Answer extracted from the Morning Brew Daily podcast — listen to the full episode below.
How has Macy's return window policy changed over the past several years?
Macy's has slashed its return window from 365 days down to just 30 days, cutting it in half twice since 2017. The timeline reads like a retail contraction: one year in the past, 180 days in 2017, 90 days in 2019, and now only 30 days to return purchases.
A Four-Step Collapse in Return Flexibility
What was once a generous full-year return window has become dramatically narrow. The initial cut to 180 days in 2017 signaled the beginning of a tightening trend that continued steadily over the next decade. Retailers across the board have been restricting return windows, but Macy's move stands as one of the most aggressive examples of how quickly consumer-friendly policies can disappear.
The pace of cuts accelerated after 2017, with another 50% reduction hitting in 2019 when the window fell to 90 days. As detailed in this Morning Brew Daily episode, the most recent drop to 30 days represents the final major contraction, putting enormous pressure on shoppers to decide whether a purchase works before the end of a single month.
This shift reflects a broader industry pattern: nearly 7 in 10 retailers (70%) now charge return fees, up from just 43% five years ago. The tightening isn't limited to window length—retailers are simultaneously adding financial penalties to discourage returns, creating a double squeeze on customer flexibility.
The economics behind these cuts are straightforward: processing a return costs on average 27% of the purchase price, making returns expensive for merchants. With return volume in 2025 reaching $850 billion—almost double the 2020 figure—retailers face massive costs if they don't restrict the flow. Yet as discussed in the podcast, these restrictions directly impact how customers rate their shopping experience, with stricter return policies correlating to measurably lower satisfaction scores.
See also
What is the trend of fall travel bookings and how does it compare to previous years?
Fall bookings for luxury travel and experiences are up nearly 60% compared to last year, according to a new study from the travel network Virtuoso. This surge reflects a strong appetite for premium experiences among affluent consumers.
How does return policy strictness correlate with customer satisfaction ratings?
Trustpilot found that bad return policies correlate with a 1.6 star decline on its five star rating scale. Stricter return windows and fees directly damage how customers perceive and rate their retail experience.
What is the scale of return fraud and processing costs in the U.S. retail system?
Return volume in 2025 was $850 billion, almost double the 2020 value of $428 billion, representing 16% of total retail annual sales. Processing a return costs on average 27% of the purchase price, making the logistics of managing returns a major financial burden.