LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It's not just shorter return windows you have to deal with this holiday season. Now, more and more stores are adding a fee for returns.
One woman did more of her holiday shopping in person this year, as she noticed some online retailers are now charging to make returns.
The added fees are just one thing, now some stores are shortening their return window.
With electronics, you now often have just two weeks after New Years to return them.
Apple's return date is even earlier - Jan. 8, 2025 and no questions asked.
In the meantime, if you want to ship a package back to a lot of retailers these days it will no longer be free. Returns are costing stores hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
Companies with return fees that average $5 to $7 an item include:
- DSW Shoes
- J. Crew
- Urban Outfitters
- Lands End
- JCPenny
- Abercrombie
- LL Bean
- TJ Maxx
In some cases, you can avoid the fee by returning the item directly to your nearest store.
Some people say return fees are actually a good thing, getting shoppers to not order as many items and cut back on waste.
More local business stories:
- Kentucky vape store owners say customers buying in bulk ahead of new law taking effect Jan. 1
- Starbucks workers at 5 Louisville locations join nationwide strike for wages, benefits
- New Papa Johns Pizza restaurant opens on Outer Loop in Louisville
- Party City to close all stores nationwide after filing for bankruptcy last year
