Except the higher costs that are passed on to future buyers.
There's an article today on WSJ, I think, about a service that Best Buy and other retailers are using to track dishonest returns. If you return too many time or questionable returns, your future returns are cut off.
It's absolutely killing small businesses, that are being forced to offer free returns to compete with the large box shifters, like Amazon (there are different business laws in the UK, governing online purchases, vs bricks & mortar store purchases).
I have a friend who is an independent furniture manufacturer.
Sold a handmade chest of draws to a woman, who took advantage of free delivery (hauling it up several flights of stairs, and putting it exactly where she wanted it placed in her home).
27 days later, she calls up, saying she no longer wants it, and is entitled to a full refund, and free collection.
He, and an assistant, have to drive all the way out to her house, and carefully remove the item from her home, back down flights of stairs, and safely back to the shop.
He asked her what the problem with the item was, and she said :
"Oh, I bought 3 different items, from 3 different companies, just to see which one looks nicest in my home, and return the other 2 - it's free."
So as a result, 2 independent manufacturers have had items returned, that they built to order, that can only be sold at a reduced price as "returns", that are taking up additional shop space, and that they have had to go through the hassle and expense of building, delivering, and collecting, unnecessarily.
