Certain Amazon returns at UPS stores come with fee
Implementation of fee reportedly took place in 2023
Certain returns of Amazon orders done at UPS stores could come with a new fee.
The Information, a media outlet that follows the tech industry, first reported Monday on the fee, which amounts to $1. Customers incur the new charge when they do Amazon returns at UPS locations that are equally far or farther than a no-charge option available to them, according to the outlet.
"We offer convenient, easy returns to Amazon customers, with one or more options for label-free, box-free returns at no cost," an Amazon spokesperson told FOX Business on Tuesday. "We always offer a free option for customers to return their item – if a customer would prefer to return their item at a UPS Store when there is a free option closer to their delivery address, a very small amount of customers may incur a $1 fee."
AMAZON SHUTTING DOWN ITS GLOBAL ONLINE BOOKSELLER
The addition of the fee took place in 2023. It comes after Amazon’s 2022 implementation of a charge for instances of returns via UPS pick-up, according to The Information.
Whole Foods, Kohl’s and Amazon Fresh locations are some places where Amazon’s customers can make returns for free.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
The Information suggested that the e-commerce giant’s application of the new UPS fee could be linked to cost-cutting efforts for returns.
U.S. retailers experienced a 16.5% rate of return for online merchandise in 2022, the National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail found in a survey. Comparatively, it was 20.8% the prior year.
Amazon has also been working to bring down its costs as a whole in recent months.
AMAZON TO CUT 9,000 MORE JOBS AMID ‘UNCERTAIN ECONOMY’
In early February, Amazon reported that its net sales came in at $149.2 billion for the fourth quarter, a roughly 8.6% increase from the same three-month span in the previous year. Meanwhile, Amazon’s net income, at $278 million, narrowed year over year.
Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
---|---|---|---|---|
AMZN | AMAZON.COM INC. | 210.71 | +2.82 | +1.36% |
UPS | UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC. | 134.02 | -1.70 | -1.25% |