Zara has decided to add fixed shipping costs. Regardless of how much they have spent, customers will now have to pay 3.95 euros for each home delivery or pick-up at delivery points. This is a game changer for the Spanish e-commerce fashion market.
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Previously, shipping costs for these two modes were free with a minimum spend of 30 euros, but now on Zara's website you can read "Standard delivery - 3,95 euros / FREE FOR ORDERS FROM 30 EUROS (applies only to non-discounted items)". And you find this out when you are at the end of the checkout process.
Shipping costs are not applied in case of picking up the purchase in the store, although during the sales season only some stores have this option enabled.
Another measure that has generated discontent among Zara’s consumers has been the change in their return policies. Since April, Inditex - Zara’s parent company - has been applying an additional amount within the process of returns of purchases made online or at collection points with Zara worldwide, and although in Spain it has not yet been applied, company sources say it will soon arrive.
The measure has been implemented in 30 countries and within Europe is present in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. In the latter, customers must pay 1.95 pounds for each return of one of their purchases through the online channel.
The charge is applied when making the return from the customer's home or when using a third-party collection point, exempting returns of purchases made directly in the chain's official stores. From Inditex, they explain that "stores are exempt because the store collection process is more efficient".
Taking into account the study made by IAB Spain, Ecommerce in Spain 2022, where 1 in 2 online shoppers consider the lack of shipping costs as the main reason for choosing e-commerce and 48% say they have abandoned an online shopping cart due to hidden costs such as shipping or VAT, it would be interesting to know how the change in Zara's policies can affect its sales.
