Sounds reasonable. If you want to return something you pay for the shipping and not GAP. Or just go to nearby store.

Drat. They're still really great about by-mail returns, but one of the big draws for me was the ability to return totally free by mail with their mailing labels and everything. It made it very easy to buy maternity clothes and feel comfortable getting a couple sizes knowing I could easily return what didn't work.

(And you can only return to store stuff that's carried in the store ... which is never maternity.)

I wonder if they will keep free returns on the items that re "return by mail only" like special sizes (women's plus, maternity)

I feel like I should confess that last time I ordered from Gap I added a pair of shoes from piperlime to get the free shipping, not really anticipating that I would like them. I returned them for free after confirming that I didn't

@Eyebrows McGee (popping ~May 29): You also can't return plus sizes to the store, since they are internet only. Totally sucks.

@dave_coder: Reasonable, sure - but less attractive of a policy compared to some of their competitors.

@edwardso: Yeah, this. This kind of stuff is not found in stores.

@Ichiro51: I would be surprised if a competitor was printing out free labels for returns. I could see it being done for exchanges or RMAs, but who would pay the customer for a return?

@Ichiro51: Really? Who? What clothing retailer pays for return shipping? This is rare in any retail industry, especially clothing. Entirely reasonable policy change.

@Ichiro51: Exactly, I spent a lot of money on their 4 stores in the past year because I knew I could return things if I didn't like them. I kept almost all of it but I will not be shopping there as much now

sucks for plus sized orders, they are no longer offered in stores (therefore the stores will NOT accept returns) and they have changed the policy from "free returns" meaning "you have to pay to ship this stuff to your house, but not to send it back to us, so not really free but we won't charge you twice" to "we charge you shipping twice now- once to receive it at your house and once to send it back".

They still accept "free" exchanges, so if you get the wrong size you can get a new one, but if the shirt doesn't look like the picture on the website you're screwed.

It's a gamble no matter what.

@kimdog: Really? They've let me return petite stuff to stores that don't carry petites for years. If that's true about plus sizes that totally does suck.

Totally reasonable.
I'd have to pay for the gas I'd use to manually 'ship' it myself.

... Now if I ordered something from them online, or via phone/catalog and they sent me the wrong items AND wanted me to pay for the return/exchange....THEN there would be issues/hell to pay.

@fantomesq: Zappos has free return shipping. I don't even use anyone else anymore. They've proven their elite customer service skills time and time again.

Last time I ordered some clothes from Old Navy 2 of the garments were stained and obviously used, and I had a huge whole in the pocket of a hoodie. I'll go to the store, sure, but no more online purchases.

I've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. GAP has made some significant changes in the last few months. Returns are 30 days instead of 90, price adjustments* are 7 days instead of 14. They've changed their mark-down system as well- things are not being marked down to $3.99 as they were in the past. Also, they've introduced Final Sale stickers. Anything ending in .97 is a final sale and cannot be returned.

*GAP does most of their mark-downs on Wednesdays, just an FYI.

Zappos. Better customer service, free shipping both ways.

@fantomesq: Zappo's first came to mind. And again, I agreed that it was a reasonable change.

@Crabby Cakes: Ahem, I guess it only bears repeating if anyone is interested in GAP policies. But if you are, here you go.

@citking: But you can't buy Gap clothes from Zappos, so you'd still have to deal with Gap.

In my experience, Gap stores have better deals and sales than the gap website anyway. A jacket I got from the Gap store was 50% off from what it was online. If someone was buying it online, they would have paid $50 for the jacket I got for $25.

@fantomesq: LL Bean if you buy it using their branded Visa pays shipping both ways and also free monogramming. Different policy if you buy by general mail order without their card.

@Ichiro51: Zappos provides great service, but their prices are nothing to shout about. Sometimes you get just what you pay for.

I'm still annoyed that Atheleta sold out to The Gap. I always loved the catalogue for the broad range of sizes available (even swimsuits specifically tailed for us larger-chested ladies) and great outdoorswear. Now, I'm pretty sure it'll all eventually be lame mass-marketed, only-about-the-bottom-line clothing before long. *sigh*

@Erin Cummins: I had the same problem with the plus sized clothes. I am right between regular and plus sizes so some of the things I purchase are from one and some the other. It irritates me to no end that I can't return all my clothes in the same way.

@edwardso: Just get out of your house and go to one of there stores. They policy is that they are no longer paying for return laziness since they have stores that will take the returns.

@kimdog: I agree - this does suck! Hopefully it won't apply to purchases like the plus-size clothes, which can't be returned to the store.

@Erin Cummins: The problem I have with the plus-size offerings is that everyting can be cut differently, so a 1X in one style of shirt may fit great ... but you'd need a 2X in another style!

@Project_J187: Except the stuff you HAVE to go online to buy -- maternity, plus size, etc. -- they will NOT take at the stores. These MUST be mailed back. And with the maternity clothes in particular, sizing is chancy so Old Navy was a very attractive place to shop because of the free return shipping.

I would happily be less "lazy" and "get out of [my] house" and return my maternity clothes to the store IF THE STORE WOULD TAKE THE RETURNS.

Try reading the freaking article and comments before accusing people of personal failings like "laziness" in being unable to return an item to the store DUE TO STORE POLICY.

@Jillsy: They seem to let you return items to the store even if that particular store doesn't stock that particular item (like I just returned some shorts for my husband to the store that our store didn't stock, but other stores did), but for lines or items that are internet-only and not available in ANY stores, you must return them by mail.

I assume they have two separate inventory systems or stocking systems for "store-and-internet" and "internet-only."

@Coop: It's reasonable, but it makes me less likely to shop there in the future. A big reason I chose Old Navy for maternity over other online stores (I had very, very few in-town options for maternity) was the free return shipping. Maternity sizing is chancy -- everything says "order your pre-maternity size" and they're sort-of cut to similar sizes, with added belly space ... but my pants size went DOWN and my shirt size went ROCKETING up (hello, boobs!). So knowing that I could order a couple sizes and easily return what didn't fit was what made me order from Old Navy in the first place. There are plenty of online maternity stores; Old Navy (etc.) had the best shipping policies (it's like $7 flat to you, and was free to return), so I chose Old Navy.

Incidentally, I DIDN'T return anything maternity I bought from them -- but without the free return shipping, I probably wouldn't have bought there in the first place.

So it's reasonable, but it may not be the best business move in the long run.

THANK YOU for checking facts Consumerist before posting this!

I shop BR alot online and while I don't return often, I have found the one item I may return once in a blue moon can usually be shipped parcel post or first class with my own stamp for MUCH less than $6. To use one of their return labels and get wacked $6 is stupid unless it's a VERY heavy item. Then, go to a store and return for free.

LandsEnd has been doing this for years. IIRC, if it's their mistake, then the return shipping is on them. They also have a 'satisfaction guaranteed' policy. No time limit.

J.Crew does the same thing for returning items, only they charge more for returning 2 items and then 3, etc. Additionally, J.Crew has offered a 15% student & teacher discount on in-store purchases including marked-down/sale items, but recently has omitted the marked-down/sale items from the discount.

@NightElfMohawk: That was my first reaction when Athelta got bought.
My fear is the end of truly unique clothing.

@scarletvirtue (is an auntie now): I am the same way, different materials, different cuts, different shapes all fit me in different ways and it's so hard to judge what I need! Measurement/size charts aren't helpful either.

@Eyebrows McGee (popping ~May 29): Wow... you sound just about ready to pop.

@edwardso: I've done this to get free shipping as well. Guess they caught on to this, because now free shipping is just for Piperlime-only orders. I assume this will stay because Zappos and other online shoe stores have free shipping both ways.

@Eyebrows McGee (popping ~May 29):

I've returned plus size at the stores of old navy plenty of times, and have had many friends do the same. Although I will admit it was a surprise to me, because the website said otherwise, but when I brought them to the store they didn't even hesitate to return it.

So, if you've not tried returning in store, it may be worth a try, since in my experience they don't really stick to that rule :)

@MMD: the code
SHIPPL works as of my last order

Sounds Very Reasonable! Thanks You Consumerist for checking out the store and giving us both sides!

@Eyebrows McGee (popping ~May 29): This is not true. I have returned pants to Banana Republic that were not sold in the store, also to GAP.

@Eyebrows McGee (popping ~May 29): I used to be a manager at Old Navy, and, as with 99% of the retailers out there, it's purely up to manager's discretion. We're don't have to take it back but there's nothing in the system that will prevent us from taking it back and no one really cares if we take it back.

If you want to increase your chance of being able to return maternity (or plus size) in the store, I suggest:

1) You make it an exchange- that way the store sales number doesn't suffer.
2) BE NICE! Remember, the store has every right to refuse your return (it's a clearly stated policy), they are doing you a favor. You don't have to over appreciative or anything, just be polite. If you act like it's your God given right to make the return and start to get accusatory or angry, you'll be turned down out of spite.
3) Keep it as new looking as possible. Retail monkeys sees A LOT of dishonesty in one day and we all hate "the renters"- you know, the ones who buy something, wear it for a bit, tires of it, and tries to return it. Make sure the tags are in place, no pet hairs, not reeking of perfume, smoke, BO, etc.

Oh, and a lot of Old Navy carries maternity now. If the one you frequent doesn't carry maternity, maybe another nearby store does?

@fantomesq: Victoria's secret used to (at least the last time I mail-ordered from them). They used to include shipping labels in every purchase so you can slap it on and send it back via UPS. I don't think they deducted the cost from the credit. But then again I just shelled out for my own shipping via USPS because the bag was always so mangled it could not be sent back.

Victoria's Secret has been doing this for years.

They stopped carrying DDs in their stores where I lived (SF Bay Area) and the store directed me to go online to purchase.

They charge more for their larger sizes, even though a 38DD is the same size as a 36D, according to their employees, and thus using the same amount of fabric.

Regardless, I bought two bras. When they didn't fit and I tried to return them, they wouldn't accept the return in-store as they don't carry those sizes anymore so I had to pay $6 to ship it back.

So I essentially paid $6 to try on bras that didn't fit.

I've since found other VSs that carry the larger sizes in store, but refuse to shop there - and I canceled my Angel card. They really pissed me off.

@Shmonkmonk: There is no other nearby store. :) The next-nearest is over an hour away (one way) and the one after that is over 90 minutes away (one way).

I like Old Navy, but not enough to turn it into a day trip. :)

And I'd be happy to make my maternity return an exchange ... but the store doesn't carry maternity, which is the whole reason I'm ordering by mail in the first place.

@scootersidecar: There's still Title 9, at least.

@nybiker: In my experience, the new policy is actually standard in mail-order apparel. Even Zappo's discount version, 6pm.com, follows this model. If you insure returns, it actually ends up being cheaper to use the included label a lot of the time, too.

That's not to say it's not a blow for those people who were counting on the old version. I'm fortunate enough to be able to return it all locally, so I honestly didn't realize that they offered this nifty return approach, but if I were shipping stuff back this would probably affect the amount of purchases I'd make from these merchants.

@nybiker: They will almost always eat shipping as a courtesy if you call it in. Especially if you are bit far from a Sears store. Also they eat shipping with reorders.

And the satisfaction guaranteed policy can be almost comically followed. Don't even think about mentioning anything wrong with something or they will trip over themselves to fix it. Which is nice but a bit much sometimes.