Clothes I bought online don't fit. Can I return them? Is there a cooling-off period?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Most of us buy clothes online now, but whether you can send back an item that is the wrong size or colour depends on the shop. Many people in Japan assume that online purchases carry a legal "cooling-off" right. They do not. Here are the rules that actually apply, and how to buy so that you need to return less often.
Return rules
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Cooling-off | There is no statutory cooling-off period for online / mail-order sales (it applies to door-to-door and telephone sales). "You can cool off on online purchases" is a misunderstanding |
| Returns policy (返品特約) | The return conditions displayed by each shop take priority (Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, Articles 11 and 15-3). Check the "Returns" page and the legal disclosure page (特定商取引法に基づく表記) before ordering |
| If no policy is displayed | You may return within 8 days of delivery, paying the return postage yourself (the statutory return right) |
| Typical conditions | Unused, tags attached, accessories included, within 7–30 days of delivery. Trying on is fine; washed, worn or smelling items are not accepted is the norm |
| Often non-returnable | Underwear, swimwear, socks, sale items, made-to-order, shipped from overseas, personalised items |
| Postage | Size or colour exchange free; change-of-mind returns charged (¥500–1,000); defective or wrong items at the shop's cost is common |
| Defective or wrong item | Regardless of the returns policy, you can demand an exchange or refund for non-conformity with the contract (Civil Code). Take photos and contact the shop |
| Overseas shops | Japanese law often does not apply, and return postage can exceed the price of the item. Customs duty and consumption tax are charged separately too |
Reducing sizing mistakes
| Step | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Measure clothes you own | Lay a favourite garment flat and note shoulder width, chest width (half the circumference), body length, sleeve length; for trousers waist, hips, front rise, inseam, thigh width, hem width |
| 2. Compare with the product's "actual measurements" | Look at the measurement chart, not "M" or "size 9". The same S can differ by 2–5 cm between brands. Do not confuse "nude" measurements (your body) with garment measurements (the clothes) (see our article on size labels) |
| 3. Reviews | Comments on fit and fabric such as "I'm usually an M but this runs large" or "the fabric is thin". Reviews that give height and weight are the most useful |
| 4. Fabric and stretch | All-cotton fabric does not stretch; polyurethane blends stretch; knits stretch. Allow for shrinkage in the wash (cotton, linen and rayon shrink) |
| 5. Try-on services | Try at home (Amazon Prime Try Before You Buy, ZOZO's free-return period); brands that offer collection and returns in store |
| 6. Read the returns policy before ordering | Deadline, postage, condition requirements, refund method (some shops refund only in points) |
- Try-on etiquette: do not remove tags; avoid getting make-up or perfume on the garment; try indoors for a short time; do not walk on the floor in shoes. Some people order several sizes intending to return the rest, but some shops have restricted the accounts of customers with high return rates.
- How to return: apply through the shop's My Page or contact address → follow the return instructions → post within the deadline → refund (1–2 weeks). Check whether cash-on-delivery return postage is accepted, and keep the tracking number. Parcels sent back without applying first may be refused.
- Flea-market apps and private sales (Mercari etc.): returns are not accepted in principle ("no claims, no returns"). If the item differs from the description or is faulty, go through the platform's support office.
- Subscriptions and repeat purchases: many disputes arise where a "first order free" offer turns into a recurring contract. Check the cancellation terms; the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions requires a final confirmation screen (2022 amendment).
- If you are stuck: call the Consumer Affairs Centre hotline (188) (消費生活センター, the local consumer advice service). A shop refusing returns without displaying a returns policy, or refusing to exchange a faulty item, is a valid subject for advice.
[Verify] Check the statutory return right (8 days) under the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, the duty to display a returns policy, and the 2022 amendment's final-confirmation-screen rule against Consumer Affairs Agency materials.
Misunderstanding 1｜Online purchases have a cooling-off period
There is no statutory cooling-off for mail-order sales. Whether you can return depends on the shop's returns policy. Check before ordering.
Misunderstanding 2｜If the size is wrong I can always return it
Change-of-mind returns follow the shop's rules. Only where no policy is displayed can you return within 8 days at your own postage cost.
Misunderstanding 3｜An "M" is the same as another brand's "M"
The same label can differ by 2–5 cm in actual measurements. Compare the measurements of clothes you own with the product's measurement chart.
Misunderstanding 4｜If it says "no returns", I have to accept a faulty item
For faulty or wrong items you can demand an exchange or refund regardless of the returns policy. Take photos and contact the shop; if they refuse, call the Consumer Affairs Centre.
Misunderstanding 5｜Overseas shops accept returns just like Japanese ones
Japanese law does not reach them, and return postage and customs duty often leave you out of pocket. Avoid buying with a return in mind.
---
Sources
- Consumer Affairs Agency, "Guide to the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions: mail-order sales (returns policy and statutory return right)" [特定商取引法ガイド：通信販売（返品特約・法定返品権）]
https://www.no-trouble.caa.go.jp/what/mailorder/
- National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, "Return disputes in online shopping" [インターネット通販の返品トラブル]
https://www.kokusen.go.jp/
- Consumer Affairs Agency, "Household Goods Quality Labelling Act: size labelling of textile products (JIS L4001–4007)" [家庭用品品質表示法：繊維製品のサイズ表示]
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/representation/household_goods/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Follow the care label and the maker's instructions for any garment, shoe or bag. For expensive or sentimental items, ask a specialist cleaner or repairer.
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