Retailers are quietly changing their return policies – here’s why you should be on the lookout this Black Friday

By: Lauren Beitelspacher, Babson College, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: November 17, 2025

Words: 971

Last Updated: 6 days, 21 hours ago

Body Text Preview

By Lauren Beitelspacher, Babson College

’Tis the season for giving – and that means ’tis the season for shopping. Maybe you’ll splurge on a Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal, thinking, “I’ll just return it if they don’t like it.” But before you click “buy,” it’s worth knowing that many retailers have quietly tightened their return policies in recent years.

As a marketing professor, I study how retailers manage the flood of returns that follow …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us