"200,000 Won Return Fee Becomes 280,000 Won"... Online Furniture with Return Costs Bigger Than the Item Price

Excessive Return Fees Following Quality Issues
Consumer Agency Advises "Check Return Policies Before Purchase"

#1. Mr. A purchased a bookshelf online for 198,000 won but thought the shipping fee of 140,000 won was excessive and canceled the order. However, the seller claimed the product had already been shipped and charged a return fee of 280,000 won.

#2. Mr. B bought a sofa worth 2,528,000 won online and requested repairs after wrinkles and discoloration appeared during use. However, the seller refused the return, stating that they had previously informed him that it was a made-to-order furniture item.

Recently, consumer disputes related to furniture purchased online, such as being charged excessive return fees, have been increasing, requiring caution.

The Korea Consumer Agency announced on the 14th that the number of online furniture-related damage relief applications received from 2021 to the first half of this year totaled 2,524 cases. The number of applications increased annually, with 623 cases in 2021, 697 in 2022, 785 last year, and 419 in the first half of this year.

Complaints related to quality accounted for more than half at 51.4% (1,297 cases), followed by disputes related to withdrawal of subscription, such as excessive return fee charges, at 20.6% (521 cases). In particular, withdrawal disputes increased by 79.3%, from 92 cases in 2021 to 165 cases last year.

Analyzing 149 cases where the purchase price and return fee were confirmed, 20.1% (30 cases) charged a return fee exceeding half of the purchase price. The Consumer Agency stated, "Furniture is bulkier and heavier than other manufactured goods, leading to many disputes over return fees when returning items," and urged consumers to "check return conditions, return fees, and return methods in advance before purchasing."

Looking at damage relief applications by item, disputes related to sofas and chairs were the most common at 26.1% (654 cases), followed by beds (including mattresses) at 21.6% (543 cases), and desks and tables at 18.1% (455 cases). The overall dispute settlement rate was 60.0%, with wardrobes having the highest rate at 63.6%. Set furniture, which bundles various furniture such as bedroom and kitchen sets, had the lowest settlement rate at 54.7%.

The Consumer Agency advised consumers purchasing furniture online to carefully check the product specifications, shipping costs, return conditions, and other transaction terms on the product sales site before buying. They also emphasized that for installed products, consumers should check the product’s condition during installation and immediately raise objections to the seller with evidence if defects or contract breaches occur after receipt.