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How is this possible? about any time any item return policies

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swl

Shiny_Rock
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Can someone explain to me how is it possible for some companies to allow people to return any product at anytime, even if the product has been used, washed,or deconstructed? wouldn''t people just abuse this rule?
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I am sure most people wouldn''t do it, but I am also sure there are people who will definitely take advantage of it. So how exactly do companies manage these constant purchase and returns?
 
Date: 11/22/2009 11:47:11 PM
Author:swl
Can someone explain to me how is it possible for some companies to allow people to return any product at anytime, even if the product has been used, washed,or deconstructed? wouldn''t people just abuse this rule?
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I am sure most people wouldn''t do it, but I am also sure there are people who will definitely take advantage of it. So how exactly do companies manage these constant purchase and returns?
Try it, and get back to us.... ???
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Because generally companies that do this (i.e., Nordstroms) are very well established and they make a lot of money-so they can afford to take back used items every now and then. Not to mention the fact that inevitably it gets them more business-so it is cyclical.

Even if some people abuse it most are honest and don''t. And for those that truly abuse it they could always restrict them from shopping/returning there.
 
sky high prices to start with.
 
Costco has a great return policy.

Unfortunately some people do take advantage inappropriately, like returning electronics when a new version comes out, then returning that gadget when another version comes out.
I knew a woman who did this with iPods.
They do keep track of and deal with repeat offenders.

But companies do their homework.
They must make up for the returns in the additional sales that the policy generates.
 
I heard that you can return used/open makeup to walmart. I havent tried it but I dont know how much money I have
wasted on makeup that''s not the right color for me. May be worth a try. Of course I could just go to a real store
and have the cosmetic ladies try different shades on me. Might be cheaper in the long run.
 
Date: 11/23/2009 1:47:30 AM
Author: Karl_K
sky high prices to start with.
exactly, we always calculate theft/breakage into our IMU''s
 
Retailers know the abusers from the average consumers. It really doesn''t take long for them to figure out who is abusing the system and they will deal with that sort of thing accordingly, i.e. "flagging" that person''s information so they can no longer take advantage of the return policy.
 
Sephora does this. But, they also are very generous with their samples if you ask, so I''m guessing that they don''t get a mass amounts of returns. I have wondered that myself too. I''ve also wondered if they track how many returns you make (I know that walmart does this)?
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Date: 11/23/2009 10:00:37 AM
Author: exoticisabella
Sephora does this. But, they also are very generous with their samples if you ask, so I''m guessing that they don''t get a mass amounts of returns. I have wondered that myself too. I''ve also wondered if they track how many returns you make (I know that walmart does this)?
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Every store with a computer system tracks returns. They track absolutely everything.
 
I wonder about this with stores like Barnes and Noble and Borders. My sister just returned a book yesterday because she read the first 50 pages and hated it and the story was too slow. I never thought to return a book. I figured that they would assume you already read it and just want to return it and say no. But she didn''t have any issues returning it.

Nordstrom will supposedly even take back things that they don''t even SELL.... I heard some story (urban myth maybe) about a gal who returned some Keds to the store when Nordy''s didn''t even sell Keds. Supposedly they took them back.

There is a book about Nordstrom''s success out there that also references their extremely generous return policy.
 
Date: 11/23/2009 10:33:10 AM
Author: Mara
I wonder about this with stores like Barnes and Noble and Borders. My sister just returned a book yesterday because she read the first 50 pages and hated it and the story was too slow. I never thought to return a book. I figured that they would assume you already read it and just want to return it and say no. But she didn't have any issues returning it.

Nordstrom will supposedly even take back things that they don't even SELL.... I heard some story (urban myth maybe) about a gal who returned some Keds to the store when Nordy's didn't even sell Keds. Supposedly they took them back.

There is a book about Nordstrom's success out there that also references their extremely generous return policy.
I've returned books to Borders or B & N before with no problems at all!

I generally only shop at places with generous return policies. I also love stores that offer receipt lookup so if you accidentally lose the receipt, they can look it up with your credit card (if the item was purchased that way).
 
the company/retailer i work for uses it as a marketing and public relations tool.I tell emost every customer that they can use any of our products for 30 days and if they dont like it them its returnable with the reciept(must have reciept!)Even the leather hand bags and luggage are re-turnable...we get a ton of product back that is distroyed but most people buy up and rarely ask for their money back.
 
true fact about nordies- they have the smallest employee manual. it basically just says, "do the right thing."
 
Date: 11/23/2009 1:47:30 AM
Author: Karl_K
sky high prices to start with.
Not necessarily true.

Costco is known for good prices. Tons of people shop at costco even though they are small households with no need for bulk. Costco (and probably Sam''s Club) is the only place I can think of where impulse shopping is how people shop...where else do you know where people go down EVERY aisle to see what''s new?

Because of this, getting a product into Costco is a real coup for vendors. Competition is stiff and Costco only usually wants the market leader in the category - for instance, with laundry detergent they will take Tide and their own brand, and there''s not much else. Costco''s return policy is generous and as a vendor, if you want to do business with Costco, you MUST be willing to take your merchandise back, period.

So Costco brought in the customers (i.e. demand) and vendors are willing to cater to that demand, hence the great return policy.
 
Date: 11/23/2009 10:00:37 AM
Author: exoticisabella
Sephora does this. But, they also are very generous with their samples if you ask, so I'm guessing that they don't get a mass amounts of returns. I have wondered that myself too. I've also wondered if they track how many returns you make (I know that walmart does this)?
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Sephora only recently began asking for ID. For most of the years I've shopped there, they've never asked for a receipt for a return. They would just give out a gift card/credit. I'm terrible about keeping receipts and have returned items like creams that make me break out. Recently rather than risk that again, the gal gave me 15 samples!

A while back on the radio a guy talked about how he use to have one of those little devices that attach the plastic piece which holds the tag onto clothes. He would buy cheap pants at TJ MAXX and an expensive pair at Nordstrom and then switch out the tags so he'd end up with a fancy pair of Nord pants at TJMAXX prices. He said that the employees would often look horrified that such a low-quaility product was being sold at Nord, but he always got money back. This was YEARS ago before they began attaching the return stickers on the tags.
 
Wal-Mart used to do this (I worked there...very, very briefly, ugh). People would buy shoes, wear them for a year, and then RETURN THEM! Needless to say, they put an end to that after losing a heck of a lot of money.
 
Date: 11/23/2009 11:55:37 AM
Author: MonkeyPie
Wal-Mart used to do this (I worked there...very, very briefly, ugh). People would buy shoes, wear them for a year, and then RETURN THEM! Needless to say, they put an end to that after losing a heck of a lot of money.
that reminds me of one time when i was at a shoe store, opened up the box, and found a dirty pair of shoes that someone obviously left in there and took the new ones. the best part was, that they were the same shoes, just obviously a whole lot older/dirtier.
 
Date: 11/23/2009 12:14:42 PM
Author: charbie
Date: 11/23/2009 11:55:37 AM

Author: MonkeyPie

Wal-Mart used to do this (I worked there...very, very briefly, ugh). People would buy shoes, wear them for a year, and then RETURN THEM! Needless to say, they put an end to that after losing a heck of a lot of money.

that reminds me of one time when i was at a shoe store, opened up the box, and found a dirty pair of shoes that someone obviously left in there and took the new ones. the best part was, that they were the same shoes, just obviously a whole lot older/dirtier.

Ugh!
 
RE: Costco
A friend of mine said that he once saw a person returning a half eaten cake, and Costco accepted it. Said he didn''t like it.
Another person said that Costco accepted a 5 year old sofa without a receipt.

TG, I''ve always wondered why Costco doesn''t have much of a selection. Now I know. Thanks.
 
well I just did this with Dooney (they reimbursed me for part of my shipping and now I have a new bag) I have never returned a bag that I have worn for 10 months but if I were to spend $300 on a bag, you''d think it would last longer than a year even. I had registered my bag when I bought it last year, and it was in storage for another two months during the summer.
 
Costco actually has an unwritten limit on returns of $10,000 per member per year. I had a co-worker who would purchase a laptop, use it for a month, return it and immediately buy a new one. He did this 10 times and the last time the manager stepped in and said that they wouldn''t accept any more returns for him on electronic items.
 
Costco has gotten stricter on their returns. My Costco is right next to their corporate headquarters though, maybe it''s just that store? I believe for some things, you have to have a receipt now.

I knew someone who returned a TV because his friend had gone through it. Like literally fallen through the screen. They took it back!
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Home Depot used to be much more generous with their returns also (I used to work there). People did start abusing that so the policy firmed up. People would try to return their xmas trees under the 90-day ''if your plant dies'' rule
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, or return their lawnmowers in October after the season.
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Also REI has an awesome return policy if you are a member. I can''t remember how much it costs for a membership but it was really cheap.

When I was a nanny one of the hardest, most awkward things I had to do was return a snowsuit that was almost a year old. It hadn''t been used and still had the tags, but no reciept. As soon as I mentioned my bosses were members (I don''t even know if I had a card) they took it back no questions asked. Honestly, that experience made me love REI because it is nice to have that type of protection. I hate buying things and they don''t work out but I didn''t find out until I used them and they are unreturnable. I have tons of shoes in my closet that I only wore once because they were uncomfortable, but I didn''t start to get blisters until after wearing them outside and scuffing the bottoms of the shoes. Sometimes you don''t know until you use it.

On a side note, I can''t believe how many of you know someone who ADMITS to abusing the system, that''s crazy!
 
Costco and Nordstrom both have outlets for their returned items. We have Last Chance here in Phoenix, it''s where Nordstrom sends all their returns/overstocks/clearence that was too damaged or out of season to go back on the racks. It''s an awesome place to shop, but looks like a Thrift Store! There''s also a liquidation place here that gets the returned TVs and overstocked clothes from Costco. So they do still sell the things, just at reduced/maybe loosing money prices.
 
I used to work at a certain stuffed animal store and their goal was to be better than Nordstroms with customer service... so we took *everything* back..even the free stuffed animals given away as promotions... People would usually just want to exchange the item.. Very rarely did people come in and demand money.. they just wanted to put it towards something else..usually something more expensive. My favorite was when parents would come in with their kid and their five year old stuffed animal and say it was "worn out" and they wanted to return it. So yes, people take advantage of the system.. but in the end they still spend money and they keep coming back because they know they will always leave satisfied.. The companies who have return policies like this aren''t exactly hurting.. I truly believe customer service can make or break a company.
 
Date: 11/23/2009 2:05:45 AM
Author: kenny
Costco has a great return policy.

Unfortunately some people do take advantage inappropriately, like returning electronics when a new version comes out, then returning that gadget when another version comes out.
I knew a woman who did this with iPods.
They do keep track of and deal with repeat offenders.

But companies do their homework.
They must make up for the returns in the additional sales that the policy generates.
Nordstrom''s definitely does.
 
Date: 11/23/2009 2:10:26 PM
Author: mia1181
Also REI has an awesome return policy if you are a member. I can''t remember how much it costs for a membership but it was really cheap.

When I was a nanny one of the hardest, most awkward things I had to do was return a snowsuit that was almost a year old. It hadn''t been used and still had the tags, but no reciept. As soon as I mentioned my bosses were members (I don''t even know if I had a card) they took it back no questions asked. Honestly, that experience made me love REI because it is nice to have that type of protection. I hate buying things and they don''t work out but I didn''t find out until I used them and they are unreturnable. I have tons of shoes in my closet that I only wore once because they were uncomfortable, but I didn''t start to get blisters until after wearing them outside and scuffing the bottoms of the shoes. Sometimes you don''t know until you use it.

On a side note, I can''t believe how many of you know someone who ADMITS to abusing the system, that''s crazy!
REI rocks. We did pay the membership fee a number of years back and then bought all the kids'' ski stuff there, DH gets his merrells there, etc. Every year we get a nice divident!
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Date: 11/23/2009 4:46:12 PM
Author: LittleGreyKitten


Date: 11/23/2009 2:05:45 AM
Author: kenny
Costco has a great return policy.

Unfortunately some people do take advantage inappropriately, like returning electronics when a new version comes out, then returning that gadget when another version comes out.
I knew a woman who did this with iPods.
They do keep track of and deal with repeat offenders.

But companies do their homework.
They must make up for the returns in the additional sales that the policy generates.
Nordstrom's definitely does.
I'm always paranoid when returning stuff to Nordstrom even though there is no reason to be. I keep all the tags with the stickers on them and I use my Nord card when shopping there, but still. . . One year, they had one of their sales and there was a huge long line for the dressing rooms, so rather than wait, I just bought everything and tried it all on at home. Then took back what I didn't like. Worked out good for me, but that transaction must have rung some alarm bell among the ranks. Hope they're not tracking me down.
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