lulilu, good point. I was thinking that myself.
I ordered a blouse in one color from Nordstrom and decided I liked the style and fit. I found the exact same blouse/size in white from revolveclothing and ordered it confidently. But in white it was so sheer that I did not like it. I was so mad having to make this return.
I thought maybe revolve would ban me. (Actually I haven't been bad with them. It was just this time I was really sure it would be a good purchase.) But then I thought, fine, ban me, it would probably be good for me.

After reading everyone's thoughts, I can't help but think of 2 women I saw at the Dillard's News Years Day sale. I got to the store before it was supposed to open, but the manager had opened early. When I got to the purse department, there was almost nothing left. But I did see 2 women with at least 10 purses on each arm grabbing everything in sight. When their arms got full the dropped the bags in a corner and one guarded them while the other kept looking. When some of the bags they bought don't sell on ebay, you know they'll be returning them. Why aren't people like that banned?

Originally Posted by Trisquit

After reading everyone's thoughts, I can't help but think of 2 women I saw at the Dillard's News Years Day sale. I got to the store before it was supposed to open, but the manager had opened early. When I got to the purse department, there was almost nothing left. But I did see 2 women with at least 10 purses on each arm grabbing everything in sight. When their arms got full the dropped the bags in a corner and one guarded them while the other kept looking. When some of the bags they bought don't sell on ebay, you know they'll be returning them. Why aren't people like that banned?

I HATE shoppers like that. Some do that at NRack and it irritates me.

Makes me feel rushed, I miss things, they are rude not letting you look.. It's like a war zone. I wish stores would give them a limit or tell them to calm down.

People are so so rude lately !!

some stores use to have a limit on items....I wonder what happened. Like I remember whenever uggs were so high in demand that they would limit 4 per household.

Originally Posted by pinkfeet

I HATE shoppers like that. Some do that at NRack and it irritates me. Makes me feel rushed, I miss things, they are rude not letting you look.. It's like a war zone. I wish stores would give them a limit or tell them to calm down. People are so so rude lately !!

Reminds me of the day after Christmas day sale at Saks. There were tons of women hoarding shoes. Unfortunately I missed out on the bags because of them too.

Originally Posted by Shopmore

Reminds me of the day after Christmas day sale at Saks. There were tons of women hoarding shoes. Unfortunately I missed out on the bags because of them too.

I soo wanted to go to that sale !! Next year I'll go and see if I can drag a partner in crime to help me out. Lol.

Originally Posted by Trisquit

After reading everyone's thoughts, I can't help but think of 2 women I saw at the Dillard's News Years Day sale. I got to the store before it was supposed to open, but the manager had opened early. When I got to the purse department, there was almost nothing left. But I did see 2 women with at least 10 purses on each arm grabbing everything in sight. When their arms got full the dropped the bags in a corner and one guarded them while the other kept looking. When some of the bags they bought don't sell on ebay, you know they'll be returning them. Why aren't people like that banned?

I always elbow women like that.

I read that 20% of online purchases are returned, so that's a baseline for comparing your own return rate.

I usually buy adjacent shoe sizes if I buy shoes online at all. I rarely find things fit if I don't already know the brand and my size in that brand. Even then it's not guaranteed.

How is it even possible for someone to be banned from shopping online, at one of the larger department stores?
You go online pay for the item, and then what they cancel it?!

Originally Posted by slegg61

I used to work at Barnes and Noble and they had a neat system to discourage people who were buying bargain books and trying to return them for full price for store credit by saying they didnt have the receipt--they marked the book with a black marker across the pages. Stopped a lot of fraudsters. Of course, also tipped off your gift recepients you bought them a cheapo book:)

Actually, it's not the store that does this. Since the subject is returns, the way the book biz works, if a retailer buys say fifty copies of a book, and only forty sell, they can return the rest to the publisher for a full refund. The publisher may not want to put them back out in the full retail channels, the book's no longer selling or they may not be in the greatest shape after being moved around, and tax laws don't encourage companies to hold onto inventory.

So the publisher will 'remainder' the book. They put a black stripe or dot or similar mark on the page block and sell them back to people (including b&n) who buy them at a deep discount but the books are no longer eligible for return to to publisher.

Kind of like buying something at a factory outlet with the tags cut out, it's perfectly functional, but it will never be worth what a pristine original is.

I used to work at Banana Republic a long time ago and witnessed a woman get banned from making a return-it was a big scene. Apparently, she was part of a group of people who would steal from one BR store in Manhattan and then return at another. Back when I worked there the return policy was very liberal but this may have changed. Anyway, a lot of the managers banned together and did not allow them to return anything. I think this policy has to do with scammers--not people who order and have receipts that return things with tags etc..

lol i hardly return anything 'cuz i m picky :3

Originally Posted by Cait

I think I've exchanged 2 or 3 things in my lifetime - a dress I bought at a B&M store in a size bigger because they only had 3 of this dress left. I went to the location by my school, found it in my size, and brought the NWT dress in for an exchange. Really, it was my own laziness - I was too damn lazy to go to another mall during the Christmas season to find this dress. Another time it was a top I loved, showed to my cousin, received as a birthday gift 2 weeks later - but had already bought for myself. The way I see it, if I buy something at a B&M (online is a different story) I could've easily tried on, and it doesn't work - lump it or leave it. It's the same with cosmetics - I was frankly, amazed when I was told by a beauty girl at my local Shoppers' I could return my LRP cleanser for a full-refund in 30 days with a receipt. It's nice to know I could, but I'd be embarassed to come in with used cosmetics the way I've seen some in Sephora do, and demand my money back. I know they damage these things out, but that's going a little too far. At the same token, it would help if counter people were more generous with samples, and if testers were readily available in all locations. (Fellow customers: that does not give you carte blanche to make your own testers)

I think I return mascaras several times within couple days of purchasing for 2 reasons - most of the time they were empty and one time I had such an allergic reaction to Estee Lauder mascara, that it would of been easier for them to refund me when deal with me.
I don't know what is wrong with mascara, but one time I end up buying Bobby Brown and it was empty, go back, get another one, it was empty, and the third time I opened it in the store and checked. I don't feel bad about it, because unless you open it you can't see the product. With mascara it is sometimes hard to tell if it going to cause a reaction for sensitive eyes. I don't want to keep trying by spending each time 20-30 smth dollars. I definitely buy smth suitable for me, meaning I stick to smth good.

Originally Posted by alice87

I think I return mascaras several times within couple days of purchasing for 2 reasons - most of the time they were empty and one time I had such an allergic reaction to Estee Lauder mascara, that it would of been easier for them to refund me when deal with me. I don't know what is wrong with mascara, but one time I end up buying Bobby Brown and it was empty, go back, get another one, it was empty, and the third time I opened it in the store and checked. I don't feel bad about it, because unless you open it you can't see the product. With mascara it is sometimes hard to tell if it going to cause a reaction for sensitive eyes. I don't want to keep trying by spending each time 20-30 smth dollars. I definitely buy smth suitable for me, meaning I stick to smth good.

I purchased a Dior mascara a few weeks ago that dried up completely in less than 4 weeks - and I was on vacation and barely wore makeup! I had bought the same one before and that did not happen and now I'm convinced it was somehow a used one (even though returns are supposed to be thrown out). I had already thrown away the box and receipt. I wish Macy's was a little more liberal (they require the return sticker) but on the same hand I understand why they aren't. I wish they would at least look it up on your CC like a lot of others stores do.

Originally Posted by Cait

I think I've exchanged 2 or 3 things in my lifetime - a dress I bought at a B&M store in a size bigger because they only had 3 of this dress left. I went to the location by my school, found it in my size, and brought the NWT dress in for an exchange. Really, it was my own laziness - I was too damn lazy to go to another mall during the Christmas season to find this dress. Another time it was a top I loved, showed to my cousin, received as a birthday gift 2 weeks later - but had already bought for myself. The way I see it, if I buy something at a B&M (online is a different story) I could've easily tried on, and it doesn't work - lump it or leave it. It's the same with cosmetics - I was frankly, amazed when I was told by a beauty girl at my local Shoppers' I could return my LRP cleanser for a full-refund in 30 days with a receipt. It's nice to know I could, but I'd be embarassed to come in with used cosmetics the way I've seen some in Sephora do, and demand my money back. I know they damage these things out, but that's going a little too far. At the same token, it would help if counter people were more generous with samples, and if testers were readily available in all locations. (Fellow customers: that does not give you carte blanche to make your own testers)

I disagree with your stance on cosmetics, especially high end cosmetics. When you're paying for premium product it should perform. I have no shame returning something within a reasonable amount of time (immediately to a week). I'm sure there are those that abuse it but if I'm shelling out $30 for a mascara or $60 for a foundation it had better live up to its price. I recently returned a $30 Chanel kohl eyeliner because no matter what technique I used it ended up all over my eyes. I didn't want to return it but I felt ripped off.