HAMILTON COUNTY — While the holiday season is a time for giving, sometimes those gifts just don't make the cut, leading to post-holiday returns. However, at many major retailers, those returns will now cost consumers.
For example, Best Buy's return policy charges 15% of the retail price upon return for certain items like digital cameras, camcorders and specialty scooters.
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For shoppers, return fees can quickly add up.
"I'm not a fan. I did have to pay that for an item. Mine was only $5, so not that big of a deal," holiday shopper Wendy Pemberton told WRTV. "[It was] worth it to get what I wanted, but in general not a fan."
John Talbott, a professor of marketing at Indiana University, told WRTV there are other ways to get around any in-person restocking or return fees.
"Usually, it's joining a loyalty program or picking up a credit card or something like that. And if that's something that doesn't seem too onerous, then that's a way that you might be able to avoid the fees as well," Talbott said.
Ultimately, Talbott said the best thing shoppers can do is be aware of stores' individual return policies to avoid being blindsided at the return counter this holiday season.
