Your Online Shopping Has A Startling Hidden Cost

When I’m browsing for a new outfit online, I instinctively scan a brand’s website, looking for the words “free shipping and returns.” And if I don’t see a flexible return policy, I think twice about making a purchase. After all, it’s risky to ask a customer to buy jeans or a button-down on the internet. What if it doesn’t fit? What if the color looks different in person? Over the past two decades, e-commerce has grown rapidly. Today, 27% of apparel sales are made online. There’s no doubt that being able to buy clothes online is more convenient than going to a brick-and-mortar store, where you need to try on the garments in a public changing room. Instead, we’ve gotten used to browsing from the comfort of our sofa and trying on outfits in our bedrooms. But part of the reason buying clothes online has been so popular is that many brands make it possible to return unwanted items without hassle or cost. Read more at Fast Company.