I have an aversion to returning clothes or trying to sell them

[nicholascrawford]

Don't know if anyone else can relate to this, but I just can't get myself to return something, especially if I bought it online. About 3 times a week, a shipment rolls in that I ordered online, whether it's light bulbs or clothes. I can only think of a handful of times where I ever returned something. I just don't.


Partly because I'm lazy, partly because I feel bad returning it, or I want to avoid return shipping costs. Especially if it was cheap to begin with.


I know I could sell some stuff too, but it just sounds like work to measure it and photograph it, post it, maybe get enough to make it worthwhile, etc...


Besides ranting, I'm curious if anyone else used to feel this way but has conquered their hesitation!

[drew2]

Since I'm in the beginning (and learning) stages of rebuilding my wardrobe, I try to buy things online from stores where I can either return it locally, e.g. Gap, Banana Republic, Levi's, Nordstrom, Lands' End, Brooks Brothers, J. Crew, or where the return shipping is free, e.g. Zappos, 6pm, Endless, etc.


It's too risky for me to buy things that I have no idea how they'll fit, e.g. I don't buy anything off of Gilt.


With that said, I did order a jacket from L.L. Bean that I may end up returning, however, and I'll eat the $6.50 in pre-paid return postage to get $67.99 back.


And I will have to eat the return shipping on some Allen Edmonds Bradley in chili (non-pebbled grain) because they are slightly too tight. $129 for shoes that don't fit is simply not worth trying to keep or sell.

[LesserBlackDog]

When the item is extremely cheap, I will sometimes avoid shipping it back - especially if there's no free return shipping. But generally speaking, if I paid more than $20 or so for something and I don't like it, I will always return it. Though I usually get around to it more quickly if the retailer offers services like discounted return shipping labels.


I also try to identify retailers based on their shipping and return policies, as well as retailers that have brick-and-mortar stores for more convenient returns.

[EF]

I'm like that a lot of the time. Unless it was a really expensive piece or it just fits me horribly I'll usually just avoid the hassle. Also hurts that the return shipping costs for me are pretty nuts (if no free returns are offered). The only return (or exchange rather) I've made recently was to Allen Edmonds, no way I was letting that one go.

[alan]

Anything I buy online falls into one of two categories:


1.) Things like clothing I only buy if I know I can return it locally. Since it's not a slam dunk, I never risk it.


2.) I buy things like electronics, computer parts, etc online because I can do independent research and determine EXACTLY what I'm getting before I ever order it. These are things I never have to worry about returning unless it arrives broken (and that hasn't happened yet).

[trash]

I always feel awkward returning stuff in stores, but I'm getting over that since I'm always returning stuff because it doesn't fit, it doesn't look as good as it did on the web site, or some other legitimate reason. Places like Bonobos and Zappos make it so much easier, especially if you feel awkward returning stuff, because you just ship it back and never interact face-to-face with a salesperson. And remember, they're knowingly offering a return policy and assume their pricing accounts for returns (especially places with generous return policies). You're not taking advantage of them, just doing what you're allowed to do (even encouraged to do, with places like Bonobos and Zappos).


I buy a lot more clothing because of my ability to return stuff, and I definitely prefer retailers with local stores or free return shipping, so I'm pretty sure they look at returns more and more as marketing strategy, not a cost center.

[drew2]

@trash


Fortunately I don't really struggle with that, especially when online retailers will advertise it as an "advantage" to be able to return things locally. If you can get over that, it opens up the door to guilt-free shopping online and returning in store .


For example, I recently returned almost ten items that I purchased from Lands' End (Canvas) across four separate orders at my local Sears. I apologized to the sales associate out of politeness because I wasn't buying anything and because I had so many items to return. But I realize that most of these people don't have problems processing returns--it's not like they are loyal to the store or to the brand that it pains them to see a customer returning items at a store they work in.


What was sad for me to see, however, was that Clearance stickers were placed on the items I returned even though I didn't open them. I guess that's what happens when Lands' End ships their stuff in simple plastic bags (carefree packaging they call it or something like that).


I've returned quite a number of things at a local Nordstrom store that I bought online.


No guilt, no shame--there shouldn't be any.

[nftmlk]

It's nice of you guys to apologize but I think it's unnecessary.


I've gone to stores & returned 3 pairs of shoes before without any worry. That's just the game. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don't.

[alan]

If you have an aversion to returning or selling clothes, you can always just give them to me free of charge. Avoids both scenarios.

[trash]

@Drew - I notice the same thing! Just about every LEC item I return seems to get a clearance tag stapled to it. I would think they just repackage it and sell it at the original price, but I guess I don't know what happens to the item. I hardly ever see LEC items at my local Sears so if it is in fact going on a clearance rack it's not ending up by me.

[LesserBlackDog]

The only reason to apologize when returning something to a store is if you... like... rolled around in some mud while wearing it. I don't think most sales associates care one way or the other - they get paid regardless.

[zerostyle]

@trash/drew: I once asked a sales clerk if they actually put those clearance items on the shelf to sell. She said they just simply shipped them back to LE.

[Big_Scooter]

If you return stuff to BR, they at least sometimes put it in clearance. I saw a solitary sport coat from their heritage collection that was next to $30 merino sweaters, going for about $380 on clearance. It drew some eye rolls from people in the area. The store in question doesn't carry the heritage line.

[Zack Malibu]

Although I live under five minutes from two major shopping centers, I do a lot of online buying, usually due to the nature of the sales. I have no problem ordering something to see how it fits or looks and then immediately returning it. Usually I'll make a day of it, as if I'm ordering several packages from various spots at once, I'll gather up all the stuff that's being returned and head out to get rid of it all in one shot. As we speak I've got things that need to go back to Macy's, Express, GAP, and Urban Outfitter's.

[runner-guy]

The return shipping on stuff definitely sucks, but like Drew said it's worth it if the item is expensive. I got a New Balance running shirt from 6pm.com that I really don't like, but I only paid about $9 for it and it's not worth paying return shipping.