Lazada to Charge Return Shipping Fees; 'Change of Mind' Returns Exempt

[Ebrun Original] On June 28, Lazada announced that starting July 2, 2026, it will implement new shipping fee collection rules for return orders on its cross-border sites in Southeast Asia. According to the platform's latest announcement, for all orders where the buyer has confirmed receipt, successfully initiated a return and refund, and the product has been physically returned to the platform's quality inspection warehouse or the merchant, the corresponding return shipping fee will be officially charged to the merchant.

This new policy covers multiple aspects and processes.

For an order to be applicable, it must meet four conditions simultaneously: the order has been confirmed as received by the buyer; the buyer has initiated a return and refund request; the product has been successfully returned, categorized into either returning to Lazada's quality inspection warehouse (RTW) or returning to the merchant's warehouse (RTM); and the return and refund application has been approved by the platform.

Regarding the specific collection method, the platform will calculate fees based on different return paths. For returns to Lazada's quality inspection warehouse (RTW), the logistics fee charged is for shipping from the buyer's return address to the platform's local warehouse. For returns to the merchant (RTM), the fee is for shipping from the buyer's return address to the merchant's warehouse.

It is worth noting that this new policy includes clear exemption clauses.

If the consumer initiates the return and refund with the reason 'Change of Mind' (COM), the platform will waive this return shipping fee. This move is seen as protection for merchants in specific scenarios not related to product quality issues. It can help alleviate the pressure of additional logistics costs borne by merchants due to returns initiated by consumers' subjective preferences, while also helping to optimize the platform's overall return processing procedures.

To support the implementation of this new policy, Lazada has also provided merchants with clear operational guidance.

Merchants can log into the seller center and check specific fee details under the 'Return Orders' menu within the 'Orders' module, or visit the 'My Income - Income Overview' section under the 'Finance' module. If a merchant disputes a fee, they can submit an appeal by contacting the platform's ADA online customer service and entering 'Logistics Claim Guidance'.

The platform promises that if the merchant is indeed not at fault upon verification, the related fees will be refunded. Overall, this policy aims to further standardize the settlement mechanism for cross-border return logistics by clarifying fee standards and exemption conditions.

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