Patagonia faces criticism for ‘earth usage fee’ on online orders to curb excessive returns

American outdoor apparel brand Patagonia is facing significant backlash online after implementing an “earth usage fee” for online orders, aimed at curbing excessive returns. Announced on March 30, the fee applies exclusively to purchases made through its Tmall store, a premium online shopping platform operated by Alibaba, which also owns the South China Morning Post. During last year’s Double 11 shopping festival, Patagonia’s Tmall store shipped 16,179 packages, leading to a staggering return...

By Fran Lu