Are Free Returns Out of Control?

Free returns encourage us to be wasteful. They incentivize us to buy things we aren’t sure we want. Need proof? On average, purchases made online are three times more likely to get returned than purchases made in stores, according to retail expert Nicole DeHoratius. 

Maybe that doesn’t seem like a problem. If we order something and decide we don’t want it, we can just send it back at no additional cost, right? 

Wrong.

The reality is that “free returns” aren’t free at all: They come at an enormous cost to the environment. In the U.S., more than 9 billion tons of returned internet purchases end up in landfills every year, according to Optoro, a company that helps online retailers manage returned items. 

And landfills are just the beginning of the problem. Shipping items back and forth means using more fuel for trucks, planes, and ships, which contributes to pollution and climate change. It also means using more cardboard boxes and plastic packaging—like the Bubble Wrap that keeps items safe in transit. And guess what? Only 9 percent of plastic waste gets recycled, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. In fact, a lot of plastic garbage ends up in the ocean, where it harms marine life.

Getting rid of free returns to solve the problem of too many returned items is like getting rid of trash cans to stop the problem of too much trash. It makes no sense at all.

There’s no denying that returns have an environmental cost. But there are better ways to solve the problem than eliminating free returns. 

For starters, we as shoppers need to be mindful about what we order and return. And if you do live near the physical store, you should return items there, where they’re more likely to be restocked. 

Businesses should also think about why inventory gets sent back. Many stores already have tools that help you pick the right size and see how a style will look on you. So how about making those tools more accurate so people don’t have to over-order? Then they’d be able to pick the right items from the start.

Of course, some shoppers will still take advantage of the free return policy and continue to order more than they intend to keep. 

But why should everyone be punished for that? Instead, we should be rewarded for not sending things back. Maybe businesses could start a points program for items that aren’t returned. When you reach a certain number of points, you could get a discount. 

Here’s another option that some stores are already trying: giving shoppers a refund and asking them to donate the unwanted items rather than mailing them back. 

That sounds like a win for everyone.