Postal Service Offers Way to Ease Returns

The Postal Service began a service Thursday for people who want to return mail-order purchases.

The service offers the customer a way to print a mailing label with paid postage on a computer printer.

One catch: The retailer has to set up an account at a local post office to offer the service.

The first retailer to join up is Altrec, a Seattle-based company selling outdoor goods.

In the system, called Returns@ease, the customer contacts the retailer via the Internet. The retailer provides the customer, also via the Internet, a postage-paid mailing label to be printed out and affixed to the return package.