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No More Free Returns
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Dec 11, 2022 08:41:34   #
tomad Loc: North Carolina
 
Amazon actually advertises, promotes and encourages "try before you buy" on a lot of clothing items. You pick up to 6 items you want to try on and they are sent to you with no payment required. You have a week to try them and then choose what, if any, you want to keep and what you want to return (free of charge). Only after you decide do you get charged for what you keep. I use it all the time, I'm a hard person to fit in shoes as I have a wide forefoot and a narrow heel. Recently I ordered 6 different pairs of running shoes that ranged from $90 to $200, kept one and sent the others back. Another time I ordered 4 different sweat pants to "try" and ended up keeping them all.

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Dec 11, 2022 08:47:18   #
Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.
 
jerryc41 wrote:
Stores are starting to re-think their "Free Return" policies. They say that online customers return 47% of what they buy. Wow! If I return half a dozen things I buy from Amazon over the course of a year, that's a lot. It costs companies a fortune nation-wide, and people buy items on a whim, knowing they can return them for free. I've actually seen places advising people to buy several similar items and return the ones they don't like. I think that's irresponsible. It will be interesting to see how this works out. Maybe companies could base the cost of returns on a customer's history. If one company makes the move, they'll all follow suit.

I do more canceling with Amazon than returning, usually because something will take too long to arrive. Amazon occasionally asks me if I'm willing to wait. Sometimes Yes and sometimes No.
Stores are starting to re-think their "Free R... (show quote)


I almost never return but when I moved into my new house I replaced all my ceiling fans, 6 of them, I had to return three of them over the course of a couple of months for various reasons, but I think those were the first returns to Amazon in the last decade, then came this Christmas, had to return a couple of knives I purchased for my son, believe it or not they were too sharp, his wife was afraid to use them. Christmas came early because I only see them during the Thanksgiving holiday.

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Dec 11, 2022 08:52:44   #
BebuLamar
 
I think they eventually can do no more easy return when the online businesses manage to kill all the local businesses. I think it's the trend. So when you have no other choices they can do that.

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Dec 11, 2022 09:37:51   #
fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH
 
I'm with most here that it's abusive to buy 5 of a clothing item so you can "try them all on" and return those you don't want. On the other hand, how else will on-line stores compete with brick and mortar stores that let you do exactly that? Other than damaged items, I've returned things because the advertised and illustrated color is clearly not what I received. My son wanted a small, green, canvas backpack and I almost ordered one until numerous customer reviews repeatedly complained that what the company called and showed as green, was in fact, khaki.

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Dec 11, 2022 09:51:17   #
BebuLamar
 
fourlocks wrote:
I'm with most here that it's abusive to buy 5 of a clothing item so you can "try them all on" and return those you don't want. On the other hand, how else will on-line stores compete with brick and mortar stores that let you do exactly that? Other than damaged items, I've returned things because the advertised and illustrated color is clearly not what I received. My son wanted a small, green, canvas backpack and I almost ordered one until numerous customer reviews repeatedly complained that what the company called and showed as green, was in fact, khaki.
I'm with most here that it's abusive to buy 5 of a... (show quote)


Yes so it comes down to which way would you choose? It comes down to what the customers want. And so I blamed it on Jerry.

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Dec 11, 2022 10:18:17   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
Rich2236 wrote:
I'm sorry, I don't agree with most of the people here. And here is my reasoning: When you go to a store, there are many items that you can try on. You have the option of buying just the right piece of clothing...ie: the color you want, the size you want, the style you want. In other words, you get to CHOOSE the item right there AFTER you try on 2,3 or maybe 4 of the items. In essence, when you order on line, you don't have the luxury of seeing, feeling the material, and most of all trying it on, so, when someone orders multiples of an item, they have to try them all on and choose the right one and send the rest back. It is almost the same as being in the store. No one is abusing the return policy. Now, if the store says no more returns will be accepted, that store will soon be out of business.

This is in MHO.
I'm sorry, I don't agree with most of the people h... (show quote)


I've been lucky buying clothes online, but most of what I buy is not to wear, and I know what I'm getting ahead of time - camera, lens, drill, car parts.

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Dec 11, 2022 10:21:01   #
Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.
 
Rich2236 wrote:
I'm sorry, I don't agree with most of the people here. And here is my reasoning: When you go to a store, there are many items that you can try on. You have the option of buying just the right piece of clothing...ie: the color you want, the size you want, the style you want. In other words, you get to CHOOSE the item right there AFTER you try on 2,3 or maybe 4 of the items. In essence, when you order on line, you don't have the luxury of seeing, feeling the material, and most of all trying it on, so, when someone orders multiples of an item, they have to try them all on and choose the right one and send the rest back. It is almost the same as being in the store. No one is abusing the return policy. Now, if the store says no more returns will be accepted, that store will soon be out of business.

This is in MHO.
I'm sorry, I don't agree with most of the people h... (show quote)


I totally agree with you. As an example I went to Penney's a couple of weeks ago to buy a pair of L--v-s. Five pairs of 38x30 and not one fit the same as another!. Longer...shorter...tighter...looser. I will continue to buy more than one pair as long as Amazon allows it. Return-free hassles is the major reason I (and I'm sure MANY other people) shop on Amazon whenever I can. I don't know of any nation wide chain store that doesn't offer refunds. You nailed it Rich. NO returns...NO customers.

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Dec 11, 2022 10:54:29   #
Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA
 
jerryc41 wrote:
Stores are starting to re-think their "Free Return" policies. They say that online customers return 47% of what they buy. Wow! If I return half a dozen things I buy from Amazon over the course of a year, that's a lot. It costs companies a fortune nation-wide, and people buy items on a whim, knowing they can return them for free. I've actually seen places advising people to buy several similar items and return the ones they don't like. I think that's irresponsible. It will be interesting to see how this works out. Maybe companies could base the cost of returns on a customer's history. If one company makes the move, they'll all follow suit.

I do more canceling with Amazon than returning, usually because something will take too long to arrive. Amazon occasionally asks me if I'm willing to wait. Sometimes Yes and sometimes No.
Stores are starting to re-think their "Free R... (show quote)


Not always -- sometimes you can actually get paid for using a service. If you take your returns to a Kohl's department store, they will give you a 5.00 coupon to spend in the store.

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Dec 11, 2022 11:05:45   #
Nalu Loc: Southern Arizona
 
I am hopeful for a revision in return policies. Maybe my wife would stop buying so much stuff!😊

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Dec 11, 2022 11:41:48   #
MikeJ Loc: North Georgia USA
 
"I recall the old days of Rich's department store in Atlanta..."

When I moved to Atlanta in 1974, Rich's and Davisons were in their prime. I bought a lot of stuff from both, but mostly from Rich's. Your mention of those stores brought back good memories.

Mike

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Dec 11, 2022 12:35:22   #
mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska
 
Online stores still need warehouse space, and that can be expensive too. If you're a third-party merchant selling through Amazon using their warehouses, they charge you by the month for the space you take up, and the rate is higher for things that don't have high turnover.

Amazon has a deal with Kohls where you can return things there. I think I've used it twice in the last year, once for a mixer attachment that didn't fit the mixer and another for something that was too big for my refrigerator. I've had a few things that were disappointments, but I didn't figure that was Amazon's fault.

A lot of the returns wind up being sold at a discount, auctioned off in lots or just landfilled.

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Dec 11, 2022 12:44:40   #
BebuLamar
 
mikenolan wrote:

A lot of the returns wind up being sold at a discount, auctioned off in lots or just landfilled.


However, if you go to Kohl's try out 10 shirts and buy 2 and then later return 1 none of the shirts would go to land fill. They have people refold the shirts and sell them. So it's not a waste like the online store. You do have to pay people at the store to do that but instead of land fill it provide people jobs and money.

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Dec 11, 2022 13:31:16   #
mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska
 
And if Kohls had the same variety of styles and colors as the online stores, I'd probably shop there more often, even if the price is usually a bit higher than online.

Both of the times I returned something there I got a Kohls Bucks coupon ($5 both times, I think.) I used one of them, but not the other. They expire in a week.

I don't think I fall into the 'serial returner' category

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Dec 11, 2022 14:32:19   #
Old Coot
 
jerryc41 wrote:
Stores are starting to re-think their "Free Return" policies. They say that online customers return 47% of what they buy. Wow! If I return half a dozen things I buy from Amazon over the course of a year, that's a lot. It costs companies a fortune nation-wide, and people buy items on a whim, knowing they can return them for free. I've actually seen places advising people to buy several similar items and return the ones they don't like. I think that's irresponsible. It will be interesting to see how this works out. Maybe companies could base the cost of returns on a customer's history. If one company makes the move, they'll all follow suit.

I do more canceling with Amazon than returning, usually because something will take too long to arrive. Amazon occasionally asks me if I'm willing to wait. Sometimes Yes and sometimes No.
Stores are starting to re-think their "Free R... (show quote)


Actually I think it is smart shopping.! Costco encourages returns. Costco does not have changing rooms so the only way you can tell if clothing fits is to take it home to try on. I always take 2 sizes of item because it seem that no two manufacturers have the same standards. Amazon plainly states that you can return any item and many stores have huge signs prominently displayed as to where you can return items.

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Dec 11, 2022 14:34:07   #
mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska
 
The point of the article is that return policies are changing. Maybe not at Amazon, yet, but that may happen.

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