New 'Easy Returns Act' Mandates Pre-Paid Return Labels from Large Online Retailers Starting Next Year

If you’ve ever bought something online, realized it was the wrong size, and then spent 20 minutes hunting down a printer, taping up a label, and driving to the post office, listen up. The new Easy Returns Act aims to kill that hassle by requiring large online retailers to include a pre-addressed, pre-paid return shipping label right inside the box when they send you a physical product.

This mandate applies to any company that had at least 500 employees last year, meaning it targets the big players in e-commerce. The rule doesn't kick in immediately; it applies to all sales made one year after the law is enacted. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has 180 days to iron out the specific regulations, but the core idea is clear: returns should be as easy as opening the package.

The End of the Return Label Scavenger Hunt

Think about the last time you bought clothes or electronics online. Getting the item is usually seamless, but sending it back often feels like solving a logistics puzzle. This bill, outlined in SEC. 2, flips the script. Instead of the consumer having to initiate the return process by generating and printing a label, the retailer handles the cost and preparation upfront. For busy people juggling work and family, this is a huge time-saver. It means that whether you’re working from home or on a construction site, if you need to return that item, the label is already in your hands. This is especially helpful for the millions of Americans who don't own a printer or live far from a shipping center.

Where the Rule Doesn't Apply: Custom Goods and Home Pickup

The legislation isn't a blanket rule, and it includes some common-sense exceptions. Companies don't have to include the prepaid label if the item is perishable (like fresh food you wouldn't return anyway) or if it's custom-made or personalized, making it impossible for the company to resell it. This protects businesses from absorbing the cost of shipping back items they can’t reuse.

Crucially, the rule also doesn't apply if the seller offers "a really easy way to return the item that doesn't involve shipping it back," such as scheduling a free pickup right at your home. This is where things get interesting. While home pickup sounds great, the FTC will need to define what counts as "really easy." If a company offers a pickup window between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on a Tuesday, most working people won't find that "easy." The regulations the FTC drafts over the next six months will determine how convenient these alternatives actually have to be.

The Cost of Convenience

For consumers, this is a clear win, standardizing a process that has long been a major friction point in online shopping. For the large retailers affected (those with 500+ employees), this means a definite increase in operational costs. They must now absorb the cost of printing and including a return label with every shipment, even if the item is never returned. This will require significant changes to their packaging and fulfillment logistics. While the cost may be passed along to consumers eventually, the burden of managing and paying for the upfront return infrastructure falls squarely on the largest e-commerce players. Enforcement will be handled by the FTC, using its existing powers against unfair or deceptive business practices, ensuring there’s a familiar regulatory structure in place to keep companies accountable.