Does Macy's do free alterations?
Fact-checked 2026-09-07 · every claim links to its source below
What Macy's says
- Macy's publishes no alterations price list and no alterations policy page. Nothing in the customer-service articles covers the service.1
- The return policy states that altered or personalised items are final sale and cannot be returned, exchanged or price-adjusted.1
- Historic context: in June 2015 Macy's and Bloomingdale's announced a partnership with zTailors to send tailors to customers' homes for alterations on online purchases. That is a 2015 announcement, not a current service.3
What buyers and reviewers report
- Alterations are offered at select Macy's locations only; prices vary by task and location, typically starting around $10, with next-day service reported at $15.2
- Whether a given store alters garments bought elsewhere is not published; the consistent third-party guidance is to call the store first, because not every location has a tailor shop.12
What an independent tailor charges
- A published New York shop list (Alterations.com, NY 10017) prices a suit-jacket sleeve shortening at $65, taking in jacket sides at $65, tapering arms at $65, reducing shoulders at $195 and shortening jacket length at $200; trousers are $30 for a hand-finished hem, $35 to take in or let out the waist and $65 to taper the legs. The shop states an average total suit alteration of $165.4
- A mid-market shop list (Sew Boise, Idaho, dated January 2022) prices a plain trouser hem at $18, tapering a coat or blazer at the sides or back at $40, shortening shirt sleeves at $18–$25, with a $10 minimum invoice, a $10 surcharge per seam set on lined garments, and rush fees of 30% (72 hours), 50% (24–72 hours) and 100% (under 24 hours).5
- Airtasker's US cost guide estimates a hem at $15–$35, a basic sleeve shortening or lengthening at $30–$70, waist work at $25–$50, a two-seam leg taper at $25–$45 and side seams at $45–$85. The page is titled for 2026 but its body is dated March 2022.6
- Thumbtack puts the national average cost of a tailoring job at $73–$232, with hemming or cuffing at $73–$107 and shortening or lengthening sleeves or pant legs at $82–$122. Those are whole jobs booked through its marketplace, not per-seam shop rates, which is why they sit above every shop list here.7
“Ordered two suits and four shirts, remotely from the US. They fit great and are great quality! Was able to do everything over WhatsApp for measurements, etc. Will definitely visit if I ever make it to Hoi An. Highly recommend!”
“Being a short and stocky person, I could never truly get clothing that fitted properly. "Off the rack" was never an option... As I opened the small box, I got nervous and wondered if I made a big mistake and basically gambled away a fair amount of money. I ordered a 3 piece suit, 2 shirts and had a pair of leather dress shoes. Everything fitted nicely... the shirts were absolutely PERFECT.”
“Very satisfied; incredibly skillful to make clothes fit so perfectly. Beautiful fabric exactly as promised, very neat — would simply love to order from here again!”
“They did such an amazing job, my suit fits perfectly and the craftsmanship is superb! Linda was a great help and she knows exactly what she is doing. I can't recommend this place enough and I will be getting more suits from them in the future guaranteed!”
“Great place to get perfect suit, they send me to Poland with no problems.”
“WOW! Ordered a suit online with Linda. She contacted me by video call to go through the measuring process and once confirmed measurements again, around 4 weeks later a made to measure suit arrived in the UK. Fitted perfectly and I didn't even visit! Fantastic quality and customer service from Linda. Would definitely recommend!”
“Exceptional experience from start to finish. I ordered a fully custom two-piece double-breasted suit remotely from France, Linda and Jennifer guided me through every step with patience and professionalism. The suit arrived in under 3 weeks and the result is flawless: fabric, cut, lining, silhouette, everything is perfect. Nathan Tailors delivered exactly the vision I had in mind. I will absolutely be ordering again. Highly recommended.”
“This was my first time buying suits online so I was a bit apprehensive. However, the online order form was both easy to use and very thorough, and they did a video call with me to make sure of a couple of measurements that were out of the normal range. Two suits and a shirt arrived here in New Zealand in less than two weeks, are well-made, and fit perfectly. I'm thrilled with the service.”
Questions people ask
Does every Macy's have a tailor?
No. Third-party reporting says alterations are available at select locations only, so call the store first 2.
How much do Macy's alterations cost?
Macy's does not publish prices. Third-party reporting puts them at about $10 upward depending on the task and location, with next-day service around $15 12.
Can I return a suit Macy's has altered?
No. Altered or personalised items are final sale under Macy's return policy 1.
Sources
What Macy's publishes
- What is Macy's return policy? — Macy's, 2026-09-07brand-stated
- Macy's and Bloomingdale's Partner with zTailors to Offer Customized Alterations of Online Purchases — Macy's, Inc. newsroom, 2015-06-01official
What buyers and the press report
- Tailoring and Alterations at Stores — Cost of Shopping, 2026-09-07third-party
- Men's Alterations price list — Alterations.com Tailor Shop, New York, 2026-09-07third-party
- Alterations Price List 2022 (PDF) — Sew Boise, 2022-01-05third-party
- How much do suit alterations cost? — Airtasker US, 2022-03-08third-party
- How much does tailoring cost? — Thumbtack, 2026-09-07third-party