Compare free versus paid return shipping to size up the real cost.
Returning an item can cost you shipping and sometimes a restocking fee, both of which reduce what you effectively recover. Free returns save a meaningful share of the price on frequent online shoppers, so the return policy matters when choosing a store.
Return Shipping Cost
Total return loss = return shipping + restocking fee
Total return loss = return shipping + restocking fee Returning an item can cost you shipping and sometimes a restocking fee, both of which reduce what you effectively recover.
Free returns save a meaningful share of the price on frequent online shoppers, so the return policy matters when choosing a store.
This calculator takes 3 inputs: Item price, Out-of-pocket return shipping, Restocking fee. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.