Two different questions hiding inside one
"Who pays for the return?" is really two separate questions. The first is whether the goods are faulty or wrongly described, in which case the trader is normally responsible for the whole process. The second is whether the consumer simply changed their mind, in which case a cooling-off right may apply and the cost split follows different rules again. Mixing the two up is the most common reason shoppers feel misled by a return policy that, read carefully, was doing exactly what the law in their country allows.
EU: consumer usually pays for a change-of-mind return
Under the EU Consumer Rights Directive, when a consumer withdraws from an order within the 14-day cooling-off period simply because they changed their mind, the direct cost of returning the goods falls on the consumer, unless the trader has agreed to bear it or failed to inform the consumer that the cost would be theirs before the order was placed. Many EU retailers choose to offer free returns anyway, as a competitive feature, but that is a business decision on top of the legal minimum, not a requirement. If the goods turn out to be faulty or not as described, the calculation changes: the trader is then responsible for bringing the goods into conformity, and the consumer should not be left carrying the cost of correcting the trader's own error.
UK: the same split, in separate legislation
The UK's Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 mirror the EU approach: for a change-of-mind cancellation within the 14-day window, the consumer normally pays for sending the goods back, unless the trader states otherwise or did not properly inform the consumer about the cost. For goods that are faulty, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives a separate short-term right to reject faulty goods within 30 days of taking ownership or delivery, and in that situation the retailer, not the consumer, should arrange and pay for the return. A retailer cannot use its own returns page to remove this obligation for faulty goods, even if the page only talks about change-of-mind returns.
US: it is the retailer's policy, not a fixed legal rule
Because the US has no general federal right to cancel an online order for a change of mind, there is no federal rule dictating who pays return shipping in that situation either. It is set entirely by the individual retailer's return policy, and policies vary widely: some offer free return labels, some charge a flat return fee deducted from the refund, some only accept returns to a physical store. Where the issue is that the item is defective or was misdescribed, general contract and warranty principles, plus state consumer protection laws, usually put the cost of correcting the problem on the seller, but the exact mechanics again depend on the seller's stated policy and the state involved. Reading the return policy before ordering, not after receiving the parcel, is the only reliable way to know what to expect in the US.
Why the reason for the return changes everything
Across all three regions, the pattern is consistent even though the details differ: when something is wrong with the goods, sellers carry a heavier responsibility, closer to paying for the return outright. When the consumer simply no longer wants the item, the legal minimum in the EU and the UK puts the shipping cost on the consumer, and in the US the whole matter is a question of the retailer's own terms rather than a statutory floor. A voucher code or coupon code used at checkout does not change which category a return falls into; a discounted order returned because of a change of mind is still a change-of-mind return, and one returned because the item arrived damaged is still a faulty-goods case, regardless of the price paid.
Reading a returns page correctly
- Look for the words "change of mind" versus "faulty" or "not as described" in the policy; they are usually treated separately even when the page does not say so clearly.
- Check whether a free returns offer is limited by category, since clothing and electronics are often treated differently from bulky or made-to-order items.
- Note any time limit stated for starting a return, and compare it with the legal minimum that applies in your country, since a shop cannot offer less than the legal floor in the EU or the UK.
- Keep the shipping receipt for any return you pay for yourself, in case the cost needs to be reclaimed later.
We check codes across 527 shops in 22 countries on daily-coupons.info. For US shoppers, the same idea applies on the US site, where return conditions follow the retailer's own policy rather than a fixed cooling-off law.
This is general information, not legal advice. Return conditions depend on the specific retailer's terms and on the consumer law of the country that applies to the order; check both before assuming a particular outcome.
Frequently asked questions
If an EU shop offers free returns, does that mean the law requires it?
No. The legal minimum in the EU allows the trader to pass the return shipping cost to the consumer for a change-of-mind return within the 14-day period. Free returns are something a shop chooses to offer on top of that minimum.
Does the UK's short-term right to reject cover a "changed my mind" return?
No, the short-term right to reject under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to faulty, not-as-described or not-fit-for-purpose goods. A simple change of mind is instead covered by the 14-day cancellation right under separate regulations, with a different cost split.
Why do US retailers charge a "restocking fee" on some returns?
Because US law does not set a general rule against it for a change-of-mind return, restocking fees are a policy choice some retailers make, often disclosed in the returns section of their terms. It is worth checking for this fee before ordering large or specialist items in the US.
Does a store credit count as a full refund?
Not automatically. Whether a return results in a cash refund, a refund to the original payment method, or store credit depends on the retailer's policy and, in the EU and UK, on whether statutory rules require a specific method for that type of return.
