High return costs abroad: what are your options?

You don't have to just accept high return shipping fees to another country. Often you can exchange for free instead of sending the item back, ask customer service to deduct the cost from your refund, or do the math yourself on whether sending it back is even worth it. Below you'll find exactly which options you have and when each one makes sense.

Why are the return shipping costs suddenly so high?

You order a bra from a US-based website, but the package ships from overseas. Often from Asia. That means you have to send it all the way back there too if you want to return it, and that costs a lot more than dropping a package off around the corner.

A lot of women only find this out after they've already ordered. The warning is usually buried somewhere in the shipping terms, in small print, not next to the order button itself. That feels unfair, because it is.

There's a practical problem behind it too: international shipping costs are calculated based on weight, distance and customs processing. A package traveling from Asia has to clear customs, and that brings extra paperwork and costs that simply don't come up with a domestic return. Stores usually just pass those costs straight on to the customer, without being upfront about it beforehand.

Try this: open the confirmation email from your order and search for the word "return." Is there an address with a zip code that clearly isn't in the US? Then you know exactly what you're dealing with, before you've even sent anything back.

Want to know exactly what that process looks like and what it can cost you? Read how a return shipment to Asia works and what it costs, or check out what other women experienced returning items to China.

Can you avoid sending anything back at all?

Before you spend money on return shipping: always ask first whether you can exchange without sending anything back. More and more stores offer this when you ordered the wrong size. You just keep the bra that doesn't fit, and get the right size sent to you.

That might sound strange, but it's often cheaper for a store than organizing an expensive return shipment from overseas. It saves you the high costs and the hassle of forms and labels you'd otherwise have to deal with.

This approach is sometimes called a "keep it" policy. More and more smaller stores have picked it up too, simply because it works out better for both sides. You don't have to make a trip to ship anything, and the store saves on shipping costs and processing time.

• Read exactly how that works in free exchanges without sending anything back.
• Or check out the explanation of how the guarantee works when you exchange without returning the item.

Try this: email customer service with a simple, direct question: "Can I exchange this without sending anything back?" A lot of stores actually have a separate policy for this that isn't listed on the standard returns page. Don't wait too long to ask: some stores have a deadline for responding if you still want to qualify for a free exchange.

Can you have the return shipping cost deducted from your refund?

Sometimes exchanging isn't an option, say you just want your money back. Then the next question is: do you have to pay for return shipping upfront, or can that come out of your refund instead?

This varies by store and is usually buried somewhere in the return policy. Always ask before you send anything back. An email asking whether the return shipping cost can be deducted from your refund takes two minutes and can save you a real headache.

I wanted to return the bra but suddenly it had to go overseas with high return fees. Pure scam. Terrible service when you want your money back.

You see this kind of experience in reviews more often than you'd think. It feels unfair when you only find this out after you've already placed the order. That's why it's smart to always ask ahead of time, before you ship a package back, so you're not caught off guard.

Also keep in mind that some stores withhold a flat fee, while others deduct the actual shipping cost. So don't just ask whether the cost gets deducted, ask exactly how much it is before you send anything back. That way you won't end up with an unpleasant surprise later.

What does the law actually say about these costs?

As a consumer you generally have a right to return an online purchase within a set window. That right doesn't go away just because a store ships from outside the country. But who pays the return shipping cost is usually up to the store, as long as that's clearly stated upfront.

That's exactly where the problem usually sits: "clearly stated" is not the same as "buried in the fine print." There's room to push back on that, especially if you only found out after you'd already placed the order.

Want to know exactly what you can ask for and how to file a complaint if you feel you weren't properly informed? Read the full rundown of your rights when return shipping costs from overseas are high.

Is sending it back even worth it?

Sometimes the answer is just no. If the return shipping cost is almost as high as what you paid for the bra, you're left with barely anything. Always do the math before you drive to the shipping counter.

Try this: put the amount you'll get back side by side with the return shipping cost. If the difference is small, just a few dollars, sending it back isn't really a win. If the difference is big, it's worth the effort.

Sending it back anyway? Always use tracking and keep your shipping receipt. Reviews show that packages sometimes take months to arrive, or even end up back on the sender's own doorstep without anything having happened to them. Without proof, you've got nothing to stand on.

Also keep in mind that some carriers charge a different rate for international shipments than you'd expect at first glance. When in doubt, always get quotes from multiple carriers, since the price differences between carriers can add up quite a bit on shipments overseas.

What can you do if sending it back isn't worth it?

Not sending it back doesn't mean you're stuck with a bra that doesn't fit. There are alternatives that save you money and still get you something out of it.

• Ask if you can keep the bra in exchange for a different size, at no extra cost.
• Give it to someone the size actually fits. Read how to go about that in giving a bra that doesn't fit a second life.
• Ask about store credit as an alternative to a refund, if you think you'll order from the same store again anyway.

Our own survey of nearly 2,900 buyers found that most complaints about a bra aren't about looks, they're physical: 32.8% name the underwire as their biggest frustration and 23.3% say the bra pokes, pinches or digs in. Those are exactly the reasons so many women end up wanting to send something back in the first place. So it pays to figure out ahead of time which bra actually fits you, so you can skip this whole hassle next time.

How to avoid this next time

The best way to avoid high return shipping costs is to make sure you have to send things back less often. Before you order, always check where the package ships from and where you'd need to send it if it doesn't fit. That information is usually on the shipping page, not on the product page itself.

A handy rule of thumb: the lower the price of a product, the more likely it is shipped directly from overseas. Stores with their own stock here in the US usually work with different margins, which also lets them offer more flexible return policies. Checking this before you click "order" can save you a lot of hassle later.

At Monavida we ship our Daily Essential Bra with memory foam cups that mold to your shape and a 3-inch band that takes the weight off your shoulders, so you're less likely to end up stuck with the wrong size. And if it still doesn't fit right, you've got the 30-day perfect fit guarantee to fall back on. Read exactly how that guarantee works in what a 30-day perfect fit guarantee for a bra actually covers.

Not sure about your size before you order? Check out why a bra size can run differently online than you expect first, so you get the right size on the first try and skip the whole return headache altogether.