Banned from making too many returns? - Share your experiences!

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#332
LVnewbie80 said:
Good for you.

Personally, for in-store purchases, i don't agree with the "buy this and decide whether to keep it later" theory. Be a decisive buyer, and check items before purchase. Saves everybody time and effort.
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Me too. Or the buy two colors and decide which to keep. I completely understand returns, but I almost never return anything just because I consider it a hassle.
 
#334
Ugh, this makes me nervous. I buy at least half my stuff online and usually end up returning half of it. My DH gives me a hard time, saying that the stores must hate me, but if I've ordered something online, I can't really know if it's going to fit until I try it on. I always return the items unworn, NWT, with receipts and usually timely (i.e., not months later). The only way I would return something I've worn is if there's something wrong with it, which I've done once.

But I am also someone who will lust after something for months, finally get it, and then return it a couple weeks later b/c it's just too expensive and I can't justify the price or it ended up not really being what I was expecting or whatever.
 
#335
I buy a bunch of stuff on Amazon. Mostly designer clothes, bags, games, and movies. And there are a lot of horror stories of Amazon banning returns. And I return A LOT of stuff to them for years now. I know I'm going to get banned soon. I might as well enjoy my freedom while it lasts.
 
#336
Having worked in retail, i completely understand why sales associates get mad when you return things. Especially if you spent a long time with the customer and the next day, they just come back and return it, or even if they return it at another store, you still lose the commission. At the store where I worked at, the sales associates there will email us and let us know if any of us have gotten a return.

And for customers who are unsure if they want an item or not, I would much rather hold it for them so that they think about it rather than take a return later on. It's because we have to meet sales quotas and the management team will think that you haven't done your job to secure that sale.
 
#337
wardrobe2mylife said:
Having worked in retail, i completely understand why sales associates get mad when you return things. Especially if you spent a long time with the customer and the next day, they just come back and return it, or even if they return it at another store, you still lose the commission. At the store where I worked at, the sales associates there will email us and let us know if any of us have gotten a return.

And for customers who are unsure if they want an item or not, I would much rather hold it for them so that they think about it rather than take a return later on. It's because we have to meet sales quotas and the management team will think that you haven't done your job to secure that sale.
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I've never returned anything I've bought in-store. Online is different- sizing, color, style, etc. can be off when you see a picture on a web. But at a store you have a chance to try on, hold an item, etc.

I always advocate waiting a day before purchasing something. Weighing the pros and cons and then purchasing (or not) is better than returning something because you've changed your mind.
 
#338
ticktickatick said:
The problem is that the TRE (The Retail Equation) system that a lot of companies use does not effectively track how much of your order you kept. The fact that you returned over a certain dollar amount, or returned too many times in a time period, is enough to get you banned.

And how much is too much completely depends on the retailer.

My friend made 3 returns in a 3 month period to Victoria's Secret. With tags, unworn. Total dollar amount of returns: about $150. Total amount purchased overall: $600

She was banned from returns for 90 days. She doesn't even usually shop there so she didn't have a history of anything. I introduced her to the joy that is the Semi-Annual sale and the Lacie panty, which is why she spent a bunch.

This scares me because I frequently order online. At minimum I keep 40% of the order, usually around 80%, and sometimes 100% if I get really lucky. There is nothing wrong with returning things that didn't fit or that you don't like. There is nothing wrong with preferring online shopping to store shopping.

I order online so much now because I live in a city that has a lot of college girls and young working professionals. I am pretty mainstream in my taste. This means that my size or the color I want as a woman in my twenties is ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS sold out in stores. My husband thinks it's funny when he goes shopping with me. He says "pick out which shirt you want." Then he'll check to see if it is available in XS or S. And 9/10 times it's sold out.

Yet because of this flawed TRE system, I'm sure I'm close to being banned for say, ordering several shoes in 7 and 7.5 and naturally only keeping half of them. Yes, I return a lot, but also spend more than the average shopper. But TRE really does not understand the nature of online shopping and labels innocents as criminals. Its algorithm is not smart enough to understand the nuances of a good buyer vs. good online buyer vs. bad buyer.

Unless we complain often and loudly, these companies will have no idea how these systems punish good buyers. They just want to outsource their fraud problem to a third-party company and forget about it. Most of the MBAs running retail stores are not tech-savvy. They don't understand a whit about the technology their business uses. The technology is flawed, people. We need to be very vocal that TRE does not work.

May I simply suggest having LARGE tags on the front of clothing with very short strings? Such a simple change. I've seen some jeans do this, with a large tag and short string displayed prominently on the back pocket. There is no way to tuck that tag in. Similarly, you could easily do this to a strapless dress on the front. All this formal wear renting nonsense would stop if they would just change how and where they put their tags.
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This is very interesting. Thank you Ticktick.

At the same time, I find it very hard to believe that a store's TRE cannot distinguish between the percentage of dollar returns vs. percentage of dollars of merchandise purchased. Even with one customer buying with more than one credit card. I'll say this: Yes, I have made some returns. Even so, considering the merchandise I have kept--a certain store should erect a bronze statue in my honor!

Is a store really going to ban a shopper who has returned, say, three thousand dollars worth of stuff but spent and kept thirty thousand worth of merchandise?

Ticktick, your suggestions were very good.
 
#339
Stores banning you are just BS...Macys just sent me another letter about returning things. I have explained to them countless time that I am a personal shopper and buy for others. If they don't work out I return them. Oh yeah, then they gave me the Premier charge card-what's up with that? Makes no sense at all-obviously I spend a lot of money with them yearly.
 
#340
JNH14 said:
Stores banning you are just BS...Macys just sent me another letter about returning things. I have explained to them countless time that I am a personal shopper and buy for others. If they don't work out I return them. Oh yeah, then they gave me the Premier charge card-what's up with that? Makes no sense at all-obviously I spend a lot of money with them yearly.
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What happened after explaining to them you're a personal shopper? Did they let it go?
 
#342
JNH14 said:
I bet that I have told them at least 5 times to note it on my card, but they are like an animal that can't let go of something its' biting! They just keep sending letters. :blah: So I just keep shredding them!
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Well if they haven't followed through on the letters then I guess that's a good sign. It really makes no sense to me that these companies only track returns, not purchases. Don't bite the hand that feeds your economy!
 
#344
This thread has been so interesting!

I buy a lot online at AT/Loft, and will return if it doesn't fit or if it doesn't look right in person. Most of what I bought online at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale went back because it didn't fit/was shoddy quality. Everything I get in person at a B&M store stays with me - including those three stores! I shop online a LOT and would hate to get banned for making returns on things that I couldn't properly evaluate online.

I know that the policy is generally meant for the people who buy 25+ pairs of shoes for eBay and return what doesn't sell, but it doesn't mean that I'm not nervous about eventually being denied at the sales counter.
 
#345
I haven't been banned, but I usually return to store within a day or two of receiving the items purchased online. I wonder if they track time to return. That might address some of the reseller and used merchandise concerns.
 
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