Restocking Fee Calculator: Fee Deducted From a Return
Work out the restocking fee on a returned item as a percentage of its price — and the refund you actually walk away with once the fee is deducted, whether you're a buyer checking a return or a seller setting a policy.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | Restocking fee | Price plus fee |
|---|---|---|
| 15% of $500 ($75 fee) | $75.00 | $575.00 |
| 10% of $1,200 (appliance) | $120.00 | $1,320.00 |
| 25% of $300 (special order) | $75.00 | $375.00 |
| 20% of $800 (opened electronics) | $160.00 | $960.00 |
How This Calculator Works
Enter the item price and the restocking fee rate. The calculator returns the fee in dollars. A buyer's refund is the price minus that fee; a seller can read the fee as the amount retained to cover the cost of processing and reselling the return.
The Formula
Percentage Add-On
Rate is the tax or tip percentage applied to the amount
Worked Example
A 15% restocking fee on a $500 item is $75 — so a buyer returning it gets back $425, not the full $500. Restocking fees are common on electronics, appliances, special orders, and opened items, typically 10% to 25%. Many sellers waive the fee for defective products or unopened returns, so check the policy: the fee usually applies to opened, used, or non-defective returns rather than every return.
Key Insight
Restocking fees exist because a return isn't free for the seller — the item must be inspected, repackaged, possibly sold as open-box at a discount, and the original shipping is often sunk. For sellers, the fee both recovers those costs and discourages casual returns, but set it too high and it deters purchases or generates chargebacks and bad reviews. For buyers, the key is reading the return policy before purchase: know whether the fee applies, whether it's waived for defects or unopened items, and whether return shipping is also deducted. A clearly disclosed, reasonable fee (often 15% to 20%) is standard for big-ticket and special-order goods; a surprise fee at return time is a sign of a policy you should have checked first.
Restocking fee standards by product category
ELECTRONICS / APPLIANCES.
Best Buy. 15% for open-box electronics.
Apple. No restocking fee (except select products).
Costco. No restocking fee.
Sears. 15% large appliances.
FURNITURE.
Wayfair. Free returns most items.
IKEA. Free returns.
Ashley Furniture. 25% restocking + delivery fees.
West Elm / Pottery Barn. Free returns most items.
Restoration Hardware. 25% restocking custom.
MATTRESSES.
Substantial sleep-trial 90-365 days now standard.
Casper, Purple, Nectar. Free returns 100-365 days.
Brick-and-mortar. Substantial varies.
SPECIAL ORDER / CUSTOM.
Substantial 25-50% restocking.
Cabinets, custom furniture, monogrammed.
Substantial — sometimes non-refundable.
WEDDING / SEASONAL.
Substantial varies.
CONSUMER GOODS.
Amazon. Free returns 30 days most.
Walmart. Free returns most items.
Target. Free returns 90 days most.
B&M apparel. Substantial free 30-60 days.
AUTOMOTIVE PARTS.
Substantial 10-25% restocking.
Electrical parts often non-returnable.
BUSINESS RETURNS.
Substantial 15-30% restocking standard.
Office supplies, equipment, materials.
Legal framework and consumer rights
STATE LAWS substantial.
California. CA Civil Code §1723 substantial.
Substantial — full disclosure return policy required.
No restocking fee on defective products.
If no return policy posted, customer has 30 days for refund.
Connecticut. Substantial — disclosure required.
Massachusetts. Substantial — disclosure required.
Maryland. Substantial — must accept return within 7 days unless posted.
New York. Substantial — disclosure of return policy required.
Virginia. Substantial.
DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS.
Substantial — generally no restocking fee under state warranty + UCC §2-714.
FTC MAIL ORDER RULE.
Substantial 30-day shipping requirement.
Substantial refund rights if can't ship.
Substantial federal protection.
CHARGEBACK PROTECTION.
Substantial — Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA) substantial.
Credit card disputes can bypass restocking fees.
Substantial — last resort.
DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS.
Most states substantial — must be PROMINENTLY displayed before purchase.
Substantial — fine-print on receipt insufficient.
Online checkout substantial disclosure.
EXEMPTIONS typical.
Defective products.
Wrong item shipped.
Pricing errors.
Recalled products.
FTC UDAP enforcement.
Substantial — Unfair, Deceptive, Abusive Practices.
Substantial — hidden / undisclosed restocking fees.
Substantial state UDAP statutes substantial.
CONSUMER STRATEGIES.
(1) READ POLICY before purchase.
(2) DEFECTS substantial → no restocking.
(3) NEGOTIATE substantial — customer service often waives.
(4) CHARGEBACK substantial last resort.
(5) STATE AG substantial if pattern abuse.
U.S. restocking fee benchmarks by category (2024)
Reference restocking fees by category.
| Category | Restocking fee range |
|---|---|
| Electronics (Best Buy open-box) | 15% |
| Major appliances | 10-20% |
| Furniture (Ashley, RH custom) | 25% |
| Furniture (Wayfair, IKEA, WE) | 0% (free returns) |
| Mattresses (Casper, Purple, Nectar) | 0% (trial) |
| Mattresses (B&M traditional) | 10-30% |
| Special order / custom | 25-50% (or non-refundable) |
| Apparel (Target, Walmart, Amazon) | 0% within window |
| Automotive parts (electrical) | Often non-returnable |
| B2B / business equipment | 15-30% |
Must be PROMINENTLY DISCLOSED pre-purchase to enforce. CA Civil Code §1723 substantial — full disclosure required. Defective products generally exempt from restocking. FTC Mail Order Rule substantial federal protection. FCBA chargeback substantial last resort. NRF + state consumer protection laws applicable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a restocking fee calculated?
Multiply the item price by the restocking fee rate. A 15% fee on a $500 item is $75, so the buyer's refund is $425. The fee is the amount the seller keeps to cover the cost of handling and reselling the return.
What's a typical restocking fee?
Commonly 10% to 25% of the item price. Electronics, appliances, special orders, and opened items tend toward the higher end; many retailers cap it around 15% to 20%. The fee should be disclosed in the return policy before you buy.
When can a seller charge a restocking fee?
Usually on opened, used, or non-defective returns — and only if the fee was disclosed at purchase. Most sellers waive it for defective products, unopened items, or returns due to the seller's error. Some jurisdictions require clear disclosure or restrict fees, so policies must be transparent.
Does the fee include return shipping?
Not necessarily — they're often separate. Some sellers deduct both a restocking fee and return shipping from the refund, others only one. Read the policy: the combined deduction (fee plus shipping) is what determines your actual refund, and this calculator covers the percentage fee only.
Why do sellers charge restocking fees?
Returns cost money: inspection, repackaging, often reselling as discounted open-box, and unrecoverable original shipping. The fee recovers some of that cost and discourages casual or abusive returns. Set fairly and disclosed upfront, it protects margin; set too high or hidden, it costs sales and goodwill.
When is this calculator unreliable?
Less reliable when state consumer protection laws restrict (CA Civil Code §1723 substantial; CT/MD/MA/NY/VA disclosure rules), when defective product returns generally exempt from restocking, when FTC Mail Order Rule + UDAP enforcement applies, when credit card chargeback (FCBA) can bypass entirely, or when restocking fee applies to shipping vs item only differs. Must be PROMINENTLY DISCLOSED pre-purchase to enforce.
References & Authoritative Sources
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — Mail Order Rule and UDAP · consulted June 1, 2026 · Federal consumer protection
- California Department of Consumer Affairs — Refund + Return Policy Laws (CA Civil Code §1723) · consulted June 1, 2026 · State consumer protection
- National Retail Federation (NRF) — Return Practices Survey · consulted June 1, 2026 · Industry association
Related Calculators
Methodology & Review
Restocking fee = return amount × restocking %. U.S. retail norms 2024: electronics 10-25%; furniture 15-25%; appliances 10-20%; opened-box items 15-30%; special-order/custom 25-50%; consumer goods 0-15%. Calculator returns fee + net refund. Must be disclosed pre-purchase to enforce; some states (CT, MD, MA, NY, VA, etc.) restrict. RELIABILITY: Reliable for documented store policy. Less reliable when (a) state consumer protection laws restrict (CA Civil Code §1723 substantial; CT/MD/MA/NY/VA disclosure rules); (b) defective product returns generally exempt; (c) FTC mail-order rule + UDAP; (d) credit card chargeback can bypass; (e) restocking fee on shipping vs item only.
Updated