Online retailer ‘Boohoo’ has stopped its popular long-running free returns policy with the introduction of a £1.99 charge. The Manchester-headquartered retail giant has updated the policy in the small print of the brand’s app and website.
This has come as a great disappointment for many Boohoo customers who order multiple sizes in order to get the correct fit before returning the ones they don’t need.
Since the announcement, I have been inundated with emails all asking the same question: “Is this legal?”
The Consumer Rights Act (s.20(8)) makes it clear that traders must pay the reasonable costs when a consumer needs to send back faulty goods. However, it is silent when it comes to goods being sent back, purchased in store, just because the consumer has changed their mind. In relation to online purchases, the Consumer Contracts Regulations (s.35(2)) makes it the consumer’s obligation to pay the return costs.
Boohoo has therefore been going over and above its obligations until now and is perfectly entitled to now charge for returns of NON-FAULTY goods.
No doubt other retailers will now do the same.
