As an outsider, the American culture of "no questions asked" retail returns is baffling. Do people really return used items just because they changed their minds?
Posted by Necessary_Angle2117@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 177 comments
Living in Kenya, all sales are generally final unless an item is completely defective right out of the box. Working with retail supply chains and point-of-sale systems here, the logistical nightmare of processing open-box, used returns would completely crush most stores.
But I constantly hear stories of Americans returning worn clothes, used electronics, or even half-eaten food to massive retailers like Costco or Walmart and just getting a full cash refund.
Is this actually true across the whole country? How do American businesses possibly maintain inventory or make a profit if the culture allows people to basically treat retail stores like free rental services?
dobbydisneyfan@reddit
Most stores still don’t accept returns of clearly used items.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Happens all the time.
Businesses have concluded making this easier on the customer means they ultimately make more money, in part because people aren't afraid to buy something just to try it.
InevitableStruggle@reddit
Costco comes to mind first. Their return policy is awesome. A few years ago the news broke that Costco issued a full refund to a woman who returned a dead Christmas tree and another for a half empty bottle of whiskey. I have no problem returning items to Costco, but I’ve heard that they’ve got some controls on it against abusers. I haven’t tested the limits.
Others? Home Depot and Lowe’s are good. That makes sense. You bought too many parts for your DIY project? Return it.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Building materials and home project materials is probably the #1 thing I return.
When I place a $2000 flooring order, I don't feel bad bringing back $300 in unused stuff.
Stunning_Coffee6624@reddit
Yeah the retailers don’t like to accept returns from these people. But, it’s easier than arguing with them in a crowded store. Many stores actively monitor behavior like this and will ban people who abuse it
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Yep. When I worked retail, people would get banned for abusing the system.
MyUsername2459@reddit
I was working retail, I was in the position of having to refuse returns from someone who had been rejected as a chronic returner.
She went absolutely ballistic on me. Accused me of being racist (because she was Chinese), threatened to sue me personally and the store, said she would have me on the 6:00 news on TV that night with stories about how I am racist, and didn't leave until security removed her.
She was trying to return several dresses, that combined were more than I made in a year.
. . .my boss looked up the record around her and found she was blacklisted for buying dozens of fancy, expensive formal dresses, and always returning them a week or so later.
IndicationAromatic36@reddit
The problem with these policies is that sometimes my wife will go to stores like Marshall’s or TJMaxx but with the screaming kids with her so she doesn’t have the ability to try on clothes - so she’ll buy all of the options, including 2 sizes of the same dress, totaling maybe $7-900, then after the kids go to bed one night that week will try them on, on usually between $4-600 worth of dresses will end up getting returned.
Your case is a little different, and she shouldn’t have gone for the racist route, but some people just don’t have the luxury of time to try on 20 different options in the store for an event they have that weekend, so they have to buy more than they need and return what doesn’t get worn to the event.
Practical-Basil-3494@reddit
I'm a parent and what? If your wife can't try on clothes, there is something else going on there.
TManaF2@reddit
There's a difference between trying something on at home, finding it doesn't fit, and returning it new, unworn - and returning it worn, with deodorant stains, often with the tags obviously reattached.
up2knitgood@reddit
Situations like this are not what get people banned. They are way more egregious.
iheartwestwing@reddit
I buy and try on at home all the time. I bring them all back in perfect condition with the tags still attached and keep whatever fits. I frequently give my drivers license because they track the behavior. I have never been banned. I would not worry about your wife being treated unfairly.
Pernicious_Possum@reddit
I love when people use their kids as an excuse for their poor behavior. How about you give your wife a break so she can just go and buy what she needs?
texasrigger@reddit
That doesn't seem fair to the other shoppers who have nothing to buy because the previous customer bought so much stuff that they know they are going to return anyway because they couldn't control their kids or find a babysitter.
MyUsername2459@reddit
In the case of my customer, she had never kept any of the dresses.
She literally had returned everything she'd ever bought.
She was using us for free rental of formal dresses.
ITrCool@reddit
I worked retail for seven years at a shop that sold wedding supplies and artificial floral arrangements in one of their departments.
It was very common for bridal mothers to come in the week after the wedding and return $1500 worth of unused or partially-used wedding candles, floral pieces, decor, bride/groom cake cutter and punch glasses, cake toppers, etc.
It was such a stupid waste.
Snoo_31427@reddit
Or maybe you keep the kids so she can go try things on.
IndicationAromatic36@reddit
I usually would have 1 of them but I’m usually working my second job helping her dad at his accounting/tax firm.
minnick27@reddit
I worked at a bookstore. Every few months a woman would come in and buy a shit ton of books and then return them and use the credit for more books. When loss prevention was alerted he came to the store and started sorting receipts (everything was still on paper) and figured out the pattern. One day he showed up at the store and said, “today’s the day.” She showed up probably an hour or two later. She got a permanent ban from Waldenbooks and Borders
sjd208@reddit
RIP Borders :(
Spiritual_Being5845@reddit
LL Bean used to have a great return policy but it was abused so they got rid of it. I even read an article where the author openly bragged about exchanging their hiking boots every single year when they became worn.
I think companies that have a generous return policy should temper it with a policy that an individual customer can be cut off if they’re found to be abusing it. I’ll return an item once every two or three years at most. But it can be ruined for me by the asshat who buys a Christmas tree from Costco in December and returns it in January. Or the jerk who returns obviously used furniture.
I personally know someone who bragged about buying furniture to stage her house for a sale and then returned it for a full refund when the house sold so she wouldn’t have to pay a staging company to rent furniture.
Environmental-Gap380@reddit
LL Bean had a big problem of people thrifting their clothes and then returning them, especially at their Freeport store. I heard there were people that helped pay for college by thrifting LL Bean.
Spiritual_Being5845@reddit
Horrible. But also this is why I think that having a generous return policy but with the caveat of tracing and blocking individuals would have been a better move. It would allow honest customers to have options if a product failed unexpectedly but would have stopped grifters
up2knitgood@reddit
My sister had her bean boots taken while she was trying on some other shoes at a thrift store. She's pretty sure someone took them to return them.
Donglemaetsro@reddit
I will say this also wouldn't necessarily be true for other countries. Large companies that do well adapt to locals. Americans hold grudges when hassled, we don't just compassion, we actually avoid companies that piss us off, and it can hold for decades.
ForestOranges@reddit
I agree. I was at a business I really liked in my city when the employee kicked me out because they were closing which is understandable. The sign outside and Google Maps had different hours posted, so when I suggested to him that they update those so customers like me won’t be confused, he became extremely hostile and even threatened to call the cops on me.
They did have a sign inside with their updated hours that he pointed to, but I didn’t see it. I feel like most people go off the sign outside and Google Maps. I gave them a 1 star review and haven’t been back in years even though I really liked that place.
KamtzaBarKamtza@reddit
We don't just compassion?
RaeWineLover@reddit
Complain?
Previous-Space-7056@reddit
For costco , if you abuse the return policy, they will just revoke your membership
PeaAccurate5208@reddit
Target for example used to take almost anything back with no questions asked. They finally wised up and imposed some limitations. Nordstrom at the other end of the scale also had famously lax return policies until it was abused so much that they had to tighten their policies. I worked in retail for yrs and the stories I could tell of outright fraud and abuse concerning return policies; the worst part was that otherwise honest customers would see this happen and think “if everyone else is getting away with this,why shouldn’t I?”. Thankfully most people were ethical but there was a large subset of the population that wasn’t and they ruined lenient policies for everyone.
seaofcitrus@reddit
People do abuse it at Costco, but especially because of the membership thing they can easily track how often/much you return stuff and if they notice you’re abusing it (according to YouTube videos I’ve seen) they’ll just be like “obviously our store is not meeting your expectations so we’re just going to cancel your membership with our apologies” and it’s fun watching people freak out when they realize.
firesquasher@reddit
Any day now Costco. Put those scummy people on notice!
Dangerous_Prize_4545@reddit
It's actually not that rare. Work a week in a retail department store. You will lose faith in humanity. And it's typically the "good church going ladies" that are the worst about wear and return never thinking it's theft. Or finding/making defects to be able to return.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Sure...but compared to actual sales made and total returns, its rare.
Dangerous_Prize_4545@reddit
Rare is a bit vague. By dollars, scam returns are less but not rare. But by incidences not so much. The fact that companies put so many resources towards and companies like LL Bean and rei cracked down on it should give you an idea of how prevalent it is.
Let's say a large store had traffic of 3000 people yesterday and within a 3.5 hour time period, a manager had to deny 4 attempted fraudulent returns, allow 3 bad returns bc it was within 30 days/no questions asked, and process 2 "no receipt returns" with obviously damaged items including 3 buttons ripped off and a pair of high end shoes "that just melted on my feet when I wore them one time" but looked like they'd been microwaved. Not to mention the returns that happened during that timeframe and were processed automatically by associates that know the drill and don't get outraged/take it personally. Oh and the woman that fills up old perfume bottles with water to return and fake receipts hoping she'll get an experienced salesperson.
But since you downvoted my response, you'll probably downvote this as well.
If you haven't worked in retail, try it for a few weeks. It's very eye-opening.
Many_Inevitable_6803@reddit
Many clothing stores might have a no return policy if an item is on final clearance though
kermac10@reddit
And many will only take returns if the clothing still has the tags on it.
dragonsteel33@reddit
I knew a girl in college who would buy a bunch of clothes at Target, wear them once and hide the tag, and then return the ones she didn’t want to keep. Insane hustle but I respect it
suffaluffapussycat@reddit
Also because people buy something figuring that they can return it but they never get to it.
TrueInky@reddit
This principle is absolutely true. I buy and keep more product from stores that I know have a no questions asked return policy in the case the product doesn’t work out.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Yep. Same.
Radar1980@reddit
Exactly. Plus because we have so many options, retailers realize the damage a bad customer service experience can cause. They would likely lose that customer forever, and they’ll likely tell all their friends and family (and Facebook) and the business might lose more.
river-running@reddit
Different stores have different policies. Some are very generous like, as you mentioned, Costco. Some have had to scale back their generosity due to abuse, like L.L. Bean and REI.
A lot of stores set reasonable time limits on returns, usually 30 to 90 days, place limits on the types of items that can be returned and the conditions that they can be returned in, require proof like a receipt, or mandate that items can only be returned for store credit. Those measures go some way towards curbing abuse. It's not a universal free for all.
Some people definitely abuse return policy generosity, but I think the majority of people are pretty reasonable about it.
Key_Opening6939@reddit
Sometimes Amazon doesn’t even want you to return the item even though they’re refunding your money.
st_aranel@reddit
I believe this is because if you return it, they have to process it. They have worked out that the savings in labor costs are worth more than the profit they would get from reselling the item.
This is probably behind a lot of the refund and return policies for major retailers. They have worked out that accepting returns, up to a point, is cheaper for them in the long run. Smaller businesses may do this in order to build trust with customers, but I suspect that for the larger businesses, they've just done the math. 5 minutes for one to process a return, and the customer leaves happy. Whereas if you only accept returns for seriously defective products, you're basically inviting people to argue with you, and then you have to call in a manager, and you might need to bring in store security...
It might be that Americans are more inclined to be argumentative jerks like this (and therefore the potential savings from not having to deal with jerks are higher), but it might also just be that we're more likely to be buying from huge companies that are big enough to benefit from this approach.
Different_Bridge_983@reddit
A few years back I ordered two mini Christmas trees (18” tall). They accidentally sent two boxes of mini Christmas trees. Each with 20 in them.
We offered to return them and they’re all “oh, no need….” So now we have a forest of these things around the house come Christmas.
dr-tectonic@reddit
There also the interest factor. If you're a massive corporation, you can make money just by having money in your possession. If somebody buys an item for $100 and returns it a week later, they have essentially loaned you $100 for a week at 0% interest. And in that week, the corporation will have made some small amount of money off that $100. That marginal profit also goes into the calculation of whether it's worth accepting the retirn.
st_aranel@reddit
Yes! I think part of the disconnect here is that it's really hard to wrap your mind around how enormous some of these corporations are. Because of their massive size, they can make a substantial profit on something that for a smaller business would be so tiny that it's not even worth doing the math.
Hail_of_Grophia@reddit
I got some shoes that didn’t fit great and when I went to return them, they offered me $50 back if I kept them.
I don’t abuse the system, not even Amazon vendors, but I guess I could have ordered a better fitting shoe and got $50 back with just the return request
wjodendor@reddit
Costco will also ban you from returns or remove your membership if you abuse the return policy.
I was once returning an item and the woman in front of me got banned from returning items because she had returned 18 out of 21 purchases she had made. The manager was getting pretty fired up and was talking pretty loud so I overheard that haha
Michael92057@reddit
Costco’s general return policy is very accommodating to the customer. For instance, we once returned a vacuum cleaner after about a year because it stopped working. As a result, we’re very willing to try something at Costco that we’re not sure about, or will prefer to buy at Costco even if other stores have same item.
Littleboypurple@reddit
Pretty much. Yeah some people might abuse it but, then the business just places in a change to make it so the loophole doesn't work. I once bought a Gaming Headset but, it wasn't big enough for my head. Returned it, got my money back and bought a better one. Walmart gave me my money back only for me to turn around and give them said money including a little bit more again.
Depending on the item stores will either
Process it to get something back if it can't be resold (It's placed under the system as Damaged and they get something back from the vendor/supplier)
Reselling it if it was never used (Customer grabbed the wrong charger so they return the unopened one to get the one they need instead)
Swap it out with a new one (Customer buys a box of crackers and they are listed as expired a month ago. So the store simply gives them a new box that isn't expired due to the mistake.)
Place it as used/damaged allowing another to buy it at a discount
Different_Bridge_983@reddit
Most businesses seem to work on the premise that it’s better to take the return than argue about it, in part because good returns policies means repeat business.
Sure there’s a handful of people who abuse it, but overall it’s better for the business to have a good customer service over one-off sales than piss people off and lose them permanently to competition.
Companies seem to more give people a lot of benefit of the doubt, but once they’re sure someone is abusing these policies will basically say “hey, this doesn’t seem to be working out for either of us, we’re not selling to you anymore, hope you find a vendor who better meets your needs” which translates to “we’re sick of your shit, fuck of and die”.
No-Donut-8692@reddit
Ultimately, people are more likely to buy on impulse if they have in their heads the idea that the item can be returned if you change your mind. Obviously, most people keep the items, so stores still make money.
As others have said, there are limits. You usually have a limited time period and serial abusers of the policy will eventually be denied and told to shop elsewhere.
At a personal level, 99% of the time it’s something I bought that either just doesn’t fit or broke/failed within the return period. The store will ask why you’re returning the item. If you’re exchanging for another (different size, one that works), there really are no questions. I’ve been in line and heard other customers getting grilled by staff for returning things when it seemed to just be a free rental situation.
lifeisfascinatingly_@reddit
Costco return policy would blow your mind…
Head_Razzmatazz7174@reddit
It really depends on the store, and the management of the store. Some managers are very strict on policies and will outright refuse to return anything that obviously customer damaged in some way, or outside of the return window. Others just return anything and everything (and I do mean anything) just because 'we have to keep the customer happy."
Customers who abuse the return policy will go to those stores just because they know no matter how ridiculous the excuse, all they have to do is throw a bit of a tantrum and the manager will run over "Oh, I'm sorry, didn't mean to make you cry, here have your money back and a coupon for a free item because your feelings are hurt." I despise those managers.
ForestOranges@reddit
Big businesses tend to be more generous but smaller businesses tend to be stricter about this. Just going off my personal experience with friends and family, some people do abuse it, but they’re the minority. I definitely know people that will buy something, use it/wear it, then return it. I personally think it’s kind of a trashy thing to do, but I definitely do things some of my friends consider morally wrong too.
TheJokersChild@reddit
Some stores are pretty liberal about returns, and customers take the fullest advantage they can. But the ones with lifetime returns like L.L. Bean are getting wise and limiting returns to a year now.
Places like Best Buy will sell open-box goods for a discount because even though they may not have been used, they've been opened and can't be sold as new. Laptop that doesn't have enough RAM, refrigerator someone didn't measure the space for...they still make money on these, just not quite as much.
Also, many stores have their own credit cards with up to 30% interest...so don't cry too hard for them and what they lose on their lenient returns because these cards more than make up for them.
buckyandsmacky4evr@reddit
⁴
Fun_Inspector_8633@reddit
It happens yes which is why most stores no longer have the generous return policies that they used to. Working retail we can and have refused returns for people who abuse the system. We used to have 90 day returns on electronics and the amount of digital cameras, GPS systems and portable DVD players that “failed” right after Labor Day was astounding.
Debsha@reddit
I returned a pair of pants to the store yesterday, without a receipt but all tags still attached. Because of no receipt, I was given a gift card. I warned (jokingly) the cashier she was going to see me again very soon. Twenty minutes later I was back in line spending more than what was on the gift card.
vissionsofthefutura@reddit
Costco in particular is known for it’s very good return policy. Part of it is that they charge a membership fee each year to shop there and have a model that heavy reduces their costs for products so they can afford to allow returns to the small portion of people who will abuse the system. They make up for it with the reputation for quality goods that they gain that encourages people to pay a yearly fee to use the store.
t-poke@reddit
And I have impulse purchased stuff at Costco knowing if I don’t like it, I can return it, but I’ve ended up keeping a vast majority of stuff I’ve impulse bought there over the years. So they know what they’re doing with their generous return policy.
IAmMey@reddit
Most of the time, whatever they’re returning is just fine. Mom buys a shirt for a kid that she doesn’t currently have with her. Finds out the kid doesn’t like it or it doesn’t fit. Bring it back. She’ll probably buy something else, especially since it’s so easy to return anyway.
Working retail, I did once refuse to accept the return of some Nike sweats. They reeked of weed. The guy initially was confused that I was refusing to take it. Told him to smell it and he knew instantly. He could have complained and tried to return it anyway, but also understood that it wasn’t really fair.
If people abuse the system, the system goes away. If everyone treats everyone with respect and trust, we all get a pretty kickass system.
Slow-Kale-8629@reddit
Companies that sell online legally have to accept returns for any reason, within a short window, at least in the UK. Online clothing retailers often see return rates as high as 40% because you can't realistically know if clothes will fit without trying them on. And if you couldn't return them, nobody would ever buy clothes online.
But this means that any store that also sells online already has some warehouse where they're sorting these returns and refurbishing, reboxing, or destroying things. So when the physical stores get a delivery of new stock, they can potentially put a couple boxes of returns from the previous week back into that van, which will eventually get back to the warehouse, and the returns can be dealt with there, along with all the returns form every other store in the chain and all the online returns.
Potential-Use-1565@reddit
Major retailers have insurance for damaged/lost/stolen goods. Drop in a bucket compared to what they bring in.
jeffporten@reddit
One thing I haven’t seen mentioned much: some store policies refund in cash, some only in store credit. That’s an incentive for regular customers, since a store credit is as good as cash if you’re shopping there anyway. If you’re not a regular, it at least gets you back in the store one more time.
jacowab@reddit
It's mostly because we usually are dealing with Megacorps, a small local shop would probably interagate you on what was wrong with the product and why you are returning it. But for some massive corporation like Walmart it's not a big deal if you scam them with the return service and they lose out on $20
Outlaw_Josie_Snails@reddit
You seem to be copy-and-pasting all the tropes. So "baffled" as an "outsider". Everything is "mind blowing". Are you ,Karma farming* or gathering info to train AI bots? None of your question are an original thought:
"As an outsider, the scale of American college sports is baffling. Do some people genuinely care more about a university team than professional sports?"
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmerican/s/7YP4OukiUg
As an outsider, the concept of a "Homeowners Association" (HOA) sounds like an absolute nightmare.
As an outsider, the American concept of having a motorized "garbage disposal" inside your kitchen sink is fascinating.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmerican/s/MzA8GbMaFr
As an outsider, the iconic yellow school bus is in every single American movie. Is there actually a national standard that forces every town to use that exact same color and design?
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAmerican/s/5P14X70t9Q
As an outsider, the American obsession with ice-cold drinks and freezing air conditioning is fascinating. Do you guys really demand ice water even in the dead of winter?
As an outsider, the American concept of drive-thru pharmacies, ATMs, and liquor stores is mind-blowing. Does everyone actually use these, or are they mostly a novelty?
krycek1984@reddit
I work at a major retailer, you should see what people return, it's disgusting.
Working in retail really can make you hate humans.
krendyB@reddit
OP, culturally it doesn’t work like that. It’s stealing to intentionally use stores as a rental. Stores will stop selling to you. Most people don’t do that.
RobThree03@reddit
No-questions-asked returns are built into the business model. Prices are adjusted upwards to ensure profits even with returns.
And it builds brand loyalty better than anything. Wal-mart was famous for accepting any returns - even things they didn’t sell. And became the #1 retailer in the world doing it. Amazon took that concept and put it on steroids. I can have clothes delivered to my home in various sizes and colors and I’m not even charged for them for a week and have nearly forever to return the unwanted ones. There is no risk if I’m unhappy with an item so I’m more willing to try it out in the first place. It’s an incredibly powerful sales tool.
DoubleHexDrive@reddit
It's a business service you can have if the culture does NOT "allow people to basically treat retail stores like free rental services". If it's abused sufficiently, it'll eventually disappear.
yetiinrio@reddit
I seems insane and people abuse it because they’re assholes, but apparently in the long run it makes a profit for these big chain stores or they wouldn’t do it.
Still hate the assholes who abuse it though because they are objectively garbage people.
For almost 100 years LL Bean had a policy of not just no-questions asked returns but no-questions asked replacement of your boots with new boots, but they stopped after one asshole was exploiting every single year because he thought “if they let me, why not?”
Sp00nD00d@reddit
Nothing trumps Costco live Christmas tree returns after Christmas.
CaptainHunt@reddit
People will try it, but it’s not always allowed. It varies from store to store, and typically only the big box stores will be more lenient, because they can absorb the loss in order to keep the customer satisfied. Returns of consumable items, like food are typically only allowed if the customer can prove that it was spoiled when they bought it.
Slight_Manufacturer6@reddit
In addition to what is said, stores charge enough margin to cover the occasional return.
RaeWineLover@reddit
Sometimes there are a specialized return policies. The Ace Hardware near me you can’t return generators, kerosene heaters, this kind of things that you would buy for snow. I actually had them give me special permission to return a kerosene heater because it was physically broken.
FernX02@reddit
Yes. I've had people return half eaten pies because they didn't like it. It's baffling to me as well. I would never return food I didn't like. I just wouldn't buy it again.
Celestialfox1425@reddit
Most people just return things because they don’t fit, look good, or just changed their mind.
the_cardfather@reddit
During covid you couldn't even go in the dressing room to see if something fit so you would take it home try it on and then you'd have to bring it back, or mail it back.
You also have to understand most of this stuff is made in Asian sweatshops or Chinese automated factories and it's super cheap quality. The retailers expect a certain percentage of it to break
RaeWineLover@reddit
One time I had an order from Kohl’s that was probably about $250 worth of clothes. It just flat didn’t show up. They resent me the entire shipment. I asked them what I should do if it came back in and they were like keep it bring it back we don’t care.
Derpyholic030@reddit
My brother has been a fan of the Harbor Freight "tool rental" program for awhile. And by tool rental i mean buying a tool, leaving all the packaging on it if possible, uaing the tool, then returning it for a refund when he's done with it.
pawsplay36@reddit
Assuming you cashier makes $18 an hour, even spending thirty minutes discussing its returnability means you have just lost money on anything that costs less than $9. Meanwhile, even with generous policies, people often won't even bother.
Most stores will track your returns, though, and it's possible to lose return privileges if you abuse them.
Phog_of_War@reddit
I do sometimes do a Walmart rental for a day or two.
notthegoatseguy@reddit
Businesses that purely exist to nickel and dime customers tend to not do well, and don't retain customer loyalty.
But retailers also aren't stupid. Usually high value items like electronics have their own separate return policy. Returna are also analyzed for abuse
st_aranel@reddit
My hunch is that a lot of this is actually just a different form of nickel and diming. Customer loyalty has a monetary value...as does the time and labor that you save by not having to deal with as many angry customers.
In other words, they are accepting those returns because they make more money that way. If they do the math and decide that customer loyalty is no longer profitable, most major companies won't hesitate to throw their customers under the bus. (This may or may not backfire.)
LilPoobles@reddit
There’s also usually a return window. Two weeks to a month seems to be the typical allowed window for returns in my experience, beyond a store’s return policy you might have to get a store manager to approve a return.
I think the boom in online retail sales also impacted returns generally in a large way. When you can’t inspect an item before you buy it, there are expected to be more returns and a lot of stores have probably adjusted to reflect online inventory practices. A lot of times you can purchase something from the website and return it in store.
Guy_Incognito1013@reddit
I work in a supermarket, specifically the deli department. I don't actually process any returns but they do end up back with us to clear inventory. I've seen things come back that I had literally sliced for a customer 20 minutes before. When you recognize the order and remember what a PITA that customer was you just shrug and help the next person at the counter.
Educational-Sky-7215@reddit
It's a result of competition. Walmart and Target, for example, have calculated that the average customer is going to spend $X thousand dollars at their preferred retailer over the next 10/20/30 years. If you're Walmart, and a customer wants to return a $30 item, you can either lose $30 by letting them return it, or lose $3000 by saying no and losing that customer to Target.
Bastyra2016@reddit
I’m a serial returner at Home Depot but never used or damaged stuff. I live 40 minutes from the store. Before I started painting I bought supplies. A 2” and 3” brush, 2 jumbo rolls of green tape,two rolls of floor cover and what I thought was the correct number of electrical plates,switches and outlets. After I finished painting I returned one jumbo rolls of tape,the 3” paintbrush (never opened) and one roll of floor cover. I’ve learned the hard way if I don’t overbuy consumables I inevitably run out necessitating an almost 1.5 hr round trip in the middle of a project. I generally have my receipt and/or the credit card and never get any pushback.
Admittedly my fault but I bought the wrong sized HVAC vent (kitchen smaller than bedrooms). I tried to return 4 of them after the 90 day period and I got a huge amount of grief from the store manager. I was cool with store credit as I was legitimately rebuying the correct size. I get it -too long but this isn’t caulk with a shelf life and you still stock what I bought. When I got home I looked and in the previous 24 months I had spent >$10k in the store as I was in full renovation mode.
I’ve only twice returned food. First time was a quart sized cottage cheese that was well within date but full of mold (purchased that day). The second was a box of cake mix full of those flying bugs-also bought that day. In both cases I needed the ingredient for something I was cooking so I had to go back to the store. Had I found the “bad food” days later I wouldn’t have tried because it could have been caused by me.
poopiebutt505@reddit
All it does is cost the customer more at the till
KalamityKait2020@reddit
I used to work at a fabric store. People would return cut fabric that they had bought. We had to accept the pieces of fabric back. Even that one time someone returned fabric their cat had clearly peed on.
aturtleatoad@reddit
Pretty much nowhere will take opened or partially eaten food back unless you can show that there was something wrong with it. Huge companies like the ones you mentioned can afford to take the occasional loss on a return if it means keeping someone’s business long term.
Longshot_45@reddit
Costco has a great return policy. It's kind of their thing Pretty much anything can be returned. People have returned very used items too. I do believe Costco will honor the refund, but will then ban you if you are clearly abusing the policy.
Jelopuddinpop@reddit
With Amazon, if you claim something is broken or defective, they'll issue a refund and almost never ask you to return the thing.
This-Research-9586@reddit
Decades ago my sister was hired to work at the first Nordstrom store in downtown San Diego when it opened. She said that street people would come in, grab something off the racks, walk around with it for a bit, then go up to a register and ask for a refund. It was given, no receipt, no questions asked. They started banning repeat offenders.
rkb70@reddit
Mostly people change their minds and return unused items.
DieHardAmerican95@reddit
Many people also return used items and pretend they’re unused. I used to work at Lowe’s, and it was pretty common for people to buy a tool, use it for the one job they needed it for, then box it up and return it to the store. Very common, in fact.
They bought a lot of things instead of renting them. People would buy generators when their power went out, and then return them to the store when the power came back on. They would buy snowblowers when there was a blizzard in the forecast and then return them after they cleared their driveway. I had someone buy a wet saw for cutting tile, and once they finish their kitchen backsplash, they returned it to the store. Lowe’s finally came out with a policy stating that you couldn’t return artificial Christmas trees right after Christmas, because so many people did that. Working in customer service made me realize how much people suck.
Artistic_Ad_9882@reddit
I think in some instances, returns became easier when online shopping for things like clothing, makeup, perfume, etc became more prominent.
So many stores have limited stock in-store compared to online. Especially when it comes to women’s clothing. So people buy stuff online, try it on, then return it. BUT lots of people buy stuff and forget to return it, so the loss isn’t that significant.
That said — about 20 years ago my husband and I bought a bowl, which I dropped in the parking lot. The bowl broke. I was ready to take the loss but my husband brought the broken bowl into the store and returned with a brand new bowl 10 minutes later. So 🤷♀️ We’re weird, I guess. 😆
sheiciebai@reddit
I bought a tablet the other day because it was a great deal and had great reviews. Im not used to android so I didn’t like the jerkiness of how it worked. Returned it and got a refund.
vissionsofthefutura@reddit
Part of these policies are that they allow the stores to save money in their logistics and product quality. Most items are packaged so if you bring them home and there’s something wrong with them like they were damaged in transport or break after one use the store will allow you to return it. It’s cheaper than making sure quality issues don’t happen or the lawsuits and reputation loses for leaving people with a product they can’t use.
Coldfyre_Dusty@reddit
Depends on the industry, but often yes.
For me personally the answer is no, working in pharmacy. Once the pills leave the pharmacy, they're yours, I can't take them back. Ain't just policy, it's law.
Slight-Mushroom5947@reddit
After you do it too many times, they put you on a list of repeat offenders. Had it done to me at Home Depot in the midst of a long home improvement project where I kept returning extra stock.
travelinmatt76@reddit
Many stores ask for an ID and will track how many returns you do and will refuse if you make too many
athrix@reddit
I know someone that buys things for a one time use and returns them. They buy clothes and wear them once or twice with the tags on then return them. They take advantage of every “no questions asked” return policy. To top it off they grew up very privileged with wealthy parents and continue to benefit from said parents. They went to an expensive graduate school completely paid for with an apartment and didn’t have to work at all. They currently have around a 200k HHI in a LCOL area and still benefit from their parents. Some people just have it easy and still take advantage. These parents have FU money. I’m talking $30k for a one week vacation. Spending thousands for one dinner. Multiple homes.
Optimal_Shirt6637@reddit
I return things I order on Amazon at least twice a month simply because I changed my mind by the time they were delivered.
_IndyCar@reddit
This is the chore I get gifted every Christmas.
Bubbly_Gap_9212@reddit
You wouldn't believe some of the items that Costco takes back as returns.
blipsman@reddit
Some people are jerks who abuse the system. You’re supposed to return items in new/unused/original packaging condition, say you buy two pairs of pants in different sizes and keep the ones that fit better. It’s OK to try them on at home, but not remove tags, wear them and such.
But yes, virtually all stores will have a return policy that allows for returns for 30 days, some even up to 90. Some stores have policies to discourage certain anti-social behaviors, like electronics stores might have a 15% restocking fee after 10 days on cameras and laptop s to prevent people from buying an item they need for just a short time and then returning it (like buying a really nice camera before going to Europe on vacation, then returning to store when they get home from vacation).
unknowingbiped@reddit
Yes you also never buy a package thats been opened already . Because one, people will buy something and take what they need from the package or two they'll buy it and replace it with gabage of equal weight.
CB_Chuckles@reddit
Costco does this particularly because they recognize that they will win a customer’s loyalty by bringing generous with their return policy. Remember that for them it’s about membership fees more than it is the actual sales. That’s why they’ll take a loss on their famous $1.50 hot dog combo. It gets people in the stores and it keeps people coming back. One CEO famously threatened to murder anyone who tried to raise the price of the combo.
Black_Dog_Industries@reddit
I work for a bread company that deliveres to Costco. Costco has a simple return policy, you can return it if you aren’t satisfied.
We sell bread in a double pack. Members would eat all of one loaf and half the second loaf.
Then return 1/4 of the bread that was left for a full refund. The sticker on the package said “didn’t like / didn’t need.”
But at regular stores the item usually has to be unused and with the tags still on it or unopened
the_cardfather@reddit
Stuff that gets returned that isn't in 100% put it back on the shelf retail condition is usually shipped to Big warehouses where it's sold by the pallet to "scratch and dent" style stores. You might get a whole train set but it's missing a couple of pieces that you can rig together. I got an $80 Thomas the Tank Engine set for my son at one of those places for $15. It was missing one of the track risers that was easily replaced by some cardboard and dowels.
fried_clams@reddit
The stuff I return is usually from Amazon and delivered directly to my house. Sometimes I don't like the item, sometimes I change my mind. If the item is in the original package, and are an Amazon prime member, they don't charge for shipping to return it.
It is worth it to Amazon because I end up buying a lot of stuff from them and I return very little. If they caused a problem with my returns then I probably would not spend as much with them
challengeseniorz@reddit
If it doesn't fit i return it. We definitely don't let people return worn and half used items at my store.
thingsbetw1xt@reddit
When I worked at the dollar store people would come in right after Christmas and try to return Christmas decorations they just used. It was very satisfying that we didn't do returns/refunds and these idiots would get so pissed.
AKA-Pseudonym@reddit
It's not a cultural thing, it's just a thing businesses do. Most people don't bother unless it's something expensive and/or outright defective. People who make a habit of it are rare. And knowing they can return something makes people more likely to make a purchase. So the math works in favor of retailers having liberal policies.
DistanceRelevant3899@reddit
I tried to return some shoes and they wouldn’t take them back. So it’s not entirely “no questions asked.”
Also if you want to return some shoes and they ask, “did you wear them?,” do not respond with “for like, twenty minutes.”
RipenedFish48@reddit
If enough people started to abuse it, they would reverse policy immediately. They have found that most people approach it honestly, so it probably ultimately helps with sales. People are more likely to buy something just to try out if the stakes are low. I also generally find it on non-sale items that are marked up to hell and back anyway. In my experience, sales are almost always final on clearanced or otherwise marked down items.
Gold_Dig2200@reddit
Yes-when I worked retail many years ago at Saks, Fifth Avenue in Fort Lauderdale we would have, on Sundays heavy returns.What was happening is people would go shopping on Saturday with their friends wear the items out that night and then drag them to Fort Lauderdale to return. We would see deodorant, stains, crease marks, it reeked like perfume. Eventually we banned a few people from the store.
BusinessWarthog6@reddit
I work retail and I will say Costco’s policy is an outlier because they aren’t just grocery. At my grocery retailer (regional chain owned by a national one) the policy is 90 days because thats how far back we can look up past purchases. However, if you come back in an unreasonable timeframe, you will be denied (bringing meat or refrigerated items back weeks later when they are good until the end of the week). Most people come back a day or 2 later and no questions are asked
DragonScrivner@reddit
Sure, consumers can return things if they're not wanted but typically there is a valid reason -- the item doesn't fit or is just wrong, or maybe the buyer found a better deal elsewhere. I bought a dress recently from a retailer and the cut is all wrong so I'm returning it. I never wore it, so there's no harm no foul.
This also happens but it's more rare and often there are rules about what will be accepted as a return.
morosco@reddit
Bigger companies like Amazon make it incredibly easy to return items, but they also track each customer's return habits. If you do it too often, they can cut you off.
But generally, these companies have figured out that if returns are easy, people will be much more willing to just buy and worry about it later, and that dynamic works out better for them than not having returns.
goblin_hipster@reddit
Yes...well, most people aren't so manipulative. It's usually like, this shirt didn't fit. The color of this item was different from what I expected. I realized I didn't have the right batteries and I don't care enough about it.
There is also usually a time limit. I think the most common is 3 months from the date of purchase.
PerformerMindless100@reddit
I don’t return stuff I used but I freely return new stuff I receive by delivery that isn’t quite what I hoped it would be. I order from Amazon and clothing stores all the time, especially if I can get a sale, and might pick up something at Costco for my husband that he *might* like but turns out it isn’t right size etc.
I don’t have any trouble as I return within a month or so. And I return a LOT but not after I’ve used it.
So I’m not returning used stuff but here’s the thing- big retailers usually don’t sell those returns. They are resold on big lots at discount etc. some is even shipped abroad. I worry some is just trashed. And it’s bad for the environment .
Local_Web_8219@reddit
Working at bed bath and beyond we would have people return years old Dyson vacuums to use the store credit on a brand new one. It was always richy types too. This is not limited to Dyson vacuums, any counter appliance or towel or sheet, anything you can imagine someone would use one time or many times and then return it with no explanation.
gaoshan@reddit
Saw a guy return a 3/4 eaten pie to Costco for a full refund. Kind of pissed me off but some people only see advantages for themselves.
RedSolez@reddit
Smaller retailers/Mom and Pop shops don't have as generous return policies as big retailers who can absorb the loss more. So there is no one policy. But generally speaking, you can return any unused merchandise within a specific time window at most retailers (items that are custom made or final clearance would be an exception). You can also return used but defective merchandise pretty much everywhere.
Stores like Costco understand the value of customer loyalty. My family routinely returns things to Costco- both groceries (strawberries that went bad prematurely, a snack we decided to try for the first time that we didn't like) as well as unused purchases we changed our mind about. But we also pay for an executive membership and spend literally thousands of dollars a year at Costco, so it's worth them eating the comparatively miniscule cost of the items we return.
enigmanaught@reddit
American retailers conduct their operations in a way that maximizes profits. If retaining customer good will is more profitable than the logistics of returns then they’ll do that.
A generous return policy functions sort of like a loss leader to get people in a store or keep them loyal. When it’s not as profitable, they’ll stop. There’s plenty of retailers that have tightened their return policies over the years as it became less profitable.
MaximumPlant@reddit
Main reason is to make people comfortable buying shit they don't see under the premise "at least I can return it".
Majority of people either feel awkward or don't want to put the effort into returning something unless its unusable. The amount who just keep their disappointing bullshit offsets the penny pinchers returning pants from 1995.
RockyMountainLie@reddit
The costco return policy is more generous than most stores, and will accept the return of used items but if you abuse it they will remove your membership.
Other stores typically require goods to be in ‘new’ resealable condition with the tags on or in the original box, if it is used it needs to be defective in some way.
Overall, return policies in US stores are more generous than other countries.
Word2DWise@reddit
It depends on the store. Some stores will take used product back, some won’t. At a minimum you can return it new if you just change your mind.
WinterOk1799@reddit
I think a major factor at play is the fact these people have guns. I used to work at a retail chain who had a cashier killed over our “Exchange only” policy… we quickly switched to doing cash returnsn
nebraskajone@reddit
Yeah but that's why we have high prices to compensate for returns
GSilky@reddit
As the owner and operator of a retail outlet, I stand behind what I sell and want my customers to be happy, I gladly accept returns with a receipt, or without if you have built enough good will with me and I trust you. The system works fine. The most common item returned are phone chargers. My store is located near several motels and hotels and travelers rent them for the weekend, nobody keeps a phone charger receipt, hence my policy. It's shady, people do it with clothes and furniture as well, but whatever. Most retail is a front for the distributor who buys from outlets that make everything cheap overseas, when I have a return on a more significant item, I send it back to the distributor and get credit for it, nobody loses afaik.
crazycatlady331@reddit
In college, I worked at Kohl's (customer service desk). I had a customer return used (unwashed) underwear. Kohl's has (then?) a "yes we can" (before the Obama campaign used the term) return policy and would take everything back.
I remember handling it with a plastic bag the way one would handle dog shit and the customer was offended. Went straight to the damage bin. Not paid enough to deal with biohazards.
yodellingllama_@reddit
Ew.
LucidLeviathan@reddit
I've returned fewer than 10 things in my life that weren't defective.
TheNinjaJedi@reddit
Even stranger to me is sending back food in a restaurant because you don’t like it. Not because it wasn’t make correctly, just I don’t like it. Wild behavior.
disphugginflip@reddit
Yes it’s true! This reminds me of a funny story of an Eastern European woman who married an American man in America. She bought a clothes item and when she returned home she was completely distraught bc it didn’t fit her. She was sulking to her husband and she was even more upset bc he didn’t share in her sadness. In bed she complained to him that he’s not being supportive at all, he just looks at her and said “if you’re not happy with your purchase why don’t you just return it?!” She was flabbergasted, she had no idea she could do that. She went to the store with her receipt and item, kinda hesitant that it would work. But she returned it, no problem no questions asked. When her mom visited she bought things just to show her mom that they can just return them, she too was amazed at this.
So yeah it’s normal, as long as you have a receipt and it’s not damaged or have any kind of wear you can usually return stuff.
Girl_with_no_Swag@reddit
I think it’s shameful that so many Americans use retail stores essentially as a library/rental supplier.
Saw a guy yesterday returning a huge 150 qt ice chest that was spotless. It’s clear he bought to for the Memorial Day weekend gathering, used it, then returned it for a full refund.
People do the same thing with clothing (buy a dress, wear for an event, then return it.) Same with party decor etc.
weredragon357@reddit
Do people still buy the huge screen TV for the big game and return it afterwards?
TrasseTheTarrasque@reddit
Huge screen TVs are like the only thing that hasn't wildly inflated over the last 10 years. Most people either already have the biggest one that fits their space, or don't care enough to bother.
Or they get a used one super cheap from someone moving who doesn't want to take it with them.
gaytee@reddit
Refusing refunds is a quick way to go out of business here, it screams “my product is shit and I know it but I’m still gonna take your money”.
Allowing returns is a move in good faith for the customer and almost always results in me spending more at that business. Yes sometimes I return shit bcz I bought it by mistake or changed my mind, but I’d wager the average person is not eating half a costco dog and then asking for their dollar fifty back.
I do however know which businesses are really shitty about returns, and I make sure to swipe my Amex on all those purchases and letting the cc deal with returns.
Careful_Ad9037@reddit
I saw someone walking into Costco yesterday with an unpotted, rootless, leafless, DEAD tree, and I was certain they’d get a refund for it😂
underground_cloud@reddit
The profit margin on most products is so high (a) you want to encourage sales and "I can always return it" is a big motivator and (b) they still profit even with a reduced price on a preused item.
Jeffers315@reddit
I know people who buy giant TVs before the Superbowl then return them after for a full refund.
Upper-Capital-2876@reddit
You have to understand something about the American retail market, the consumer pool is so vast and comparatively rich (to other nations with much smaller populations and earning power), that retailers vie for every customer in different ways. Americans have always had and expect the right to return anything they like for whatever reason they want to. Retailers (like Costco and Amazon to name some of the largest) know this is an expectation, and cater to it, because they've done the math, and know whatever money they lose in returns is more than made up for in the continued purchases which will be made because of the lax policies. If a matter of numbers, and the numbers work out for retailers who have easier return policies, where customers once bitten by a bad product which was not able to be returned and replaced or refunded will stay away from those retailers sometimes for life. it's a game of finance and math, not of trust or belief.
Lacey_Dawson1012@reddit
Yes they do
Prestigious-Comb4280@reddit
I got food poisoning from the local Publix grocery and you better believe once I could stand up after puking and everything else I returned it.
ZaphodG@reddit
The proper move is to puke on the Publix customer service counter.
AggressiveAd5592@reddit
JFC. We don't have Publix where I live or anywhere I have family but it has a good reputation.
Prestigious-Comb4280@reddit
It's usually really good but not that time.
hobbes747@reddit
People return boxes with the product removed and objects placed inside to simulate the weight.
Far_Chocolate_8534@reddit
Just saw a post the other day of a guy getting cut off by rock auto for returning 10% of his orders in a year. Unfortunately for him the “returns” were all parts that were damaged on arrival, and 10% of his orders was a total of 6 parts in 1 year.
Strong_Landscape_333@reddit
Some people buy stuff like pressure washers and use it then return it just so they can use it for free
emotions1026@reddit
"How do American businesses possibly maintain inventory or make a profit if the culture allows people to basically treat retail stores like free rental services?"
I worked at a shoe store and almost all our returns were due to the shoes not fitting right. Most of them they just exchanged them for a different size. We had very few instances of people truly just dumping worn-out used shoes with no explanantion.
ZimaGotchi@reddit
If you'd really like to have your mind blown, let me tell you about my favorite retail store. It's called BinSanity. Every bit of merchandise there is liquidated stuff from major stores. There are bins full of things that have been returned and for one reason or another been deemed "used" and therefore treated almost like trash. The bins start out at one price for anything and everything in them, around $10 (and there are things like iPhones in there sometimes) then as the week goes by, the prices get lower and lower until they're eventually $1 but you can still find things that will blow your mind - and there are mountains of this stuff.
The store also has a huge floor space of stuff that they consider to be new enough to sell (and 99% of it is) priced shockingly high for how much I know they paid for it but still like 25% off retail prices and they have normal full returns on all that stuff too. If it gets returned too damaged to go on the floor, they just throw it on the pile to go in the bin next refill day. It's insane. Our culture of disposability in this country is sickening.
Sad-Corner-9972@reddit
A brick and mortar retailer goal is getting customers into the store. If you come back for a return, you might buy additional merchandise.
woodsred@reddit
Just to add detail, there's a whole cottage industry of "deal warehouse stores" where many of the products are things that were returned to Walmart, Amazon, Target, etc. They're usually in big unorganized bins that you have to dig through yourself, but the discounts can be substantial.
ABelleWriter@reddit
No questions asked is not law. It's just certain businesses policy. An independent store might not have the same policies (I've actually never worked at a store with these policies).
When a store is part of a huge chain, like Walmart or Costco, they can afford to have people process this many returns. They also resell a lot of these things.
Jass0602@reddit
It used to be a lot more difficult or controlled. But on the past 20 years it’s been more relaxed and easy to do. It also depends on the reason and product. Generally, if something is unopened or used, yes. If you just want to return half a sandwich for no reason, no. But, if it’s moldy, you find a roach, etc then you would be refunded.
Most businesses set aside a certain amount of profit to cover what we call shrink. I worked in a department at a grocery store that sold fruit and vegetables , and our department had a high shrink rate (I think like 15%?) factored in. Also now, a lot of companies will just refund the money for an item that is perishable because it’s cheaper than processing like you said.
If it’s a heavy or hard to stock back item, sometimes they will charge like a 20-30 dollar restock fee.
But no, generally you cannot return a used or open item, like a shirt with a stain or a CD with a scratch. And also. They are very short and specific return windows. A lot of places will only accept electronic returns for like 2 weeks.
pokeyt@reddit
Yes - it’s a thing but it’s not ubiqitous, there are a select few retailers that have this policy, Costco and Sam’s Club being the most notable. Most retailers, including Walmart do not have a satisfaction guaranteed return policy for most things they sell. Also - both Sam’s Club and Costco are membership retail experiences - & most of their profit comes not from the membership fee.
For a retailer like Costco there are examples of customers abusing this, but they can track it and when it’s excessive they can simply cancel the customer’s membership. A retailer that’s open to the public can’t do that.
In my mind as a Costco member this guarantee makes me more likely to make an impulse purchase, knowing that I can return it no questions asked if needed. I very rarely do, but knowing I can affects the psychology of the purchase.
ProbablyBigfoot@reddit
Some people definitely abuse the privilege of being able to return whatever they want but most of the time it's a benefit and makes for a good store/customer relationship.
Theres even a huge retail store that will allow people to exchange baby clothes for the next size up no matter how long it's been, just need to keep the receipt. It keeps people coming back to the same business over and over again because it saves them money (which they will then spend on other items in the store since they're already there to exchange the clothes, might as well grab a few extra things.)
Defiant_Youth_8912@reddit
Why would you not be able to return something if you changed your mind?
A lot of stores require that you have the receipt and packaging, but even if its damaged they will sell it again at a discount.
Sweet_Cinnabonn@reddit
You hear about those cases of extraordinary returns because they are so unusual we are all offended by them.
Many retailers do have a policy that you can get your money back within a brief window, especially if the item appears not to have been used and you have your receipt.
I worked the returns desk at a major retailer for a while, and I did not ever see that kind of return. The most common returns are clothing items that do not fit, or items that were not working.
It is not unusual to see items returned because they didn't look as good once they made it home.
Vachic09@reddit
Every retailer has their own policy. Sometimes, it's a case that a gifted article of clothing doesn't fit right. Food sales are usually final, but some stores will give you a refund if it's stale before the sell by date. Some places will let you exchange an unopened box of diapers for the next size up. There's usually time limits on these things.
Whybaby16154@reddit
We had people bring back shoes chewed by their DOG way back when I worked retail. Manager refunded but looked askance at them like “I see what happened”.
sageamericanidiot@reddit
It's not every retailer and there is some fine print that excludes certain types of purchases. Business is very competitive in the US. It's profitable to eat the cost of returns to gain repeat and loyal customers.
samantha-mc@reddit
Stores often have a time limit - like a 30 or 90 day return policy.
I think most stores will end up selling some of the merchandise that is opened but in good condition at a discount - for example, I bought my Apple Watch refurbished (it had one tiny scratch and wasn’t in the original box) for around $100 less than it would have cost brand new. I know BestBuy (electronics store) will usually have “open box” versions of some electronics, so you can get, say, a new MacBook Air at a pretty good discount.
Stores account for returns in their pricing - they assume that a certain percentage of merchandise will be returned and include that. Some stores that have a membership might also terminate memberships for people who abuse their return policy - I believe that Costco (bulk general merchandise) does that for people who do excessive returns and REI (outdoors store) does something similar.
let-it-rain-sunshine@reddit
I return stuff, or exchange it, at Home Depot because it often is the wrong thing or does not fit or work right. That keeps me coming back.
Bootmacher@reddit
For most people, doing this to scam the store isn't worth their time because the benefits of doing so are marginal.
shadowpavement@reddit
Most of the major online stores have a very lenient and easy return policy. It would be bad business if you order a jacket and it doesn’t fit and just had to suck it up because you couldn’t try it on first.
Brandonjoe@reddit
Wait until you see the Costco return policy. You can bring back practically anything.
Trygveseim@reddit
It's pretty rare and just something that mega corporations can do and want to do. And it's not unlimited. You can abuse it but most people don't. And if it's obvious it's not in good faith, they can start to refuse service.
But otherwise for the megacorp, giving "too good to be true" no hassle, "customer is always right" service is a net positive for them. They lose less money than they gain in customer loyalty and because they're so big they can burden the costs. 99% of customers never have any reason to return a thing.
Vulpix_lover@reddit
No questions asked is not a unanimous policy. It does exist, and some people do return items because they changed their mind, but that isn't always the case.