It’s the first major deals event since Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so if you’ve been eyeing something, now might be the time to buy. But you’d better hurry — the days of free shipping and returns are coming to an end. That’s today’s big story.

We’ve got an abbreviated edition today, so let’s dive right in.

But the tides are changing, correspondent Emily Stewart writes. Retailers are fed up with shoppers who abuse the system (like one woman who bought, then returned, $15,000 worth of Saks merchandise). And they’re about to crack down.

Several fan-favorite stores, like H&M, Zara, and even Amazon, have started changing their return policies. Some are charging to send items back, while others are refusing to accept some returns entirely.

Meanwhile, other brands are tightening up their shipping perks. That includes upping the minimum purchase amount eligible for free shipping or raising the cost of next-day deliveries.

The dismantling of our online-shopping utopia is a bummer, to be sure. But I can’t help but wonder if the death of these perks will push us back into the arms of local retailers — which could give small businesses a much-needed boost.

Your Monday headline catchup

A quick recap of the top news from over the weekend:

• Son of former YouTube CEO found dead in UC Berkeley dorm.
• Michael J. Fox gets a standing ovation after rare appearance presenting at the BAFTAs.
• Best Presidents Day sales: Top deals picked by our experts.
• Arizona Republicans call basic income payments ‘unearned,’ introduce a bill to ban them.
• Inside the deadly Russian Arctic prison where Alexey Navalny spent his last days.
• Handwringing over Biden’s age has Democrats worried about a repeat of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s refusal to step down.
• Utah legislature passes a bill that makes company NDAs on sexual assault and harassment unenforceable.
• Sam Altman just reminded everyone why OpenAI is leading the pack.
• All the celebrities we spotted at the 73rd NBA All-Star Game, from Lil Wayne to Ivanka Trump.
• The most daring looks celebrities wore at the 2024 People’s Choice Awards.

Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, editor, in London. George Glover, reporter, in London.

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