrooge-like with their return fees, with a more nominal range from $3.99 to $8.
Large online retailers like Amazon are even toughening up by charging a fee — which can vary depending on the returned item — if you don’t use their box-free, label-free, in-person drop-off option.
Even if you use a gift receipt to rid an unwanted gift, you’re not safe from the wrath of return fees: retailers will simply deduct them from your store credit.
So what’s causing this tightwad behavior from stores?
“This [return fees] started happening a couple of years ago, I think, because people were taking advantage. We saw a big lift in online shopping throughout the pandemic, and retailers who initially said, ‘Oh, we’ll pay for the shipping back,’ all of a sudden, it started becoming egregious,” smart-shopping expert Trae Bodge told The Post.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
If it's open box electronics I will usually skip it unless it's a spectacular deal, and even then I'm going to inspect it in the store, power it up and expect a full money back guarantee on it.
Miss Manners would raise an eyebrow—and then dismantle that sentiment with exquisite calm.
She would say that returning a gift is already a breach of etiquette, but demanding cash instead is a double offense: it insults the giver’s thoughtfulness and treats a gift as a financial transaction. Gifts, she reminds us, are expressions of regard, not vouchers.
In Miss Manners–speak, the proper responses are limited to:
Gracious acceptance, regardless of personal taste
Quiet regifting or donation, if the item truly cannot be used
Never, ever instructing the giver on what you would have preferred
As for “lacking the courage” to ask for money, she would say this is not courage at all, but rudeness masquerading as honesty.
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“You people who return gifts don’t have the courage to tell the giver, “You know, I’d rather have the money.”
I guess I’m weird, never would have thought to return a gift via shipping.
I did donate to StJude until I found out how much the board gets paid, and they pay the actors that make those commercials.
I did give to Salvation Army though.
I was told not to, that they are a homophobic organization, so I gave them $$.
This is why my family has switched over to gift cards - I have gas cards for the young adults, Visa cards for the older adults.
I just got a gift card for Hobby Lobby and will receive several more later today.
The Board Members serve on a volunteer basis..
The CEO IS paid...and what we would consider "a lot"...but the Hospital funds are in the Billions...
That's why he's cruising the Mediterranean in a zillion-dollar yacht while the folks at Macy’s and Zara are slaving away in the basement...and dreaming about cruising the Mediterranean in a zillion-dollar yacht.
I would encourage you to give instead to local charities run by people you know personally (or at least are known by people you know personally).
Last year I bought a 43” TV in an open box at Best Buy for $150. I wasn’t looking for a TV, but I couldn’t pass on that one.
I tend to give $$ to people I know that are struggling.
I did buy gifts for 2 seniors that are alone for Christmas. I do not know them, just the organization that collected the gifts
so what? I think the CEO could cut that amount of $$ by half, a third even, and live very well.
Jennifer Anniston, Jon Hamm, Sophia Vegara, all make commercials for StJ and get a fee.
To my knowledge, neither Hamm or Anniston have sick kids.
Distance. We do not have a nearby UPS Store in Michigan. The nearest is 17 miles away in Ohio.
There is a drop box in my town (have to box and label), but sometimes it costs to return.
Most of the time Amazon provides me with 3 options for returns, ups, Khols department store or Whole Foods grocery stores.
Fortunately for me I have a khols and ups store less than 2 miles from me and they are literally next door to each other.
Buontempo means “good time” in Italian.
Because the nearest drop off for that is 41 miles from my house
If I am planing a trip to town for another reason I’ll use the drop off
If I am not, ups is here daily for my business shipments and takes my wife’s Amazon returns when there are any
It does help being in a populated area. I am glad that Wal-mart and Kroger deliver here now. Returns for Walmart are at Walgreens ten minutes away.
It was given to me 45 years ago by my grandmother for a wedding gift.
My wife returned the lamp, in the box to my grandmother the next thanksgiving held at grandmother’s and said she wanted something else.
Mom said not to give my wife anything in exchange and the lamp stayed at Mom’s house for 41 years.
We did not last a year due stuff like that.
I have the lamp now because my grandmother gave to me as a gift.
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