Patagonia's "Earth Tax" on Chinese Shoppers Sparks Online Fury

Outdoor brand Patagonia is facing a wave of online criticism in China. The cause is a new "earth usage fee" for customers who make online purchases and then return the items. The fee, announced on March 30, applies only to shoppers on Patagonia's Tmall store. Tmall is a major Chinese online shopping platform owned by Alibaba. The company says the charge is meant to reduce excessive returns. It explained that processing returns creates carbon emissions and uses packaging resources. The move follows a surge in returns for Patagonia in China. During last year's major Double 11 shopping festival, its Tmall store shipped over 16,000 packages. A very high number of those orders were later sent back. Online reaction has been largely negative. Many Chinese social media users accused the brand of unfair pricing. Others questioned why consumers should pay for the company's environmental costs. Patagonia has long promoted environmental activism. The brand is known for its "1% for the Planet" pledge and campaigns to protect wild spaces.