Return fees by store vertical (Shopify refund policies)
| Vertical | Policies | Any return fee % | Restocking fee % | Free returns % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronics, gaming & auto | 282 | 56.0% | 37.2% | 8.5% |
| Outdoor & fitness | 537 | 45.6% | 27.4% | 13.0% |
| Home, kitchen & garden | 1,059 | 44.0% | 28.2% | 7.2% |
| Pets & baby | 620 | 42.6% | 26.1% | 9.4% |
| Other verticals | 515 | 38.8% | 23.3% | 6.0% |
| Apparel & jewelry | 1,170 | 38.3% | 23.8% | 14.3% |
| Beauty & health | 725 | 30.6% | 14.5% | 5.2% |
Source: PageSpeed Matters, Oct 2026. Pattern-based reading of refund policy text; a mention of a fee does not mean every return is charged.
Summary
Free returns are often described as the norm in online retail, but a return can still cost the shopper money through a restocking fee or a prepaid label they have to buy. We read the refund policies of ranking Shopify stores to see how often stores pass those costs on.
It is common. Of 4,908 readable refund policies, 40.8% charge a restocking fee, make the customer pay return shipping, or both. Only 9.5% promise free returns.
What we measured
We read the refund policy pages of 4,908 Shopify stores that rank in Google. In the policy text we looked for phrase patterns that describe a restocking fee, customer-paid return shipping, free returns, and refunds given as store credit only.
This is a pattern-based reading. A mention of a fee does not mean every return is charged: a policy may apply a fee only to opened items, certain products or some kinds of return, and we did not check which. Read the figures as how often policies mention each cost, not how often shoppers pay it.
Two in five policies put a cost on returns
24.8% of the 4,908 refund policies mention a restocking fee, and 24.2% make the customer pay return shipping. 40.8% do at least one, about two in five. Among the 818 policies that state a restocking fee amount, the median is 20%.
At the other end, 9.5% of the policies promise free returns, and 3.4% give store credit only, with no cash refund.
40.8%
Share of 4,908 readable refund policies from ranking Shopify stores that mention a restocking fee, customer-paid return shipping, or both.
Electronics stores charge most, beauty stores least
Electronics, gaming and auto parts stores charge shoppers most often: 56.0% of 282 policies have a restocking fee or customer-paid return shipping, against 30.6% of 725 beauty and health stores. Outdoor and fitness (45.6%) and home, kitchen and garden (44.0%) sit in between.
Restocking fees follow the same order. They peak in electronics, gaming and auto parts, at 37.2% of policies, and are least common in beauty and health, at 14.5%. Electronics and parts are often opened, tested or fitted before they come back, which may be why those stores more often mention a fee.
Apparel leads on free returns
Apparel and jewelry stores promise free returns most often: 14.3% of 1,170 policies, nearly three times the 5.2% in beauty and health. Outdoor and fitness is next, at 13.0%.
Apparel shoppers often order more than one size, so free returns may be part of how these stores compete. Beauty and health stores sit low on both measures: they mention return fees least often and free returns least often too.
Ranking makes almost no difference
Return fees barely move with ranking. 40.5% of stores ranking in the top 3 charge a fee or customer-paid return shipping, against 41.2% of stores ranking 11 to 20.
Return terms are a business decision, and the data gives no sign that they go with how well a store ranks.
What this means for your store
If you charge for returns, you are in good company, but shoppers notice the terms before they buy. Make the cost clear and fair:
- State who pays return shipping and any restocking fee in plain words near the top of the policy.
- Limit fees to the cases that need them, such as opened or custom items, and say so.
- If you offer free returns, say it on product pages and in the cart; only 9.5% of policies promise it, so it can set you apart.
- Watch return rate and conversion together when you change terms, since a looser policy can lift both.
Sources
- PageSpeed Matters analysis of refund policy pages from ranking Shopify stores, October 2026
- PageSpeed Matters phrase-pattern reading of return fees, free returns and store credit terms, October 2026
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<p style="font:14px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif">Source: <a href="https://www.pagespeedmatters.com/resources/data-studies/return-fee-statistics">Return Fee Statistics 2026: 40.8% of Shopify Stores Charge - PageSpeed Matters</a></p>
Frequently asked questions
How common are restocking fees in online stores?
Fairly common. 24.8% of 4,908 readable refund policies from ranking Shopify stores mention a restocking fee, rising to 37.2% in electronics, gaming and auto parts and falling to 14.5% in beauty and health.
What is a typical restocking fee?
Among the 818 refund policies that state a restocking fee amount, the median is 20%.
What percentage of online stores offer free returns?
9.5% of readable refund policies from ranking Shopify stores promise free returns. Apparel and jewelry stores offer them most often, at 14.3% of 1,170 policies.
How many stores make customers pay for return shipping?
24.2% of 4,908 readable refund policies make the customer pay return shipping, and 40.8% either do that or charge a restocking fee.
Return terms that are clear and shown before checkout remove a common reason shoppers hesitate, whatever fees you choose to charge. Need help with this? See our ecommerce CRO agency.