If you’re thinking of sending back a disappointing gift you just received over the holidays, the return may bring even more disappointment.
Americans have grown accustomed to free returns, but a growing number of retailers are charging fees as returns squeeze retailers’ bottom lines.
Macy’s, Abercrombie, J. Crew, H&M and other companies have all added shipping fees for mail-in returns.
And it’s not just the big mall brands, either. Eighty-one precent of merchants are now charging a fee for at least some methods of returns, according to Happy Returns, a logistics company that specializes in returns.
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You want to give people as reason to go back to brick and mortar shopping? Because this is how you get people to go back to brick and mortar shopping.
The main issue is amazon and their insistence on allowing China to sell utter trash, knock offs, counterfeits, and lies.
Amazon used to require someone selling in the US to have a physical presence of at least like a small office building in the US in order to sell goods here. They got rid of that like 10 years ago and now you get bs brands like Liuxipon selling flashlights that are garbage with 300 fake 5 star reviews. Then if they get flagged enough or get enough real 1 star reviews, no problem. Now their company name is Lioxipan and they do it again.
Amazon turned itself into a trash heap.
We started shopping AliExpress instead of Amazon. At least you don’t pay the high Amazon prices and are pleasantly surprised when something of decent quality arrives. Got the kids some flying spacemen drones. $1.99 each. They’ve been playing with them all day long. No complaints. AliExpress even refunded me on a few things that arrived broken, without having to return anything.
That’s exactly what I do because amazon basically sells the same stuff as aliexpress, only amazon insists on selling stuff in higher quantities to jack up prices.
Bigger quantities to up prices?
For example, let’s say I needed a clear container tube for something like lotion. And I only need one, or two. But definitely no more than 5.
Amazon will only sell something like 12 pieces for over $10, whereas on aliexpress, I’ll be able to purchase 1 or 2 for $0.33.
$1 each. 3 for $5.
“I’ll take 3, but I want them individually.”
I understand that the cost per item is the same, but I simply don’t need that many bottles (or whatever it is).  So if I get the bundle, I’m spending more money to have more junk in my household. 
So basically, I’m paying more for the three items that I do need and end up with a bunch of leftover crap. This is not hypothetical. I still have a bunch of leftover stuff that I’m not using in my drawers from scenarios like these.
Cheap until they get popular enough.
AliExpress is already fairly popular
They’ve also went way up in pricing on a lot of their stuff.
As if they wouldn’t just charge a “restocking fee.”
I worked retail for 15 years, and the only time we charged a restocking fee was if we couldn’t sell it as new, and there was nothing wrong with it. If you returned it brand new, full refund. If you opened it and/or used it and decided to return it, 15% restocking fee. That seemed reasonable to me.
If you can see the item in real life and compare it to other products before you buy, you’re less likely to need to return it.
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That is what they want. Offer free returns in store, and people will go to their physical locations and also buy something else.
That’s what kohl’s does in taking Amazon returns. They even give you a $5 store credit to sweeten the allure on your walk from the back of the store
Not to mention the additional traffic it generates, good for the corporate machine at large
That real estate isn’t gonna pay for itself! Won’t you think of the shareholders?
No… I’m just going to use an online retailer who will do it free
Hopefully that’s exactly what happens. It would be less convenient for me, but it would be better overall.
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Ok, but Amazon is 100% fake Chinese crap now, so don’t expect people to jump into buying that anymore without some idea that it can be sent back. Real brands don’t even sell on Amazon anymore.
What Amazon is that? That seems crazy.
I can find all my real brand of what I need in there, but I am not from America tbh.
I have the same experience unfortunately in Europe. Was looking for a new hairdryer the other day, and it’s just endless pages of the same Chinese crap with made up brand names and fake customer reviews.
Gave up and drove to the store instead.
That there are cheap x Chinese stuff in there yeah. But if you know the brands that doesn’t matter. Plus you an also always check the seller data is usually some weird Chinese name and address.
You can order from a good brand, but that doesn’t stop the counterfeiters from putting on a fake label.
Amazon does single-bin sorting of products sold by multiple sellers. So all of widget X get put in one bin and shipped regardless of the source. That encourages fake/counterfeit products because it’s impossible to trace which of the hundred companies selling the product is actually supplying the fakes.
I watched a video somewhere on 18650 batteries, and the takeaway was that most of the batteries provided from Amazon (regardless of branding) are fake.
I worked at an Amazon warehouse for a bit and I can tell you literally everything is tracked, they have to know and just don’t care as long as people aren’t making enough of a fuss about it.
Well so far if I got any fake was a good one or good enough for me. 😅
it gets pretty bad when you’re looking for something specific like cable crimps. louis rossmann dod a video on that.
It’s BS. More often than not if Amazon doesn’t directly sell ‘x’ brand, there is some reseller selling the real brand item on Amazon, but it’s also surrounded by knockoff garbage in the listings.
Wrangler still does. Only clothing I buy from Amazon is that.
Gonna have a slight chilling effect on sales. People won’t buy stuff unless they’re 100% sure.
Or at least people will return to bricks and mortar stores for purchases of the types of items that get returned most often.
I am not doing that. Going to get into my car and drive all the way to the outskirts of my city to some box store just to find the item I want isn’t even there? No way not happening.
As they should.
Shipping fees for returns isn’t too bad, but if it looks like a retailer isn’t standing behind the products they sell them they shouldn’t be surprised when shoppers shop elsewhere.
The issue is that it’s become too easy to buy a garment in 5 sizes and just return the ones that don’t fit. Many of those returned garments don’t get restocked, but instead end up selling downmarket where they can often end up in landfill. It wastes fuel, the retailer’s money, and harms the environment.
I think there should be some consequence for return. Even just a few dollars. Maybe find a better way to size things accurately so people don’t have to be so cautious.
If clothing manufacturers made clothes anywhere near standard sizes people wouldn’t need to get 5 different sizes to figure out what the hell a Large is supposed to be.
In general I avoid buying clothes online. And I will avoid it much more if returns are difficult.
I mean sure, but everyone’s bodies are different. What drives me nuts is quality control. You can pick up 10 pairs of Levi’s that are 34x30 and each one will be different by probably over an inch. I have resorted to taking several identical pairs to the dressing room and keeping the one that fit the best.
Then everyone’s bodies are different. Some clothes will be cut differently and then fit differently. Basically, clothes shopping if you can’t get a few sizes online (or a few of the same sizes…) sucks.
No. I won’t buy clothing that doesn’t have a no argument return policy. Way too many times in my life the clothing died after only wearing once. You go shop at your store that likes “consequences”. I am going to laugh so hard when I see the handwritten note on the door that ends up on the internet
How often are returns defective vs just didn’t want/didn’t fit? If the item is defective you can’t restock it. If the item isn’t defective that’s where more cost might come in to get the item back in circulation to be sold.
We’re talking about clothes here. I have never been able to find any clothing items that were consistently and accurately sized. Often even across the same brands, sizing is consistently inconsistent. If I can’t return for the proper size once I get an example of a product’s fit and sizing without paying for it, then the convenience of online shopping has evaporated and I might as well just go into a store and try things on. As if they don’t already charge enough of a markup to cover restocking.
Part of me wants to be upset, but especially since these are clothing manufacturers, I have to wonder if the people handling the returns have the same problems that I did when I used to process them.
It was my first job out of highschool (through a temp agency), it was my first day, and I did some returns. You know, writing down what the products were, why they were returned, the order numbers yadda yadda.
Everything was cool until I got this package with a LOT of sharp pins in it saying “you obviously need needles to sew the clothes properly”. There was only ONE thread loose, and this lady felt that making a complete stranger find sharp needles hidden in fabric was ok. Part of me hopes that that person finds the same kindness in life that they seem ok to give to strangers. Part of me wishes that it wasn’t such a common thing.
Some returns had legitimate rotting garbage in them, and a lot of them were only worn once and then were returned because they “only needed it for party, need money back now”. You can only see so much ridiculousness before you have enough, you know?
As a former employee, the fact that that company essentially paid for those needles and for the rotting garbage to be sent for other people to deal with was enough to make me quit. It’s not worth my health, full stop. It never will be. That incident also made me lose a lot of faith in most of the general public. Part of me wishes that that particular person experiences the same level of “goodwill” that they give to others. I don’t like wishing ill on peopld, but I also don’t want to wish on good things for bad people. Most of us manage to submit returns without including a hazard, and it takes next to no effort at all. I don’t even have to think about whether or not to do that, personally. It’s a no-brainer.
As long as the in-person returns are still valid (within reason) and it’s stated very clearly that online returns will cost money before purchasing, I don’t really see the issue. Just put that information where they will read it (or hear it if it’s voiced) and it should be OK.
It will help save the people who still have to deal with these insane returns for minimum wage. Fuck the overhead profit, and fuck the people who take their rage out on random minimum wage employees. (Don’t do that literally ofc.)
Take it up with the people who might be able to actually do something to fix your problem, if you’re that angry about the product. I will absolutely think much less of you if you personally take out your business complaints on the minimum wage employees.
Part of me wishes that that particular person experiences the same level of “goodwill” that they give to others. I don’t like wishing ill on people
Don’t guilt yourself for wishing ill on people. Those people deserve it, and you are not being a bad person by wishing ill on those who deserve it. Society tells us it’s bad to do that, but all that does is make us feel guilt and let bad people get away with it. Wish ill, and do it freely!
Mirror principal: what you put out comes back. Aka karma.
Except karma isn’t real, and wishing something isn’t putting anything out. It’s just a wish. So you’re totally safe doing it.
Just because it isn’t instant doesn’t make it unreal. To put it in worldly terms, you reap what you sow. But do you. I’ll do me.
Click bait article that gets recycled every few years. Ain’t happening…
So I work for home depot and we have started doing a restock fee for special orders. It has slowed down orders and returns that I think will continue as a trend.
So is the article a lie? “Eighty-one precent of merchants [AREN’T] now charging a fee for at least some methods of returns”(?)
Yeah, due to that video I’m stopping buying clothes online. I knew it was bad, but not how bad. I also had a recent experience with 3/3 items not fitting right, as well as a good experience in store. No reason to shop online.
Decided to scroll before posting it, thanks.
All shitty clothing stores, lol.
I just get my clothes at Walmart and pants at Old Navy cause I’m a thin and tall dude.
Honestly I don’t blame them. If they try to resell the item it’s probably going to be a 25-50% discount for being an open package.
They just mark it as new and sell it at full price. Had this happen with Amazon several times.
Eh, maybe with online services. I worked at a brick-and-mortar big-box store for awhile and almost everything that was returned that wasn’t for extreme damage or being non-functional was put on a shelf with a large discount because we didn’t have the space to store it and wanted it gone quickly since it what a shame to throw it away when someone could probably use it.
People were ordering five colors of an outfit, trying each one on once, then returning all but one of them. And then the rest just get thrown out because the company can’t sell the clothing that has already been tried on.
Since when can’t they sell stuff that’s been tried on? Brick and mortar stores do it literally every day. Unless it’s underwear, who cares?
With fast fashion, it’s often just cheaper to throw it out then go through even the most basic of QC steps to ensure the product is still in sellable condition.
The fact that it is fast fashion is the issue. No labor cost since it’s made by slaves. No material cost since it’s basically sewn together with hopes and wishes. All you really pay for is the shipping.
If that garment you want to buy is cheap, odds are it’s made with blood and paid for with climate change.
Yeah I realized after I said it that it was almost certainly fast fashion because those stores are all speedrunning worst practices of all time. I’m both too old and too much of a hippie to shop at any of those places, so I (try to) forget they exist.
You should avoid fast fashion not only because it doesn’t last, but also because a lot of it is made with slave labor.
I don’t understand though, because I tried doing research, what other alternatives are there? Seems every damn clothing brand and product has had slave labor involved somewhere.
That was what all of their ads were, though: order what you like, try them on in the comfort of your home, anything you don’t like for any reason - wrong fit, bad color, whatever - just return it! You can’t get annoyed with the customers when this is literally what the merchants said they should do.
That was what all of their ads were
lol. Why is made up shit so popular? Don’t get me wrong, some companies have advertised this, but most aren’t pricing this into their costs. Which is why they now want to charge for it.
That happens less often than the scamazon Chinese knock off crap being sold under fake 5 star reviews getting returned. Amazon needs to go back to companies being required to own office space in the country they’re selling to in order to sell their goods there.
What do you expect with companies like Amazon, Zappos and such where their business model was buy try on and return. Then there is Walmart that would take anything back including empty paint cans if the buyer was unhappy with the color.
Knew someone that worked returns at Walmart. Customer wanted to return something. She said they can’t do that. Customer asked to speak to manager. Manager said, “just do the return”. She responded, “we don’t even sell this here. I literally can’t return it.” Manager took over. Did something at the register. Put the item in the return pile to be restocked. Customer seemed happy with the outcome.
They literally will take items they don’t even sell in the store.
To be fair, that’s a based manager lol. Sounds like they didn’t GAF about corporate
Eh, IMO that’s a crappy manager. Rather than deal with the potential outburst from an asshole customer, they’d rather just do whatever the customer wants, further reinforcing their shitty behavior. All of this puts the other employees at more of a disadvantage in future encounters.
IDGAF if you steal from a corporation like Walmart. But don’t be an asshole to the employees.
I agree. It was the companies’ fault for offering it in the first place.
People ranting about Chinese crap, I suppose they think the shit they bought it’s made in Finland…
Everything it’s made in China you dumb bastards!!
Everything it’s made in China you dumb bastards!!
Not really, I have plenty of stuff made in UK.
I’d love some examples of stuff that you own manufactured and assembled completely in the UK. Purely for curiosity sake and not a gotcha
I have some knives from Sheffield steel made in Sheffield. I have British made filament for 3D printing from 3DQF. I have an Aeronaut RDA which I use for vaping. Solovair shoes, Denby pans, different bicycle parts, idk, a lot of stuff.
I have some knives from Sheffield steel made in Sheffield. I have British made filament for 3D printing from 3DQF. I have an Aeronaut RDA which I use for vaping. Solovair shoes, Denby pans, different bicycle parts, idk, a lot of stuff. British made stuff is usually affordable and well made. Not always, but usually.
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If this weren’t just a rage-bait article that gets recycled every year, I would say good. There is a portion of consumers who compulsively buy and return, with never any intention of keeping and using the product. They just like clicking ‘Buy’.
(I personally think the behavior is a sign of emotional ill-health)
Or you’re buying online and buy 3 different sizes of the same item with the plan to send back 2 because the sizing charts and measurements are all lies.
People need to remember that free shipping doesn’t exist. It’s subsidized shipping and you are paying the price of it elsewhere.
