E-commerce brands slash perks, with consumers no longer given a free ride on returns

The cutbacks reflect current economic turmoil.
E-commerce brands are reining in generous return policies ahead of the holiday season, with a quarter of online retailers now levying a fee for returning purchases made online – ending a consumer golden age in which freedom to exchange was universal.
Brushing aside fears of a Scrooge-like Christmas as consumers batten down the spending hatches amid a cost of living crisis, 25% of UK brands – including Zara and Boohoo &ndas