Restocking fees are charged when an item is purchased and then returned to the seller. This fee ranges from 10% to 25% of the purchase price of the item. Naturally, one will want to avoid having to pay this fee if at all possible. Following are some tips on avoiding this fee.

First of all, it is important to avoid impulse buying. Many people buy an item because it looks great and seems to be selling for a good price. Such individuals are then hit by what is known as “buyer’s remorse” and return the item simply because they no longer want it. In such an instance, it is next to impossible to avoid a restocking fee, as there is no good reason for returning the item in question.

However, one can avoid having to pay the fee if he or she has a good reason to return the item. If the item is defective, then the seller is responsible to either provide a refund or exchange the item. If one orders an item online and the product turns out to be a different color or size than the one actually ordered, then the buyer can usually exchange the item in question free of charge.

It is also possible to avoid restocking fees by only shopping at retail outlets that do not charge such a fee. While most outlets charge a fee for having to process returned items, there are some that do not. When shopping online, one should look up this policy on the online retail site. One can find out about a store’s policy by asking about it at the customer service desk, although the policy should be put up in a visible location where all customers can see it.

While retailers have a good reason to charge a restocking fee, this fee can cost a person a fair amount of money if he or she purchased an expensive item. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid having to pay such a fee. If the item in question is defective, then show proof of this. Avoid shopping at retailers that charge a high restocking fee. However, the best way to avoid this fee is to always do sufficient research before buying an expensive item.