Why We Don't Do Free Returns
There are a couple of reasons and we're not going to hide them away in the smallprint. We hope if we are open about it and honest with you from the beginning, you'll get where we're coming from.
There's no way to sugar-coat this, free returns cost money. But what you might not realise is that free returns end up costing you money. By asking you to consider the return postage, we are able to keep the price of our goods affordable. We got our abacus out and did the maths - If we offered free returns, every item would increase by £1.50. We know money isn't everything, but why waste it?
Speaking of waste, we're in a time where we all need to start thinking about our carbon footprint. Hands up if you've ever
overbought, knowing you can return it for free? We've all done it, we're only human after all. But think of the environmental cost of their return journey.
And those t-shirts whose next trip is to the landfill because they cannot be resold. Some stuff just can't pass the reverse quality check. Everyone knows free returns encourage more returns, which is bad news for the planet.
With that in mind, we are taking steps add to our site all those little details that make such a big difference. Sizing, colour, material, fit - you name it, we're going to add it. It's a work in progress, so you'll also see a place where you can ask a question about any item that catches your eye. We're going to publish our reviews on there, so you can see what other people have made of their purchases. We hope this extra information will increase confidence in what you buy and reduce any returns that come our way. Our aim is that you are delighted with your item and cannot bear to be parted from it.
Will We Ever Change Our Mind?
We're not saying we won't keep looking for the perfect solution. Any changes we make will reflect what you, our customers want. If we can find more eco-friendly returns options that keep our products affordable, we will let you know. But until then, we're bowing out gracefully on free returns.
We Still Accept Returns
Don't worry, you can still send something back if you decide not to keep it. We don't mind which courier you use, (you could enlist
a friendly carrier pigeon if you like), but we do suggest that you keep the proof of postage as we refund on receipt of the item(s).
By the way, if you item is faulty, please contact us first. In the rare cases of faulty goods, we will arrange for a free return.
We know there are a lot of stores out there that do free returns, but we have always been a little different. We want our goods to
go one way. No disappointment, no agonising wait for a refund, just you getting what you want.
And For Fans of Statistics
In the United States alone, returns generate as much carbon as running 3 million cars.
5 billion pounds of clothing returns are sent to landfill every year.
In the UK, at 61%, clothing is the most commonly returned item and 39% of that is because of the
size.
Source: https://www.optoro.com/press/the-unsustainable-cost-of-free-returns/
Source: Royal Mail Delivery
Matters UK 2020 report