in an IRL mall.
But every upside has a downside, and the labyrinthine rules of returns
in 2024 are perhaps the biggest drawback of online shopping. Between oddly narrow return windows, hidden fees to ship your unwanted stuff back, and trying to find the one IRL store that's actually open when you're free to make the return, dealing with online purchases that don't work out is enough to make you yearn for the simpler days of strip malls and shopping centers. It's no wonder that 66 percent of consumers said returning items is the worst part of shopping in one survey.
hopping in 2024 should be a utopia — we're living in the era
of free next-day delivery, one-click checkout, and an internet landscape with more choices than you could possibly ever browse
S
By Annalise Mantz
Why Does Online Shopping
Have to Be Such a Pain?
and your data will be automatically imported. Simple returns file for free if you do your own taxes, and everyone who files with H&R Block gets free audit assistance.
TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name; TK Credit by Name
Production Credits
Ut pellentesque, neque vel sagittis finibus, diam augue tincidunt orci, nec varius ipsum arcu.
Ut pellentesque, neque vel sagittis finibus, diam augue tincidunt orci, nec varius ipsum arcu.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Duis sit amet lectus lacinia, viverra lorem a, tempor purus. Duis justo non consequat eu lectus nec pellentesque. Nullam finibus tempus vehicula. Morbi
vel tempor mauris. Maecenas molestie non
sem eu ultrices. Quisque id ipsum vitae mi sagittis luctus a in ligula. Maecenas id ante tortor. Nullam id sem nisi. Nulla suscipit urna urna, et vehicula elit pharetra eget et.
Subhead Example
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Duis sit amet lectus lacinia, viverra lorem a, tempor purus. Duis justo non consequat eu lectus nec pellentesque. Nullam finibus tempus vehicula. Morbi
vel tempor mauris. Maecenas molestie non
sem eu ultrices. Quisque id ipsum vitae mi sagittis luctus a in ligula. Maecenas id ante tortor. Nullam id sem nisi. Nulla suscipit urna urna, et vehicula elit pharetra eget et.
Subhead Example
a purus vitae lacus suscipit lobortis a sit amet quam. Vestibulum vulputate tincidunt enim, sit amet congue purus. Cras ultrices congue leo, ac pharetra leo ultrices ut. Pellentesque tristique nibh sed tincidunt pretium. Proin tincidunt tellus lacus, eget vestibulum turpis malesuada id. Nam eleifend maximus felis ornare pulvinar. Nunc sit amet magna massa consectetur, blandit purus id, maximus elit. Cras hendrerit ex a sem faucibus dictum. Quisque a mollis metus, vel tempor augue. Ut egestas venenatis odio non ultrices.
uis posuere scelerisque lobortis. Duis rutrum vehicula convallis. Aliquam
D
By Editor Name TK
Photographs by Name TK
Aliquam a purus vitae lacus suscipit lobortis a sit amet quam.
Duis Sed Placerat Accumsan Urna Nec, Elementum Risus
By Editor Name TK
Photographs by Name TK
Duis Sed Placerat Accumsan Urna Nec, Elementum Risus
Most of us don't read return policies until we need them — and even then, it can be like deciphering hieroglyphics, spanning everything from the condition of the product to highly specific notes on when and where you can return it. If you're a big online shopper, trying to keep track of all the return and exchange dates for various purchases can feel like a job in and of itself.
Even if you have plenty of time to make the return, figuring out how to return your package can also get complicated. Though the retailer offered free shipping on the way to your home, they might not do you the same favor on its return. Hidden fees for return shipping have become de rigueur — and the only way to avoid them is taking your order back to a physical location (if there even is one near you). Mapping out a time to get to that location during business hours within the return window can be another chore.
The trouble often begins when you tap Check Out on your digital cart. If you're happy enough with your purchases to avoid a return, thank your lucky stars. If you scored a limited edition drop or seasonal discount, it's very likely your order will be sold “all sales final” — or,
if the retailer does allow returns, they come with some serious red tape attached.
Even if you have plenty of time to make the return, figuring out how
to return your package can also get complicated. Though the retailer offered free shipping on the way to your home, they might not do you the same favor on its return. Hidden fees for return shipping have become de rigueur — and the only way to avoid them is taking your order back to a physical location (if there even is one near you). Mapping out a time to get to that location during business hours within the return window can be another chore.
By contrast, filing your taxes with H&R Block can feel downright relaxing — in fact, it's so seamless that it may as well be classified as self-care. If you decide to do your taxes yourself, you can even file from the comfort of your own home while doing a face mask or sipping
a hot tea — multitasking at its best. Switching to H&R Block is simple: Upload a PDF of last year's return
Even if you choose the assisted option with help from tax pros, you'll know the cost of tax prep before you begin. H&R Block never has any hidden fees, unlike far too many online retailers, so there's no surprise pricing. And, if H&R Block doesn't get you the max refund, they'll cover the cost of your tax prep. It's no wonder 20.1 million people rely on the company for up-front, transparent pricing.
Whether you go DIY or opt for help from a tax pro, H&R Block makes
it easy and convenient to file your taxes. And in an era filled with needlessly complicated online shopping and return policies, that's a breath of fresh air.
Most of us don't read return policies until we need them — and even then, it can be like deciphering hieroglyphics, spanning everything from the condition of the product to highly specific notes on when and where you can return it. If you're a big online shopper, trying to keep track of all the return and exchange dates for various purchases can feel like a job in and of itself.
Photography: TK Name
Ut pellentesque, neque vel sagittis finibus, diam augue tincidunt orci, nec varius ipsum arcu.
The trouble often begins when you tap Check Out on your digital cart. If you're happy enough with your purchases to
avoid a return, thank your lucky stars. If you scored a limited edition drop or seasonal discount, it's very likely your order will be sold “all sales final” — or, if the retailer does allow returns, they come with some serious red tape attached.
Most of us don't read return policies until
we need them — and even then, it can be
like deciphering hieroglyphics, spanning everything from the condition of the product to highly specific notes on when and where you can return it. If you're a big online shopper, trying to keep track of all the return and exchange dates for various purchases can feel like a job in and of itself.
By contrast, filing your taxes with H&R Block can feel downright relaxing — in fact, it's so seamless that it may as well be classified as self-care. If you decide to do your taxes yourself, you can even file from the comfort of your own home while
doing a face mask or sipping a hot tea — multitasking at its best. Switching to H&R Block is simple: Upload a PDF of last year's return and your data will be automatically imported. Simple returns file for free if you do your own taxes, and everyone who files with H&R Block gets free audit assistance.
The trouble often begins when you tap Check Out on your digital cart. If you're happy enough with your purchases to
avoid a return, thank your lucky stars. If you scored a limited edition drop or seasonal discount, it's very likely your order will be sold “all sales final” — or, if the retailer does allow returns, they come with some serious red tape attached.
Most of us don't read return policies until
we need them — and even then, it can be
like deciphering hieroglyphics, spanning everything from the condition of the product to highly specific notes on when and where you can return it. If you're a big online shopper, trying to keep track of all the return and exchange dates for various purchases can feel like a job in and of itself.
Illustrations: Sunny Wu
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Duis sit amet lectus porttitor, viverra lorem a, tempor purus. Duis consequat eu lectus nec pellentesque. Nullam finibus tempus vehicula. Morbi vel tempor mauris. Maecenas molestie non sem eu ultrices. Quisque id ipsum vitae mi sagittis luctus a in ligula. Maecenas id ante tortor. Nullam id sem nisi. Nulla suscipit urna urna, et vehicula elit pharetra et. Donec vel enim vel sapien rutrum sagittis sit amet vel massa. Aliquam dignissim nunc ut justo sollicitudin volutpat. Aliquam ultricies enim diam, et ornare nunc commodo sed. Aenean sed mauris a quam pulvinar commodo. In mauris efficitur orci iaculis lacinia. Praesent tellus erat, malesuada eu odio eget, laoreet ultrices nisi. Nulla mattis faucibus leo et ultrices.
Fusce ut magna in sapien auctor fermentum non vitae lacus. Sed eget maximus magna, sed cursus lacus. Donec sit amet ante in orci volutpat convallis condimentum ut nisi. Donec tincidunt enim ac lorem pharetra mollis. Suspendisse ut ipsum malesuada, tempor neque dignissim, porta ante. Aliquam faucibus risus id aliquet lobortis. Donec pulvinar metus
leo ut aliquam. Praesent sed molestie diam, ut mattis nisl.
Sed ut dapibus turpis. Aenean nec tellus luctus, consequat massa et, egestas dolor. Duis vitae erat eget nisl sagittis fermentum. Phasellus dictum rhoncus tempus. Suspendisse ac hendrerit elit. Cras volutpat lorem venenatis tortor tincidunt congue. Pellentesque pretium sit
amet est non tempor. Suspendisse tristique quis ex nec sodales.
Donec convallis auctor metus, vel vehicula ipsum accumsan sit amet.
Sed vel ante id mi bibendum aliquet. Donec tempor, diam at facilisis consequat, turpis sem sollicitudin enim, at accumsan nunc dolor ac
nulla. Pellentesque ac lectus cursus, gravida enim et, feugiat mauris.
Dealing with online purchases that don't work out is enough to make you yearn for the simpler days of strip malls
and shopping centers.