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posts about #returningclothes more → 
Closet Cases: Returning Clothes Is Traumatic
New York, 10:00 AM
Mon Nov 30
18 posts in the last 24 hours
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Closet Cases: Returning Clothes Is Traumatic |
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11/15/08
11/15/08
11/14/08
Sometimes I'll buy two of an item I think I like, and then I'll get buyers remorse and return one. But I haven't worn it.
I did buy a cable at Best Buy, rip it out of the packaging, and then learned it didn't work. I'm sure I could go back to Best Buy, but I'd be embarrassed like they'd turn me away.
11/14/08
I love, love, love LL Bean's return policy. I rarely buy anything from them that I don't want to have, but if something breaks, no matter how far into your ownership of the item, they'll take it back. I try hard not to take advantage of them because I don't want them to stop honoring their guarantee, but I'm a lifelong customer because of it.
11/14/08
Most clothes at retail cost about 50% at wholesale. Most costume jewelry is about 25% wholesale (that's why you can get earrings on the street for $5.) As long as you get it back before it goes on sale, and the store can restock the item, it's not that much risk to them.
11/14/08
That is just creepy.
11/14/08
It was the people tried to return wedding gifts, clearly not from our store, not in our gift box, and not on our shelves, that really drove us nuts. But my boss would sometimes approve it, if she could look it up online and find a price.
11/14/08
11/14/08
I also do not send food back in restaurants. However, to my credit, I can be pretty passive-aggressive by leaving only a 10% tip as opposed to the usual 15. I am what you would call a rube.
It's a weird quirk because usually I am very straight-up and direct with everything else that bothers me.
However, I cannot bring myself to inconvenience someone who works in customer service/retail.
11/14/08
11/14/08
11/14/08
11/14/08
11/14/08
I'm convinced she had me do it because she was embarrassed. I would be, too.
11/14/08
11/14/08
Do, however, knock sparkly besequined Lycra Target swimsuits. And knock Target for trying to make those the only suits they carry half the time.
11/14/08
"Um, yeah. I was at this party last night and some girl walked into me with a cigarette and now this dress has a hole in it."
"I just bought these clothes, and my kid pulled my plate of orange chicken into the bag down in the food court."
(Girl holding black wool peacoat) "I washed this once with bleach and now look at it! You'd think for $300 the quality would enough to take at least one washing!"
11/14/08
11/14/08
A few months ago, I found the most amazing Badgley Mischka cocktail dress at Bloomingdales, marked down to a "measly" $598. It tried it on for the heck of it and OMG, it looked so awesome on me. I guess it looked so good I couldn't think clearly, because I bought it. I tried it on for my friends and they told me I'd be insane not to keep it. So I did, and there it sat in my closet. Two months later I came to the shocking realization that I don't go anywhere nice enough to wear such a thing, and probably never will. So shortly before the 90-day return deadline, I sadly packed it back up and returned it.
I still miss that dress, but I know I did the right thing, for both it and my bank account. Hopefully it found a new owner who can give it a good life outside the closet.
11/14/08
11/14/08
11/14/08
My mother's rich friend told my mom I should have it and offered to buy it for me. My mom refused, saying I should use my own money to buy it. That would have meant dipping into college fund money and I couldn't justify it. But God, I wish I had.
11/14/08
Would you keep a car that was a lemon because you don't want a hassle? I would hope not!
I'm not too concerned about what stores "do" with my returned items. Hopefully, they can sell it to someone else, preferably at a discount. And don't worry about returning makeup. They can't re-sell it used so they usually send it back to be recycled. Sometimes they make it out as demos.
I will take back things in a heartbeat, because I value my money and the stores should value me enough as a customer to respect that I should be satisfied with what I have paid for.
I have taken stale boxes of cereal back to the grocery store because I paid damn near $5 a box, my Cap'n Crunch should be fresh!
I've never had too much hassle returning things if I'm nice about it. And to be clear, I never return worn items or underwear.
11/14/08
If you were in Dallas and the girl at the cashwrap looked like she was about to strangle that woman... it was probably me. The discount was great and the people were decent, but holy hell, some of those customers...