Germany (EU?) gives you 14 days unconditional return for online purchases, and brick and mortar retailers usually match or surpass that to stay competitive with online retailers.

While that might sound like a consumer-friendly thing, the flip side is that it adds to the base price, and worse, returning items adds significantly to the environmental footprint (delivery and packaging). I've worked for large online retailers, and women returning more than half of their ordered cloth items is happening all the time.

I agree that it has negative effects for things like consumer electronics, and the system can be gamed (buy and return instead of renting, etc.).

But unless we really tighten up the standards for clothing sizes I don't see how you could sell them online without half of them not fitting. Especially with woman's clothes, where form fit is more important and manufacturers seem to take more liberty with labeling sizes.

It’s nowhere near unconditional and not even close to anything goes culture in US.

The EU would like to have a word with you.