Shoppers versus return policies.

Brookswood

Brookswood

Senior Member
Returns are costing stores a lot of money. As a result some have changed their return policies to make returns harder and more expensive. But, It looks like some shoppers are starting to resist harsh return policies. Where is the balance? I am not sure. I like to be able to return merchandise that is defective or not needed. OTOH, I don’t want to pay for people who abuse the return policies and drive up prices. I can cost a retailer about $20 to process a return.

Shoppers are pushing back. They are reading the fine print of return policies and product reviews that they hope will help them the quality and fit of potential purchases. Some have stopped buying altogether from retailers that charge for returns.
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Return fraud is also on the rise. In 2023, nearly 14% of retail returns were fraudulent, up from 10.4% a year earlier, according to the National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail.
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It's nuts.

Too many people abuse it and ruin the entire thing for more honest people. Are they idiots, or just addicted to shopping and call treat stores as their second home? But yeah, people do some dumb things. Putting alkalines into a device that needs NiMH cells. Pouring pancake syrup in when their engine oil is low. Why wouldn't they buy shoes too small for their clod-hopping hooves, etc?

Not to mention the despicable fraud.
 
I don’t like to purchase anything unless there’s a good return policy. Costco has the best return policy with no questions asked. Amazon has a fairly good policy however it’s no good without Canada post. Walmart has a good refund policy. Those are the places we shop the most.
 

With all of the information that online retailers collect it seems like they could come up with some sort of three strikes and you’re out policy to charge or ban people that abuse their return privileges.

I smell a new and lucrative income stream embedded in the flap over returns. 😉🤭😂
 
I got caught once when I bought a pair of Skechers walking shoes. It felt good in the store, so I bought them. I went out the next day and wore them but the elastic on the sides made my feet swell up. I couldn't return them because I had removed all the labels, they cost me $136.00. So I just gave them to a friend.
 
I’ve had issues with Nonib whom are now in receivership along with Millers / Rockmans / RIves/ Katie’s ( all,one company )
They have 97% NEGATIVE reviews on Product review ….
For things like returns .

I recently purchased a white top online to wear to a Christmas function , it’s had quite clearly been worn by the pilling inside the top and it had a horrendous smell like a mix of sweat / 😰 purfume, and very poor quality fabric but refused to give me a refund ..it cost me $50


@oscash

I binned an almost new pair of sketchers as they almost tripped me up 3 times ..they tend to “catch“ on tiles and carpet .

I see a physio ever now and then for a knee issue ,and he advised me to stay away from Sketchers shoes ….yes they are spongy but offer little back / knee support ……82% Negative (n)(n)(n)reviews for one thing or another…

.i stand by product review for honest reviews
 
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PeppermintPatty said:
I don’t like to purchase anything unless there’s a good return policy. Costco has the best return policy with no questions asked. Amazon has a fairly good policy however it’s no good without Canada post. Walmart has a good refund policy. Those are the places we shop the most.
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We’ve been a member of Costco since it opened in Adelaide 11 years ago, we get our types / battery for our car from them ( and petrol as it’s always 20 cents a ltr cheaper than other outlets) like shell / ampol / or even independents…like Pie face / united


We’ve never really had to return much ..think it was a set of double walled/ clear plastic drinking cups that were more the size of milkshake cups ..they Leaked ….

We bought my Sony 85 inch tv I’ve got in the seperate lounge room along with the Sony sound system last year their prices were really good and as we are aware they stand by their refund / warranty practices
@PeppermintPatty
 
Kadee said:
I’ve had issues with Nonib whom are now in receivership along with Millers / Rockmans / RIves/ Katie’s ( all,one company )
They have 97% NEGATIVE reviews on Product review ….
For things like returns .

I recently purchased a white top online to wear to a Christmas function , it’s had quite clearly been worn by the pilling inside the top and it had a horrendous smell like a mix of sweat / 😰 purfume, and very poor quality fabric but refused to give me a refund ..it cost me $50


@oscash

I binned an almost new pair of sketchers as they almost tripped me up 3 times ..they tend to “catch“ on tiles and carpet .

I see a physio ever now and then for a knee issue ,and he advised me to stay away from Sketchers shoes ….yes they are spongy but offer little back / knee support ……82% Negative (n)(n)(n)reviews for one thing or another…

.i stand by product review for honest reviews
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/skechers
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Hi Kadee: I can support what you said about Skechers tripping you up. I was visiting a friend in a nursing home and my shoes caught on the tiles and I went down injuring my knee. I don't buy them anymore as one friend said her podiatrist said they were not suitable for walking. I only wish I had read the reviews before purchasing them and wasting my money.
 
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oscash said:
Hi Kadee: I can support what you said about Skechers tripping you up. I was visiting a friend in a nursing home and my shoes caught on the tiles and I went down injuring my knee. I don't buy them anymore as one friend said her podiatrist said they were not suitable for walking. I only wish I had read the reviews before purchasing them and wasting my money.
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I now stick to Ecco shoes they offer me support where I need it ….stability / I feel sure footed If that makes sense ….when I walk in mine , even tho I’ve got good balance due to dancing it still reassuring to have good stable footware as you painfully experienced @oscash

My choice are approved by THE physio I go to 3-4 times a year ( he just sold his business after 45 years ) but still works a few days a week ….They have removable innersoles
they can be quite pricy …unless you buy them on sale

This is what I wear most of the time , I’ve got white and black
ECCO Women's Soft 60 Sneakers

I 100% recommend you read Product review before laying out any money for anything over $20 …just type in the business you are buying from into PR
 
I think it is people have no problem simply abusing return processes. They simply do not care if retailers take a loss but seemingly surprised when retailers are forced to change return polices

Things " they just tried on" were clearly worn.
Items they had NOT used ....were...
I have read stories of toaster returned to Amazon with bread left in it...
I work in industrial equipment......... people do not listen to specs and sales experts about what the product can or cannot do.
They "think" it will work for their situation... buy it....... then quickly see the item was not made for that purpose and they were told so ......... then complain about restocking fees. ( many of these are hundreds or thousands of dollars ).
We had someone who bought product ONLINE .........and Then said they wanted to return because it was too expensive. Seriously the online check out shows the PRICE several times before online process is complete.
When is being a an idiot useful ? .......when you just want to return stuff.

People are simply spoiled by insane return policies that some retailers think created customer service .... now even Amazon limits some returns and chronic returns are flagged and customers blocked from returning.
 
Aunt Bea said:
With all of the information that online retailers collect it seems like they could come up with some sort of three strikes and you’re out policy to charge or ban people that abuse their return privileges.
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When my small business still sold retail we had stated 30 day return or exchange policy. Tags had to be attached, and the garment had to be in new, saleable condition, i.e., not worn or laundered.

Sniff test and different garment feel told us if it was laundered. People lied like crazy - some tried to return garments with their child's name already marked on the label.

Obviously, we took factory defects back with no problem, plus often allowed size swaps beyond the 30 day window.

Some customers were serial returners. They shopped for entertainment and to socialize, eating 45 minutes of an employee's time during the purchase and two weeks later requiring another 30+ minutes to process the return. Exchanges would entail yet another encounter when they'd come back to exchange the exchange.

Maddening.

Eventually I put notes on their files so when they came in again they were advised that there would be a 25% surcharge on future exchanges or returns of all purchases. We noted it on our computer and wrote it out on their receipts. Stopped that nonsense in its tracks.

Given this experience, I understand online retailers who institute draconian policies for abusers.
 
I choose places I spend money on based on:

1) customer service;
2) quality of products, and
3) a good return policy.

The world is getting so crowded and weird these days, I don't need hassle from someone who wants my money!
 
I'm not a returner. I don't have the patience. If I buy clothes that don't fit, I'll fix them myself with needle and thread, scissors. Some other products I'll just suck it up if I can't repair them myself or find some other use for them.
 
I almost never return a product that I've bought "in person" (unless it turns out to be defective). Most often, if I return an online purchase it's because the item was not accurately described.

I just returned a winter coat to a major US outfitter because it was described as being suitable for a certain temperature range. Yes, I removed the tags. Yes, I wore it (gently) outside on a cold day. There is no way that coat is suitable for the stated temperatures.

This was a case where the Marketing Department's penchant for "gilding the lily" came back to bite them and I have no qualms about returning it. If an online description is clearly inaccurate . . . then it's on them.
 
With few exceptions, nearly every time I shop for clothes in person, I do not try the items on in the store.
Especially in the summer or when humid weather is in season.
The changing rooms of many shops are close, hot and/or humid.
Not to mention usually not clean or well attended.
I also don't like the bother of undressing and re-dressing or having to find some store attendant to go look up a different size for me and bring it back to me.

In smaller upper end stores, such as Tommy Bahama's the customer service and attendance to detail makes shopping for clothes more pleasant. But then again one pays more for high quality service; as well as for well made classic type clothing that lasts for decades.
 
PeppermintPatty said:
I don’t like to purchase anything unless there’s a good return policy. Costco has the best return policy with no questions asked. Amazon has a fairly good policy however it’s no good without Canada post. Walmart has a good refund policy. Those are the places we shop the most.
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Amazon is great even without Canada post. It’s a bit slower service lately but we ordered some Woodstove baffles and they came yesterday via courier. We were pleasantly surprised.
 
I hate to have to make returns but will when it's necessary. I buy from Amazon a lot and they make it really easy to return things and consumers usually have a month. The items must be in new, unused condition. Some must be in original packaging, some not. I would certainly consider a store's return policy before purchasing from them.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
I hate to have to make returns but will when it's necessary. I buy from Amazon a lot and they make it really easy to return things and consumers usually have a month. The items must be in new, unused condition. Some must be in original packaging, some not. I would certainly consider a store's return policy before purchasing from them.
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Like you, I don't make a lot of returns and try to make an item work for me. When it doesn't, I've had almost no trouble getting returns processed by Amazon and the other stores I purchase from regularly. My overall Amazon return rate is probably under 5%. Other retailers? Less than 1%.

As I mentioned in #14 above, legitimate returns are rarely problematic for most retailers. But serial returners - the type who typically buy 10 outfits only to return 8 of them? Pfftt... that's taking advantage of a liberal return policy. Retailers will eventually flag them and mark their receipts as we did or refuse altogether to sell to them.
 
What gets me is when they charge a "restocking fee". Yeah - some high school dropout shoves it back on the shelf.

One time in Job Lots, I refused to buy a pair of shoes because it the shelf tag said $12, but they rang up $25. I told the checkout person to take them off the receipt. She said something to the effect, "I already rang it up." I replied, Well, un-ring it," The manager was summoned; words were exchanged. The shoes disappeared and a new receipt was issued.
 
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Kadee said:
I’ve had issues with Nonib whom are now in receivership along with Millers / Rockmans / RIves/ Katie’s ( all,one company )
They have 97% NEGATIVE reviews on Product review ….
For things like returns .

I recently purchased a white top online to wear to a Christmas function , it’s had quite clearly been worn by the pilling inside the top and it had a horrendous smell like a mix of sweat / 😰 purfume, and very poor quality fabric but refused to give me a refund ..it cost me $50


@oscash

I binned an almost new pair of sketchers as they almost tripped me up 3 times ..they tend to “catch“ on tiles and carpet .

I see a physio ever now and then for a knee issue ,and he advised me to stay away from Sketchers shoes ….yes they are spongy but offer little back / knee support ……82% Negative (n)(n)(n)reviews for one thing or another…

.i stand by product review for honest reviews
Click to expand...
Me too! I have friends who love Sketchers and have never had a problem but, I wouldn't buy them again.
 

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