New Look to trial charging for online returns

New Look is said to be trialling a 1.99 pound return fee for online orders in order to offset any possible price rises.

The fee will apply to postal returns only, with in-store returns for online orders to continue being free.

In a statement to FashionUnited, a New Look spokesperson commented: “New Look has taken the decision to trial a 1.99 pound fee for postal returns.

"This is in line with the wider industry, and reflects increased costs related to delivery and collection. Customers are still able to return their online orders to our stores free of charge.”

The news was reported by Retail Week, which said a spokesperson for the retailer had informed the publication that the decision was to help “recover costs”.

Speaking to the outlet, New Look said: “People are returning because they don’t like the feel or look of it, so actually we’re never going to get that returns rate down really low.

“Therefore the offset is, by charging for return, we can keep our sales price lower and that is why we’ve introduced it.”

New Look joins a growing string of retailers adopting a similar approach to returns, with the likes of Zara and Next already having introduced a fee.

Most recently, online retailer Boohoo also decided to implement a charge on returns, requiring shoppers to pay 1.99 pounds per parcel, which would be deducted from their refund amount.

It also comes just days after New Look confirmed it was planning to close six of its stores in the UK as part of what the retailer called a “normal course of business”.