Postage costs online shopping

[Urgenthelplease]

I know this is a first world problem. I love clothes. Love them. I order a lot online because I live overseas and the local stores are just not my taste (heaps of athletic gear or really generic neutrals).

I noticed when ASOS started charging for returns I was really put me off as I find their sizing incredibly inconsistent so often end up having to return.

Recently I ordered from Nadine Merabi, postage was 17 and returns 25 so offer 40 quid for nothing. The quality was just not worth it when it arrived.

I know stores are struggling to deal with people ordering and sending back but it's really putting me off. Anyone else feel the same?

I'm not in the UK, but yes it does put me off. I did have a really good experience recently where a clothing shop didn't charge me postage for either sending the goods to me, or for me to return them - and it was a shop at the cheaper end of the market. I would hate to work out how much I have spent on postage over the last few years, and it is making me think really hard about buying online in future. I didn't know ASOS were charging for returns, but I won't be ordering from them again if that is the case.

I don't object to paying postage, but some of the postage costs have risen a lot, and in some cases are more than what I could send the same package for, which annoys me.

I agree. I paid for postage from a local brand and the items didn't fit but they were so good with customer service that I will order again. They exchanged to a bigger size for free.

When you get good customer service you tend to use them again. I have returned goods to some places where the refund is instantly applied, and others where I have had to wait ages for it - once again that puts me off ordering from them. So many places offer online shopping now that they really should be doing all they can to make the returning/refunding process as easy and quick as possible.

I think people are far too reliant on the free postage model and over order knowing they'll send back vast quantities and it's easy for them. The companies have had to fight this in order to maintain a business model that actually works.

This is the only way to prevent such wastage of time and labour for the people involved in the packing, shipping, delivery and returns from beginning to end. It's hellishly expensive and complex to manage all the paperwork / tracking / missing items etc.

Companies just can't be expected to soak this up any more without the consumer paying for it either in the cost of the items they order or in the cost of the shipping. Amazon factor it into the items, but they also scalp small businesses who use the platform so it is fast becoming a place for either tat from AliExpress or high end items from top brands with little in between IME,

@SoddingWeddings

Companies 'fighting this' will likely result in a huge loss in sales. It should be fairly obvious that if you're selling clothes, then they will need to be tried on. The customers bedroom is the fitting room.

It's much cheaper to sell online than it is to run and maintain a physical store. Postage costs are part of the business model if you choose to sell online.

i have started paying for plans that allow you free delivery and returns selfridge or next do it. Around £10 year.

if sizes were more according to bodies then I’d not need to buy a 16/18/20 of the same trousers as I don’t know which one will fit me so probably I’ll end up returning one or all

Another place I won't buy from again. Warehouse. Refuse to let you return multiple items in one package. So two lots of postage costs and the added airmiles. So annoyed.