Return Policy

A return policy consists of four elements: return window, return conditions, shipping cost responsibility, and refund method. Amazon accepts returns within 30 days of delivery and accommodates buyer's remorse returns in many categories. Rakuten Ichiba's policies vary by individual merchant, requiring buyers to check each one before purchasing. ZOZOTOWN is lenient with size-related returns, accepting unused items within 8 days.

Return conditions differ significantly between "defective/wrong item" and "buyer's remorse (wrong size, different from expectations)." For defective items, the seller typically covers return shipping and provides a full refund. For buyer's remorse, the buyer usually bears return shipping costs, and some sellers do not accept returns on opened items. Categories such as food, cosmetics, and underwear may not accept returns at all for hygiene reasons.

A generous return policy can improve an EC site's conversion rate. The reassurance that "I can return it if it doesn't work out" lowers the barrier to purchase. In apparel EC especially, the buying behavior of ordering multiple sizes as if trying them on and returning what doesn't fit has become commonplace. Zappos (a US shoe EC) is known as a success story for building customer loyalty by offering 365-day free returns.

When leveraging return policies as a consumer, you should always review the policy details before purchasing. The three key points to watch are: who bears the return shipping cost, when the refund is processed (immediately or after the returned item is received), and the refund method (refund to the original payment method or store credit/points). For credit card payments, refund processing can take 1-2 billing cycles (up to 2 months). When purchasing high-value items, it is also wise to choose your payment method with the possibility of a return in mind.