But the thought of actually returning those misguided orders, she says, has always been daunting.

"There's something about the black hole of online returns that I just can't handle," the 27-year-old said. “To be honest, I cannot remember the last time I packed something up and shipped it back. I will literally do anything else: Give it to my mom, donate it, sell it on eBay.”

But now, she says, she’s found a solution: Happy Returns, which operates a kiosk in a mall five minutes from her apartment, where she can take back ill-fitting sweaters, sweatpants and other items she’s bought from online-only retailers.

She’s been there three times in the past three weeks, and she says the service has changed the way she thinks about shopping online.

“This has taken out the biggest barrier for online returns, which is the hassle of having to send something back,” said Butt, a brand manager for Unilever. “Once I get to the mall, it literally takes me a minute to get a refund.”

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