Free tool · no signup
Return cost estimator
What a return actually costs you. Many online purchases are free to return — but large furniture, white-glove items, and buyer's-remorse returns often aren't. Enter the price, item size, and reason for a range estimate of restocking, return shipping, and lost original shipping.
Embed this calculator on your site
Useful on personal-finance and consumer-advocacy blogs covering online returns.
<iframe src="https://plopit.app/tools/furniture-return-cost-calculator?embed=1" width="100%" height="900" frameborder="0" title="Return cost estimator by PlopIt"></iframe>When returns are free — and when they aren't
Usually free for the buyer
- • Small items on Amazon Prime first-party
- • Damaged-in-transit returns (any size, any retailer)
- • Defective or quality-issue returns
- • IKEA returns within their generous return window
- • Clothing, books, electronics (small / parcel size)
Usually NOT free for the buyer
- • Large furniture, buyer's-remorse returns
- • White-glove deliveries past 30 days
- • Most third-party Amazon sellers (large items)
- • Custom-fabric / made-to-order pieces (often non-returnable)
- • Bulky items where the buyer pays return freight
The estimator gives you a range that spans both ends — pick the item size + reason that matches your situation to narrow it down.
How the estimator decides
Three cost components combine into a single range. Restocking fee is a percentage of item price, varying from 0% (most retailers, most small items) to roughly 30% (worst case for white-glove buyer's-remorse). Return shipping is zero when the retailer is at fault (damage, defects) and otherwise scales with item size and freight rates. Original shippingis typically non-refundable on buyer's-remorse returns, even if it was “free” at checkout.
We deliberately don't show retailer-specific numbers because policies change frequently and individual listings vary. For a side-by-side reference of named-retailer policies, see the return policy lookup.
Frequently asked questions
Aren't online returns usually free?
For small items on most major retailers — yes, often free for the buyer. For large or white-glove items (sofas, beds, sectionals, large appliances), returns typically cost the buyer between 10% and 30% of the item's price in restocking fees and freight. The estimator shows ranges because actual costs vary by retailer and item.
How accurate is this estimate?
The ranges are based on publicly published policies of major US and Indian retailers and industry freight rates. Actual costs depend on the specific retailer, item, and current promotional period. Use the estimate to set expectations; verify the exact fees in the retailer's return policy before initiating a return.
What is a typical restocking fee?
Small items: usually 0%. Medium items: 0–10%. Large items: 0–15% for wrong-size returns, 10–25% for buyer's-remorse. White-glove furniture: 15–30% for buyer's-remorse. Most retailers waive restocking entirely for damaged-in-transit or defective items.
Does the retailer or buyer pay return shipping?
Almost always the retailer pays for damaged or defective returns. For buyer's-remorse returns on small items, many retailers also pay. For large or white-glove buyer's-remorse returns, the buyer typically pays freight — and the amount is deducted from the refund.
Is original shipping refunded?
Only for damaged or defective items. For buyer's-remorse returns the original shipping is usually non-refundable — even if it was free at checkout, the retailer treats the shipping as a paid line item against the refund.
How long does a return refund take?
Small items: 1–2 weeks. Medium freight: 3–5 weeks. Large or white-glove items: 6–8 weeks. The slow steps are pickup scheduling, freight transit, warehouse inspection, and refund processing.
Is it cheaper to sell the item than return it?
Often yes for large buyer's-remorse returns. A brand-new piece typically recovers 50–70% on a secondhand marketplace, which can beat the net refund after restocking and return shipping. Compare both numbers before choosing.