You open a few boxes, tuck away the sweater that fits, and wrestle with a pile of receipts. Then comes the fine print: if you ship that sweater back, the retailer might charge you — and the item’s trip back and forth adds a surprising amount of environmental damage.
It’s the annual post-holiday ritual: returns spike in late December and early January. Retail trade groups and analytics firms say roughly 15–17% of holiday purchases will be returned this season, and many stores have tightened the rules or started charging fees to cover rising logistics costs. The result: shoppers face more friction and wallets — and the planet — pay the price.
The cost beyond the receipt
Returns aren’t free. They trigger another round of packaging, handling and transport: sometimes the same item moves by truck, plane or van several times before ending up back on a shelf, in a refurb shop, in a discount channel — or in a landfill. Supply‑chain researchers estimate returning an item raises its carbon footprint by roughly 25–30% compared with a one‑way purchase. Inspections, refurbishment and repackaging add labor and materials that retailers must absorb.
And resale isn’t guaranteed. Roughly a third of returned goods don’t make it back into a normal retail channel because reconditioning them isn’t worth the cost — especially for cheap items. A $6 spatula or a lightly used swimsuit may be routed to liquidation or the trash, not a second buyer.
Electronics are a special case: high‑value devices often go to certified refurbishers. But even then, the seller pays inspection and secure logistics. If you unboxed a new laptop this season — say a MacBook — and decide to return it, that workflow and risk assessment are expensive. (If you’re still shopping deals, there are seasonal discounts on the MacBook Air and related models.) You can also view current pricing and availability for the MacBook on Amazon: MacBook available on Amazon.
Why retailers are changing the rules
Retailers say they’re reacting to real costs: shipping, fraudulent returns and the operational burden of inspecting and restocking vast volumes of merchandise. As a result, many chains now charge return fees for mailed returns or require customers to return items in person to avoid charges. Reported fees range from a few dollars for mail returns to steep restocking charges on some electronics.
Stores still want your business during the holidays, so many extend in‑store return windows (Target, Best Buy and some big chains extended holiday return deadlines this season). But the balance retailers are striking is visible: more fees for mailed returns, more incentives to bring items back to a store, and more investment in technology to route returns efficiently.
Behind the scenes, companies are also investing in digital return management systems that can quickly grade returned items and route them to the channel most likely to resell them. Those systems can cut waste and emissions when they work well — by avoiding unnecessary shipping and by channeling restockable items back to nearby stores.
What you can do (short, practical):
- Return in person when you can. Stores often waive fees for in‑store returns and the product can be restocked faster.
- Act fast. Seasonal items lose resale value quickly — that ugly holiday sweater is easier to resell before New Year’s than after.
- Keep original packaging and don’t damage the item. Resale chances improve dramatically if the product looks new.
- Skip “bracketing” if possible. Buying several sizes to try at home has become a common habit but increases returns and waste.
- Consider a gift card when you’re unsure what someone wants — fewer returns, less risk of waste.
If repairability matters to you, favor brands that make devices easier to fix and refurbish. Repairable designs help keep products in circulation longer and reduce landfill. (A recent push by companies producing repairable consumer hardware is an encouraging trend; for example, Fairphone’s move into the U.S. market spotlights a more repair‑focused alternative.) See more on repairable phone options in Fairphone’s U.S. entry: Fairphone plants a flag in the U.S..
The bigger picture for businesses
Charging return fees is one blunt tool. Smarter long‑term fixes include better sizing standards in apparel, improved product descriptions and 3D fitting tools, and more transparent information on the environmental cost of returns. Retailers that invest in rapid, digitized return grading can reduce unnecessary shipping and get resalable items back on shelves faster.
For consumers the immediate navigation is simple: read return policies before you buy, hold onto packaging, and opt for in‑store returns when possible. That’s not the sexiest holiday advice, but a little forethought right now can save you money, spare retailer headaches — and keep more stuff out of landfills.
If you want one quick action: check the retailer’s return window and whether a mailed return will cost you. It’s the small print that will decide whether that unwanted gift becomes someone else’s treasure — or trash.