You might just luck out if you want to return a gift that was purchased online. Optoro, a returns processor, says the cost of online returns is soaring, contributing to increased prices, product shortages and supply chain stress. The company says returning a $50 item is expected to cost an average of $33, up 59 percent from 2020. The bad news: retailers are expected to pass on the cost of returns in the form of higher prices. But the good news: some retailers, namely Amazon, sometimes tell the returner to just keep it, as it would cost them too much to process a return. But, don’t try to game the system to get free stuff, as there’s tracking involved that could catch you trying to take advantage.