How Retailers Like T.J. Maxx And Home Depot Quietly Target 'Problem' Returners

Clarification: Best Buy ended its relationship with The Retail Equation in 2019, according to the company.
It's no secret that retailers are cracking down on returns.
In 2023, 81% of U.S. retailers implemented pay-to-return policies in some capacity. Amazon, Macy's, T.J.Maxx, Walmart and Staples all rolled out changes to their established return policies. That may look like shrinking return windows, charging for some returns, or in some cases simply telling shoppers to "keep it"
Shoppers racked up more than $5 trillion worth of retail sales in the U.S. last year, according to the National Retail Federation. About 14.5% of those sales were returned. That equates to an enormous value in returned goods: $743 billion in 2023 alone.
"Most of the returns that come back cost up to 40% of the original retail price to put that item back on the shelf," said Robert Overstreet, Iowa State assistant professor of supply chain management. "There's no guarantee they can sell it for what they originally asked for it, so they're losing money on both ends."
The recent changes are just the latest effort to tamp down on return losses. Many large retailers in the U.S. have long been engaged in the practice of quietly tracking and targeting return behavior. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. retailers use third-party loss-prevention services to track risky return behavior. This doesn't outright mean fraudulent activity, but rather behavior that "mimics" or could be linked to such behavior.
The most notable third-party loss-prevention service is The Retail Equation, a software provider that tracks return behavior that retailers deem potentially fraudulent. It then assigns a return score to shoppers based on the data provided by retailers, giving the software the ability to override a store's return policy, leaving shoppers with no refund and a printed notice directing them to The Retail Equation's website to explain why their return was blocked.
The problem is, many shoppers are unaware this type of tracking is even happening, leaving many feeling blindsided when they get to a return counter and are told they are not getting their money back. Or, even worse, they get banned from the practice of returning products to the store altogether.
According to several now-dismissed lawsuits and Better Business Bureau complaints, customers reported they were following a store's return policy and were still issued a warning. Some customers complained the information found on their report given by The Retail Equation was incorrect and that they were left with no way of knowing or remedying the information until after their return was rebuffed.
Watch the video above to hear more about how this tracking works and what types of behaviors might get a shopper flagged as a 'problem returner'.
Producer: Devan Burris
Editor: Tim Hurt
Animation: Jason Reginato, Christina Locopo
Senior Producer: Jeff Morganteen
Additional footage: Getty Images
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How Retailers Like T.J. Maxx And Home Depot Quietly Target 'Problem' Returners

[@watomb]

I hate when retailers put returned items back into inventory without making sure the item works or has all the parts.

[@dece870717]

Definitely! Bought a $20-25 coffee maker from Target, had to return it because it was obvious that it was used, you could smell the coffee grounds when you opened the box. I wonder how that would impact my "return" score.

[@tech4life884]

Exactly. Companies should be charged with FRAUD for every used item sold as "new".

[@wstreff]

Yea I ordered something that should have had 8 items, mine arrived with only 1. I was not pleased.

[@bruho3556]

I've also had this happen several times.

[@kozad86]

Then when you return it, you get smacked on your invisible score for fraudulent returns. 😩

[@costaht]

One day I overheard a guy saying he bought a snow blower the day before a storm and returned it two days later. People like these ruin everything for us.

[@Newokie59]

This is what TRE is exactly for. I am a manager in retail. I see this EVERY day. Our company uses TRE

[@jasono2139]

​@@Newokie59 ...then why not... you know... OPEN the package and check to see if it shows signs of use?? If it's been used, that should be an automatic denial for return.

[@rudyrodriguez7301]

​@jasono2139 that is crazy levels of impractical. How is a person supposed to be trained to be a detective lol.

[@DeusKDuo]

@@Newokie59 It also blocks people like me where people are doing returns using my phone number across the country and are being helped by store employees by getting overrides from TRE yet i cant return 1 item for the first time in years.

[@Bubbles99718]

Hope u called him a pos

[@xtnuser5338]

My wife used to shop at Costco a lot. Let's say she wanted a new vacuum cleaner. She would buy like four of them, bring them all home, decide which one she wanted to keep, and then return the other three. She didn't do this much for groceries of course, but she did it for other product categories all the time. I kept warning her that Costco would cancel her membership if she kept doing it. I explained that she's going to be a net-loss customer returning such a high percentage of purchases. She said they wouldn't even know. I told her that was naive, because every transaction is linked to her membership account number or whatever. I said it's pretty silly to think they wouldn't keep such records, and have some sort of algorithm that flagged excessive returners. I didn't realize it might be a third party doing the analysis, but the concept seems pretty obvious. She argued that she was just following their policies, and wasn't doing anything sketchy. She wouldn't listen to me, and continued the behavior. Six months after that conversation, she got the membership cancellation letter in the mail.

[@kathyyoung1774]

Can’t blame the store. While she had all that stuff at home, they couldn’t sell it to a legitimate buyer

[@pabloescobarschanclas]

she got what she deserved, tbh. that’s a stupid way of buying stuff, anyway. why didn’t she just read reviews for stuff before buying multiples to decide “which is best?”

[@xtnuser5338]

@@pabloescobarschanclas Because she's a woman? Her logic circuits don't work too well.

[@HereWeAre__01]

😂

[@xtnuser5338]

@@pabloescobarschanclas Because her logic circuits don't work right?

[@kevinmontgomery9867]

I used to work for a Walmart in Ohio. I was helping in the return department one day. I opened a box to make sure it had what it was supposed to have in ot. It didn't. People will buy a tv,keep the tv and put something in the box that feels and weighs about the same ,like a piece of plywood. Return it to the store in the hopes that the persin working the counter doesn't open the box. This was the problem at the store I worked at. I brought it to the managers attention and cut our losses by 75%. I saved the store tons of money and never got any recognition for it. The manger took all the credit

[@kathyyoung1774]

Thieves

[@Matt_Foley]

The fact that you helped Walmart do anything makes me care even less.

[@Chris-kf3xd]

Just typical male manage behavior.

[@outoftheforest7652]

@@kathyyoung1774 there is a special place in HELL for them!

[@nooneyouknow5516]

Walmart receipts for electronics like tvs and computers include serial numbers that are supposed to be verified upon return.

[@nolan_8]

Interesting how they blame everything except for the fact that their inventory is increasingly being filled with made-to-fail and cheap products that rarely live up to the descriptions, expectations, and information listed on their websites.

[@chevy4x466]

I agree. When the product doesn’t meet the expectation, u should be able to return it.

[@balagan79985]

@nolan if you’re buying from places like Amazon you can expect made to fail. Go in person to a local business for better quality and service and feel good that you made a positive contribution to society 😊.

[@kitfisto1827]

u get what u pay for.

[@xtnuser5338]

@@balagan79985 Of course you can expect made-to-fail junk if you purchase the cheapest option possible, and that's true for local businesses also. But Amazon certainly offers products at the higher end of the quality scale also. Well, at least inasmuch as higher quality products are produced at all. You can get Snap-on brand tools the same as you can get Northern Tool brand tools, for example. Buying online doesn't automatically mean inferior products. And whether or not it's a positive contribution to society is completely subjective. Money leaves your pocket and goes into somebody else's pocket either way. Maybe try to keep they money in your home country if possible, but other than that there's no net difference.

[@TriggaTreDay]

Looks like public lobbying. This is just a way for them to change laws/rules without being the bad guys. They are not fooling me. Damn near every seller on amazon is from the same set of manufacturers in China. Most of their products are hit or miss. Walmart is no different.

[@joelk4751]

If The Retail Equation told the reporter, as stated, that consumers have the ability to request their data related to a retailer, they were lying. The data can only be requested AFTER a particular retailer has rejected or "warned" a return. TRE's website explicitly states this. Congress should provide that consumers have the right to view information collected about them, just as the Fair Credit Reporting Act does for credit reporting bureaus.

[@aliciafaulkner416]

I also checked their website, you are very right.

[@keithhibbard5651]

Congress should provide consumers have the right to explicitly be told that their information will be shared with a third party and what info and in what regards

[@kangamagic1206]

1000000%

[@calvinthestormfreak]

No health privacy laws after covid

[@TheAbdulOsman]

@@keithhibbard5651Per the video, sounds like there have been a couple class action lawsuits from 20-23 but looking hard to prove. This is definitely a data privacy issue and foresee changes soon hopefully...

[@presagem8trix671]

My brother in law bought a leaf blower at Home Depot just to find that someone replaced it with an old one. Employees don’t check they just put it back on the shelf.

[@HereWeAre__01]

😂

[@jeskeepinitreal]

So, maybe Look inside the box before you get to the cashier and pay.

[@TheMrlittlemack]

Happens way more than you think

[@yevgeny79]

Many larger products returned to home depot do not go back on shelves. HD returns them to the mfg for refurb.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

And now your brother in law will get his return score dinged.

[@tossedpenny]

I remember working retail years ago and the absolute worst was luggage. People would purchase premium 5-piece sets to go on the occasional vacation and they'd always return them a few weeks later packed neatly in their pristine boxes and the damn airline flight tags would still be on all the handles. It got to the point that we basically considered our luggage section a free rental service.

[@jasonmoses7785]

Well good. They sell that bs to high

[@HallsofAsgard96]

​​@@jasonmoses7785 then dont buy it

[@kylespencer2192]

​@@jasonmoses7785that doesn't mean it's ok to basically steal 😂😂

[@yell0wberry]

I used to work at a store in downtown NYC that would sell furniture and other household items to ABC studios for them to use in their newsrooms as well as on the set of the soap operas that taped every single day. When those items finished serving their purpose, these guys Are given the privilege of returning these things back to the store for it to be resold without folks, knowing that they were already used

[@jasonmoses7785]

@@kylespencer2192 definition of stealing is to take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it. That’s the true definition so this ain’t the same as stealing 😂… and look at it like this.. if I pay 80 bucks for a suitcase that cost the company 2 bucks to make…. When I return it in 30 days, they done flipped that money many times so I figure I’m doing them a favor by providing a small loan to make money over again an again while I collect my money and return luggage on day 29 because I don’t want no problems 😂

[@MessyPointedBlob]

They'll refuse to process your return, but not refuse to process your purchase without telling you that you are banned from returns. Something a state AG should look into pursuing.

[@nicasia3867]

Right, you should be notified before making the purchase. If they’re tracking credit/debit cards then there’s no reason they can’t send a notification to the payment processor that returns will not be allowed… and then let the costumer decide if they want to follow through with the purchase.

[@Kissed1982]

AG won't do anything lol, we've left the era of honor in our system. Companies rule the roost and do what they please--just look at how poorly made items have become, the amount of excess, unnecessary tech to track usage and have control in household appliances, etc...

[@KhroweDontYouKnow]

There is no law that says you have to be able to return or refund. It does not have to be mentioned, explained or posted. Returns and refunds are a courtesy not a right. What would AG do? Like 4 second of research would alleviate your idiocy.

[@KhroweDontYouKnow]

@@fluffy177 nope in no state is a refund policy maditory, yes you can sue which is a civil not criminal matter. Saying a bunch of nonsense like quoting consumer law is a new level of call8ng out your own ignorance.

[@KhroweDontYouKnow]

@@fluffy177 furthermore that civil suit would be for false sales or fraud and nothing to do with a right to return

[@ThoolooExpress]

A classic case of enshittification. Online retailers had to implement very permissive return policies to get people comfortable with online shopping and put local shops out of business. These policies were never sustainable. Now that they have the market share they're walking them back.

[@chknchkn6385]

I agree but would retailers have walked it back if it weren't for abusers and fraudsters taking advantage of worry-free return policies.

[@nolan_8]

^^ This. Not to mention the fact that their sites are increasingly being filled with shittier plastic versions of everything. Many of my returns are because I knew I didn't want to be stuck with something that felt like it wasn't going to last me 6 months.

[@inothome]

Enshittification or the current state of entitlement? That can go both ways, retailers making it easy for people to shop online with easy returns. Then entitled idiots abusing it because is says easy returns? The TRE isn't flagging your everyday shopper, they are tagging the abusers and rightfully so. Give someone and inch and they take three feet and this is what always happens and why we can't have nice things. Not sticking up for big corporations, eff them too. But in this case, the abusers are to blame.

[@laughingshaman1]

Most of what retailers describe as return fraud is people returning products within the return policy.

[@ytadventurer9170]

@@laughingshaman1 Purchasing something with the INTENT to return it is still return fraud, regardless of company return policy.

[@wayneyessir6350]

I am actually happy to hear retailers are doing this. Too many people treat retailers like rent-a centers or worse, borrow-a-center. Take responsibility for your spending habits, do your research, and make informed decisions.

[@ricardocabrera8344]

Yes, like the reporter, "this laptop is not for me".... Wow.

[@chert2380]

It would be nice if retailers would go after the people who are actually brazenly walking out of the store with stolen items. My husband works big box retail and they lose thousands of dollars weekly due to thieves who know there will be no one going after them. Employees are not allowed to intervene. Police are never called no matter how expensive the item. It makes everything cost more for the rest of us.

[@BethanySchwarz5678]

Usually what happens in these cases is they are captured on cameras and evidence is sent to police where they do investigations. They identify the person and let them steal enough until they have enough evidence for a felony charge. This is how we did it at Old Navy when I worked there 2019-2021

[@kemangraya2382]

It is time to use facial recognition technology. When the person is in the system it will alert security and closely watch. Chinese use facial recognition everywhere especially it is so useful to find wanted person

[@jennifermarie3158]

@@BethanySchwarz5678 I can't believe this is an effective method. Other lowlifes just see others stealing stuff with no consequences, so they start doing it too. Studies show that the best way to prevent shoplifting is deterrence, and this method offers zero deterrence.

[@jennifermarie3158]

@@kemangraya2382 Ya'll love authority. We has fewer problems with shoplifting for decades before these sort of surveillance technologies existing, so putting us all under increasing corporate surveillance is not the way. It just blows my mind the way Americans just love sucking at the teet of their corporate authoritarians.

[@kristend344]

when politicians pass laws saying "We won't charge you if it's less than $1000" . . . , and the DA refuses to charge them - what's the retailer supposed to do?

[@covfefemaga7918]

🤔 I've had to request a refund on items recently that were being sent to me broken in padded envelopes. I specifically called customer service, told them the items arrived broken and requested for them to please send them in boxes next time instead of padded envelopes. They said they'd change the mailing method. They sent them again in padded envelopes broken again. I reached out to customer service for a second time to request my money back and they offered to send the items again instead. I had to insist on a cash refund instead. I was done playing this game with them. At some point there are process issues with the retailers that are reducing their profits. If they had sent the item in the correct type of packaging originally, they'd have gotten their money and we'd have all been happy. There are definitely people who are returning things fraudulently, but frequent returns doesn't necessarily indicate fraud.

[@kaohsiung99]

Good points!

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

Had that happen twice with Amazon on the same item. Ordered two cute terra planters. I did see negative reviews with the items coming in broken but they were older reviews so I took a chance. Nope...planters came in a box twice the size of the planters but there was no padding of any kind. Nothing! Took a chance again because I really liked them. Came in broken again and I returned again. Maybe I am now on that list. I'm still annoyed about those planters 😁

[@balagan79985]

@@sbffsbrarbrrit’s not worth the perceived savings and the Terra pots were probably made by children anyway. Try a local nursery and enjoy face to face and customer service. If you can afford it I highly recommend paying up for quality and service.

[@xtnuser5338]

No, it doesn't automatically indicate fraud. But frequent returns CAN make you a net-loss customer overall.

[@Telephonebill51]

@@sbffsbrarbrr there are some things that Amazon ABSOLUTELY FAILS TO DELIVER: furnace filters; THEY ALWAYS ARRIVE CRUSHED! No matter what, they are utterly destroyed, and I don't mean a little. It's like they go out of their way to ruin them.

[@bruxi78230]

Used to work at an electronics retailer. We had a couple that would come in frequently and talk to salespeople for hours about some fancy tech product. Invariably they returned it within 3 days. The sales manager printed out their transaction history and they had never actually held on to anything. Next time the couple showed up, the manager told them we would be unable to sell him anything ever. They never came back.

[@carlosk8103]

Sounds like a clear case of return abuse...

[@orangetruckman]

bruxi78230-Some people are so wasteful that it makes me sick. Your example is one I have heard of before from someone that worked at an auto parts store.

[@timr.2257]

Why would they only return after 3 days? Sounds like they just have mental issues.

[@bruxi78230]

@@timr.2257 ----- Not sure why they chose 3 days. But yes, mental issues definitely. It was kind of like this was some weird form of entertainment for them.

[@viggler]

They probably bought a high-end video camera to record a wedding or something, then returned it when they were done. I heard of someone doing that with a big TV for a superbowl watch party, then return it after they were done

[@emilyfox1777]

"consumers have a right to a report from any particular store, by going to our website you were never aware of in the 1st place" such transparency, much honesty 🙄

[@Shadrachyisrael]

THISE FOLKS GET PAID UNDER THE TABLE!!! DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW WEALTHY THIS GUY IS HE HAS OVER 2200 STORES MAKING 378 BILLION. THIS IS THE 1% WHO MAKE TGE WORLD TURN.

[@joshm3342]

When ordering large, heavy items like window air conditioners, I pay online and have them shipped to store (Lowes or Home Depot). When picking up, I get the store employees to remove the heavy item from the box for my inspection, because there is often hidden damage from boxes being dropped, but the box itself does not appear damaged.

[@kathyyoung1774]

Great idea!

[@judithshelton5655]

Smart!

[@BobbyJ529]

if it is damaged, do you know for sure they aren't counting it as a return on your part..against you?

[@outoftheforest7652]

@@BobbyJ529 uh.. how if the item was shipped TO THE STORE and they are inspecting the item? I mean it is kind of a pain honestly.. and it still may be defective.

[@EB-nz1qv]

Yeah I do that for all my window air conditioners too.😂

[@laowaistudieschina7470]

Simple fix for me, might not be for everyone: curtail shopping as much as possible and be really finicky about the quality of what I do buy in store. More money in my pocket, that much less in those of participating retailers.

[@ladylove34]

This is exactly it!! I used to buy a ton on Amazon. Now I almost never do, and I almost never have to return anything. I used to have lots of returns (broken, wrong size, etc.). I was also spending tons. Now I save both money and time not falling for all their pushes to buy more Amazon sh*t all over KZbin, Insta, Pinterest, and Amazon itself.

[@goldfish3858]

This!! Also, I used to get angry and annoyed at my mom for taking hours to try on clothes in person and analyzing any product she was interested in buying. With the tedious work, problematic customer service and time it takes to return a product you bought online, now I fully understand my mom and take my time to try on and see products in person. Yes it gets really annoying but thanks to that, I’ve never had to deal with returns neither online nor in person and though it takes a long while, I know that the product I’ll buy is used for a long time and won’t regret it. Mom does know best 😵‍💫

[@Dontneedahandle0]

Agreed. This just makes me want to be very critical of where and on what, I spend my money. They need to do better. I can live with fashion from the last couple of years or even learn to make my own clothes. I can learn to make do with what I have. I won’t suffer, but the retailers will.

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

@@ladylove34 Same, especially since I got rid of Prime.

[@SLloyd-qb8kt]

@@Dontneedahandle0 Exactly!

[@rwdplz1]

I've encountered FAR more retail fraud by RETAILERS. Knowingly sending broken items, outright junk, delivering liquid items that have leaked out visibly in the package, etc. If a retailer has a restocking fee, I'm not shopping there.

[@gerbearjones6056]

Exactly

[@jasono2139]

....or items that are expired. Lots of construction adhesives and similar wet products have expiration dates... they'll gladly sell you a tube of caulking or sealant that's years old and won't work properly, even though they should know which lot numbers they have and when they were received.

[@brycek3434]

Then you've never worked in retail. A retailer isn't going to send broken items if they have a decent return policy because they'd expect to get them back. Sounds like items damaged in shipping or fraudulent returns that got sent back out without proper inspection.

[@lunatremolsaries8027]

Me too , they sent me licking products and doesn’t give me refund for it

[@lunatremolsaries8027]

@@brycek3434 retail no 👎 but the policies to refund back to costumer , when is happened

[@phyllisarrington7436]

Way back in 1990, I had a friend buy a $300 cam-quarter at Kmart. I said, "Don't you talk to Steve (her husband) before making a big purchase on an unnecessary item?" She said, "Oh, I'm just going to record Stephanie's tumbling routine. Then I'll return the camera." I was floored!

[@kathyyoung1774]

Fraud

[@WalterDorcas]

Great video, The first $100,000 invested was amazing. But when you hit $300,000 it’s like smashing the glass ceiling! I cried.

[@soniajames-tn4mp]

I completely agree with you! My first 100k took a long time and wasn't that special to be honest with you. Once I hit 300K that is the game changer in my opinion. At this point my money is basically making me a pretty good yearly salary. When I go to sleep at night I know my money is making decent money with the help of my FA"

[@rapp-in1mz]

Nice. People often underestimate financial advisors' importance. Over 50 years of data reveal that those who work with advisors typically earn more than those who go it alone. I've been fortunate to work with one for 13 years, resulting in a $1 million portfolio, largely from early investments in AI and other growth stocks.

[@WalterDorcas]

I've been considering but haven't been proactive. Can you recommend your advisor? Could really use some assistance.

[@rapp-in1mz]

"Angela Lynn Schilling" is the licensed advisor I use. Just research the name. You’d find necessary details to work with to set up an appointment!.

[@WalterDorcas]

I looked up her name online and found her page. I emailed and made an appointment to talk with her. Thanks for the tip!

[@wurmhat1501]

Knowing I can return something that may not work for me causes me to purchase more. Change the return policies and I will make less purchases. This is especially true with online purchases.

[@anthonydomench6871]

“Causes me to purchase more crap I don’t really need because if I actually needed it, the return policy wouldn’t matter” There, fixed it for you.

[@wurmhat1501]

@@anthonydomench6871 I didn’t need you to fix anything. I said what I said.

[@starsinger5935]

Exactly. Companies are just gonna lose customers this way. People stop shopping in the establishment altogether cuz you can’t make returns or it costs you.

[@Hypnodog_]

​@@anthonydomench6871I'm sure you don't need clothes then.

[@Cuban-Jo]

@anthonydomench6871 have you ever bought clothes or shoes online?

[@djp1234]

They should just be upfront about it. "You are allowed to return X number of items per year."

[@ManabiLT]

I know Walmart has a limit like that for items returned without a receipt, but they don't list what that limit is on their return policy web page.

[@LittleHatori]

EXACTLY! And if it's a very expensive item, put "sales final" or "store credit" only returns on it SO PEOPLE KNOW. all this shady stuff is so unnecessary for everyday shoppers because most people will understand that there should be limits on certain things in order to prevent abuse. For example, thrift stores like GoodWill, all sales are final. (only exception i've seen is if something was broken i.e if u show the clerk that a battery powered radio doesn't work when you put the batteries in you'll get STORE CREDIT.)

[@carlosk8103]

I think it's the cost they have more of a problem with then number of items... If you return x2 50k items vs 10x 2$ items.. The x2 items are more likely to get you banned.. because you are costing them more money...

[@Richard-xu8to]

Percentage also makes a big difference. If you purchase 20 items a month and return 1 a month, it's not as bad as a person who buys an item every month but returns it.

[@latestarter7761]

I would rather see a fixed price to return and item. Say 10% of the price or something like that. Kinda the way retailers used to be.

[@DavidJ.Knecht]

I had initially planned to retire at 62, work part-time, and save money, but the impact of high prices on various goods and services has significantly disrupted my retirement plan. I'm worried about whether those who experienced the 2008 financial crisis had it easier than I currently am. The volatility of the stock market is a concern as my income has decreased, and I fear that I won't be able to contribute as much as before, potentially jeopardizing my retirement savings.

[@EugenioJ.Ballenger]

The increasing prices have impacted my plan to retire at 62, work part-time, and save for the future. I'm concerned about whether those who navigated the 2008 financial crisis had an easier time than I am currently experiencing. The combination of stock market volatility and a decrease in income is causing anxiety about whether I'll have sufficient funds for retirement.

[@AnissaT.Roller]

This is precisely why I like having a portfolio coach guide my day-to-day market decisions: with their extensive knowledge of going long and short at the same time, using risk for its asymmetrical upside and laying it off as a hedge against the inevitable downward turns, their skillset makes it nearly impossible for them to underperform. I've been utilizing a portfolio coach for more than two years, and I've made over $800,000.

[@RichardK.Turner]

Mind if I ask you to recommend this particular coach to you using their service?

[@AnissaT.Roller]

Leticia Zavala Perkins, a highly respected figure in her field. I suggest delving deeper into her credentials, as she possesses extensive experience and serves as a valuable resource for individuals seeking guidance in navigating the financial market.

[@LoriR.Wilson-uo8sh]

Thank you for the lead. I searched her up, and I have sent her an email. I hope she gets back to me soon.

[@ethereal369]

I remember in the 90s, you could return items to several stores, without a receipt- for CASH.

[@ShannonsBibleStudy]

I think that's what lead to theft.

[@yell0wberry]

Exactly, Eddie Bauer is the first business that comes to mind. They used to do that with regularity. Then I remember JCPenney would send you a check in the mail if you returned items you bought from them without a receipt.

[@grandiora]

Idiots abusing the system makes it worse for everyone

[@bnwo]

Lmfao abusing the system starts with these massive companies, not the handful of customers returning their cheaply made, planned obsolesce products 😂

[@AKAAAK]

It is the handful of customers "fraudulently" abusing the system making it bad for all

[@damonkent4810]

Look up the word “fraud” and apply it to the promises on 99% of the products you buy. And then tell me consumers are the problem. I’m glad people are returning 15% of this deceptive junk and that number should probably be higher.

[@rileyjoseph3488]

You’ve gotta consider that these companies have grown as much as they can. The only way to make profit is to cut cost. Which means cutting labor, real estate, amount of items, and ability to return.

[@AKAAAK]

@@rileyjoseph3488 And jacking up prices.......

[@althunder4269]

Some companies have been charging a "restocking fee" for years now.

[@billytan888]

When the retailer ships an item to the customer, the retailer has to pay for postage. When customer returns the item for a reason that is not the retailer's fault such as "size does not fit" "change mind" "no longer needed", the retailer needs to charge a restock fee to cover the cost of the postage. Some times the items the retailers get back are also used or damaged and they would assess a restocking fee. This is fair.

[@gh1Mikie]

Best Buy

[@MegaLokopo]

A restocking fee is completely fair for opened products.

[@AtiaElita]

Amazon sent me the wrong armchair that I purchased for $400 and when I returned it the restocking fee was $370 for a chair that I didn’t order. I don’t think it’s appropriate when the seller makes a mistake and we have to pay for it

[@davidstone424]

It costs money to pay an employee to inspect a product and put it back.

[@QuarrellaDeVil]

Many years ago, our local Best Buy had a customer who bought a video camera, recorded their entire wedding, and then returned the camera. They forgot to remove their precious memories, and Best Buy figured out what they'd done. The person with whom we chatted told us that one was going to court, as they weren't going to give back the film unless a judge told them to do so.

[@paulbonaventura4969]

Best Buy always (since I worked there 20+ years ago) had a no return policy on "travel" products like digital cameras, camcorders and things that could be used 1x and returned.

[@elizabeth-2213]

The first time a company like Home Depot gives me a problem with returning items I will quit shopping there 100% of the time. There are plenty of businesses in this country to buy from. Game on!!!!!🤣

[@elizabeth-2213]

There is no such thing as a problem returner. They offer returns & there are no strings attached. Instead of labeling customers as "problem returners" We should label these companies as "problem sellers" We quit shopping at Best Buy because of their garbage return policy.

[@amyandrews9151]

This happened to me. A retailer, LOFT, who offered tall sizes on line only (I am tall) but allowed in-store returns, used TRE to flag my returns (tall items ordered that did not fit). I used to purchase most of my clothes from them and bought A LOT. I got cited by them during a busy shopping season when the store was crowded. I had no idea I was doing anything wrong and was following their own policies. I never returned worn items. I was a loyal customer up to that point but was treated like a suspected criminal by store employees. Totally blindsided. Didn't know I was doing anything wrong and had no recourse. When my 30-day return suspension ended, every unworn item that still had tags from LOFT were returned, and I haven't patronized them since. That was 2015. l

[@nicotinedietcoke]

The loft filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy lol

[@eMDiKhamPha]

nowadays, stores are desperate to flag real customers instead of actual criminals to make up the loss profit from theft

[@loranoodle]

I’m tall too so I get most orders online from JCrew and Banana in tall sizes. But many still don’t fit across the bust etc - I have to return them but equally I have to order online because they don’t stock in store

[@covfefemaga7918]

Wait... so you're not allowed to buy items online, try them on, then return them to the store with tags? 🤔 I too have to buy sizes that often are not carried in store and have no other choice so... what do they want us to do?

[@saynay333]

I'm also tall and have bought my clothes almost exclusively online for the last 10 years. I don't know what retailers want us to do if they don't carry items in store. And especially in womenswear where clothing sizes vary significantly by store, item, even color. Returns are a given.

[@petek5523]

I used to like shopping at brick and mortar stores so I could try things on and get a feel for the items , unfortunately there’s fewer and fewer of them around which has “forced “ me to shop online. Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience but it’s really hard to get the right fit when you can’t try stuff on first.

[@kissesforthemisses]

I hear you. I’m also wondering what percentage of “wardrobing” is actually customers buying multiple items to try on then returning what doesn’t fit. Plenty of people purchase online, or if in the brick-and-mortar store, just skip the dressing room completely. I can’t even remember the last time I’ve been in a dressing room, to be honest. I don’t doubt people are “wardrobing”, but I also wonder if retailers are taking into account that people will purchase more than one item with the sole intention of returning whichever doesn’t fit.

[@jasono2139]

​@@kissesforthemisseslol... I do this even with certain tools and hardware. You can't tell which tools are good quality until you can actually see and hold it in your hand as nearly half of the pictures online anymore are COMPUTER GENERATED RENDERINGS of what they wished their tools looked like. I absolutely hate that.

[@marbledillon]

This too. I always order multiple sizes and see which fits the best!

[@randomgirl2994]

Exactly, this is why I’m worried about the whole denial factor. I have to order multiple things to see if they will be the right size or if the color is even correct in person to the online photo. Then I return whatever doesn’t fit me. Sometimes I have to return the whole order which looks bad but honestly nothing fit me, I did not wear or wash it for an event, I have dotted my i and crossed all my Ts. I don’t want to get denied from my favorite retailer but if nothing worked, nothing worked. It’s too bad that bad people ruin things for good people.

[@jasono2139]

@randomgirl2994 you're not the only one! I've had to return entire orders before because every single piece of hardware I bought didn't actually fit/work the way it was sold online. 🤷

[@user-bt9cm7ze4c]

My neighbor works at Home Depot. There's been a guy that hangs around the parking lot and looks for receipts thrown away that were paid with cash. He picks up the receipt and then goes back into the store and finds all the items on the receipt and loads them in a cart. He then takes the cart straight to the return line to get the cash. LOL

[@PodcastClips23969]

They have cameras, he will be caught. And wild guess, he’s an illegal migrant? Just here to “ make a better life”

[@randymack2222]

I worked for nearly two decades at a retail store, and we had a few customers who had (chronic/habitual "buyers remorse")! It didn't matter what they purchased it was guaranteed to be returned in a couple days! Most of the employees knew them by name and would refuse to wait on them whenever they would enter the store.

[@carolr7823]

There were problems even 50 years with people returning clothes that they bought to wear once to a special event and then returning them. They didn't just try them on but wore them and returned them.

[@brodriguez11000]

Need a digital nose to "sniff" out the problem.

[@TheCatD]

Yep one woman said she'd buy a dress for an event leave the tag on tucked in then return it after the event.

[@amylaw3416]

I worked in the fine china department of Macy's in the 80s. People would buy 12 place settings of an extremely expensive China pattern, throw a party then return the China used and unwashed and Macy's North would make us accept the return. We'd then have to damage out thousands of dollars worth of fine China. It would make us mad!

[@kstreet7438]

My grandma has said she's done this Got a nice dress for an event. Wore it a few times and then returned it for full cash back. To this day, people still do this.

[@user-pw3vv8oq2w]

@@kstreet7438she’s a bum

[@reanami]

This is exactly the reason why I stopped buying LEGO at Wal-mart and Target… sets were missing the minifigures and some “system abusers” went to the extent of replacing the LEGO with uncooked pasta, then sealed box up gluing the tabs and/or placing clear tape over the original tape!! Never again, I will always buy directly from LEGO.

[@JAlexanderCurtis]

I had the same thing happen to me recently.

[@JH-lz4dh]

Wow

[@EricMoore-nw5qn]

Or a Lego store

[@erickottke9673]

As much as possible I buy direct from the company itself, exactly for this reason. Shoes directly from Asics, socks directky from Undrr Armour, etc. You never have to deal with this crap buying direct.

[@user-sn3ky2md4v]

I work for Home Depot I’ve seen people return griils after using them most of the summer or ladders after they obviously used it to finish a job.They have returned tools used to remove shingles from roofs after they are done.

[@outoftheforest7652]

we really should implement a rental or checkout system.l Libraries often now have tools and items you can check out of the library for free.

[@mg2619]

@@outoftheforest7652I thought Home Depot has a rental service already

[@israeliqueen153]

y'all let em do it and then y'all complain about it. lol.

[@erickottke9673]

Home depot does have a rental system

[@yell0wberry]

And don’t forget all the generator returns from all the Home Depot locations in South Florida after hurricane season

[@staciemoisa4884]

Retailers need to check returned items before accepting them! I bought a light from Home Depot, but when I opened the box, there were pieces missing, and the light was broken. I returned it, and they took my name and number for the return. Honestly, the light should never have been put back on the shelf and resold. No one inspected it?

[@aaronharrison9442]

When I ran a store, I generally felt that a lenient return policy was good business. Customers felt comfortable purchasing because we stood behind the product and pretty much guaranteed satisfaction. Also, I didn't want conflict between my customers and my staff. In general, I ignored our posted return policy and just used my judgement. It's a value proposition. I could refuse to return a $20 item, but if the customer gets upset and stops shopping at the store I could lose far more value from all the other purchases they would have made in the future. However, as the video states, there are people who are net-zero or negative-value customers because of their returns and the time demands they place on staff. For those customers I instituted a very strict return policy, compliant with our posted policy but nothing else. Retailers are completely within their rights to "fire" customers who they no longer feel comfortable doing business with. And yes, people (or companies) who abuse the system are why we can't have nice things. Companies are often guilty of being greedy, but customers are often not any better. It's a problem of parties not acting in good faith, not being okay with both sides coming away with equal value.

[@Bradgilliswhammyman]

Exactly, it is a kind of social contract that once broken is difficult to mend. Your approach seems the best. Customer satisfaction is important but net negative customers with verified patterns of return abuse are not customers you need in your business.

[@AppleStrawberryLove]

I get that you think you were doing a good thing by going against the policy to do what was nicest for the customer. HOWEVER, what you actually did was open yourself and the store up to lawsuits for discrimination. Because bending the rules like that creates the illusion of favoritism and should a shady person have caught onto that, they could have spun it. The optics look bad and that alone can open the door in ways you never could have predicted. I've worked in retail for years. It may seem nice but the policy is there for a reason and it's not just "we want to be meanies and not lose money." Sometimes, it's to protect everyone from legal issues.

[@outoftheforest7652]

It is just that evil selfish entittled people are ruining it for everyone else. !

[@lijiang5600]

It's a self-inflicted wound, and I bet every one of these corps knew this would happen when they use easy return policy to encourage and lure consumers to spend money on stupid things, estimating that a large enough percentage of them wouldn't bother returning unnecessary stuff.

[@PerfectoKiss]

Exactly! They can’t have both ways.

[@BrunoDeMarques]

True

[@flingonber]

Yep, the amount of clothing that didn't fit that I've bought, tried on, never worn, and never returned because it wasn't worth the hassle could probably clothe a city at this point. A city of people with very oddly shaped bodies.

[@MayTheSchwartzBeWithYou]

You're one of those idiots who will blame everything on corporations instead of consumers, huh? It the returns are easy, why wouldn't consumers take advantage of it? Your argument makes no sense.

[@MayTheSchwartzBeWithYou]

​@@PerfectoKissThey're trying to make returns easy for good faith consumers. How is that "trying to have it both ways"?

[@Katie-vy5rd]

I used to shop at department stores or boutiques where the clerks literally said .. buy it take it home and you can always bring back if you decide you dont like... hundreds of times...

[@Cuban-Jo]

When I worked at autozone we used to say the same thing because people didn’t know if the part was going to solve the problem. The customer would buy a bunch of parts, try them all and return the ones that he didn’t need.

[@deniseandrews113]

I will not purchase anything from a retailer that charges a fee to return an item!

[@Riley0509]

Sounds pretty entitled to me. People constantly abuse return policies and we all pay.

[@Michael-pg7rv]

Time to change your mentality. 'Buy now, think about it later', is incredibly unsustainable. Almost half of the crap returned online ends up in a landfill because it is either hard to sell opened or not worth the restocking of the item.

[@deniseandrews113]

@@Michael-pg7rv Time to change your mentality from ASSuming you know anything about me

[@DavisWorthington]

I'm sure they are fine with that

[@waltblackadar4690]

@@Riley0509 Entitled? No. It's an exceptional rarity that I return a product as I usually know exactly what I want. Because of that fact, I'm not willing to pay to return an item when it happens so rarely. I'm simply not going to fight with a company over a return fee, especially considering the reasons I'm most likely to return it is that the product doesn't work or arrives damaged.

[@lovewildviolet]

A hoarder like myself who impulse buys clothes and never return a single item is who these retailers are giving a high five 🙌 I admit it, I have a problem.

[@chai_lattes]

I used to impulse buy when online shopping and for whatever strange reason never even opened the package for years once it arrived. I've wasted probably hundreds of dollars like this. Recently, I've really practiced being more mindful about my purchases: opening up the package in a timely manner, testing it out or trying it on to see if I like it, and returning what I don't need without any guilt or shame. And it feels amazing!! Seriously. It feels so good to only keep what I need and genuinely like; otherwise, back to the store! Sorry for randomly sharing that with you, but try it one day when you're ready. I'm like a semi well-oiled returning machine now, and it feels fantastic😂🎉

[@user-nn4bu6ip9m]

​@@chai_lattesdon't be sorry for sharing something that will help other people, and good for you controlling you shopping addiction

[@rickpaulos]

What problem? Donate your surplus to a 501c(3) and get a tax write off and feel good about. There are many local stores that buy clothing to resell.

[@oldsguy354]

Many years ago I learned that in retail, people will use what you sell them. If you sell them on a return policy, you shouldn't be surprised when they use it.

[@PalmBeachDog]

I was behind a woman returning about nine pieces of clothing, obviously worn and stained, and they took everything back. No questions asked. They’ve opened up their own can of worms.

[@monp.4903]

All the thieves stealing from retailers and going back and returning merchandise without recepts is probably a big cause for these return policy changes!!

[@chevy4x466]

Yup. I am not buying this story. The returns largely referred to here are people returning stolen merchandise, the retailer just can’t prove it. So, the act like the return problem is our fault. I buy everything online. Brick and mortar have passed shoplifting costs to us. Now, as this story says, we r to blame. Screw them, I don’t need them

[@harmonys2102]

I’ve never understood how you can return anything without a receipt. Seems obvious you should have to prove you bought it in the first place. I’ve only ever really heard about the no-receipt problem after Christmas back in the day, people claiming they got the stuff as gifts. That’s how gift receipts became a thing.

[@BillyO8828]

As with most things, it's 20% of a population that causes 80% of the problems. I hardly return items. But some people do abuse it. Get rid of the 20% that abuse it and prices go down.

[@RoseanneSeason6]

​@@harmonys2102at Walmart you are only allowed to do that three times per year and you need a drivers license

[@Jaderator1]

The problem isn’t the returns, it’s the cost cutting push. There will always be individuals committing fraud, but the general public shouldn’t be treated as criminals.

[@CriticalTechReviews]

Preach. Shrink is, was, and always will be a cost of doing ANY form of business, yet it's only recently that corporate behavior has become toxic and anti-consumer to this degree.

[@latestarter7761]

As I’ve always seen it, there are too many people too comfortable with returning items. Free returns to some people mean they can try after they buy and decide if they like it or not. They can buy 3 or 6 items and see which one of the 6 is better and return the rest. Or use it and abuse it then return it. Simply unsustainable behaviour. I’ve always researched the crap out of an item before buying and rarely return things even if I didn’t like it.

[@inothome]

@@latestarter7761 Exactly, some people are using it as a trial period or as a free rental.

[@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane]

​@@latestarter7761 One of the places I shop at got rid of their fitting rooms during covid. On top of that, it seems like everything is sewn so wonky these days. Sorry, but I'm not going to keep an item that doesn't fit me right because they don't provide a place for me to try it on before I buy it. I truly do not understand why they did that. They must get a huge amount of clothing returns. Must be cheaper than paying for a fitting room employee I guess. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if we got rid of all these profit-driven corporate stores that don't pay their employees enough to care about customers, and went back to having talented local clothing makers and tailors in every town.

[@maddie8415]

Exactly. It's like the move towards entirely using self-checkouts because they don't want to pay cashiers. Of course this will lead to losses from theft or mistakes. It's their own fault, as is the way many companies had or even still have extremely lenient return policies. They can't blame people for using these policies to their advantage.

[@JA-vv8wy]

I’ve heard social media influencers often buy & then return items but make money off the links their viewers use to buy the items they see the influencer wearing.

[@kathyyoung1774]

Thieves

[@pxn748]

I shopped at Home Depot for 35 years and was denied a return on 3 light fixtures that cost $135 total because TRE told them I was a bad risk. I will never go back to them, I had spent over 100K there!

[@FiatIsTheft54]

What I’m really shocked about is CNBC actually did some journalism for once.

[@philollenberg]

I worked at a bricks-and-mortar retailer with a few customers that returned 75%+ of all their purchases, to the point staff knew their personal info by heart. These folks were banned from returning anything and one was eventually trespassed.

[@kathyyoung1774]

I don’t blame the store

[@rickpaulos]

I read about a person who bought an item in a store, took it home and found something else in the box and the store refused to do anything. One reason Amazon and other big retailers just auction off pallet loads of returns.

[@yell0wberry]

A lot of folks should understand that if they are doing an honest returns, buying something with a credit card, all but saves you from any type of hassle, regardless of how a retailer treats your return

[@sadjaxx]

JC Penney asked for my ID when I returned a little white blouse that I got for Christmas that didn't fit. I had been a loyal and regular JCP customer for a long time and rarely if ever returned items. I was in shock. I handed my DL over, received $2.75 for the blouse. Went home, cut up my JCP card after trying to talk to somebody at the company for two weeks and did not go back to JCP for ten years. When I did go back I didn't recognize the place, it was like a bargain basement close out place. I hope that they close down.

[@redmed10]

If a company may refuse a return they should put that in the description of the product. They have built up their business and put high street shops out of business with this free returns offer. They should be made to fulfill their promises.

[@eirickbuckley9998]

I agree and was going to write a similar comment.

[@blipblop92]

Street shops lost due to many reasons duh

[@HyperDragon01]

I can't speak to every retailer, but some have a return policy explicitly saying that management has final say on returns.

[@ixan2137]

I guess they don’t do it cause they are afraid of losing potential buyers. I would not purchase anything from a store with not return policy. Imagine if products come broken. NOT THANKS.

[@martinulrych9315]

😊😊😊😊😊pqp9l9

[@LiveWell6]

The cost of returns is paid by all the consumers that don’t return items driving up purchase prices.

[@-.TS.-]

Unfortunately even if they reduce returns, shoppers will not see it in the form of price cuts

[@griesemermd]

Exactly. That’s why it really irks me when people flippantly buy and return things all the time.

[@josha.bdoge2]

Try to be a more conscientious Shopper but if you got to return some s*** return it.....80% of this s*** is cheaply made Chinese Goods with huge markups...I'm sure most of it disintegrates the minute you open the wrapper

[@kenmore01]

Yep

[@MrNiceGuy500]

Same with buy now pay later, same with credit cards, same with financing anything

[@champagneflowers8522]

Make a quality product and people will not need to return items, to make sure value is not lost on thier end, due to corporate greed

[@randomuser2468]

A retailer ahould be required to tell you if your return will be auto banned before you give them money.

[@donnadixon289]

The ban takes place when you’re returning the item, (because you made too many returns, especially no receipt returns). There’s no ban on making purchases and no identification is requested on purchase. How would they be able to tell you if you have a return ban if they don’t even know who you are as you’re buying the item? Don’t make frequent returns and always have your receipt, problem solved.

[@calvinthestormfreak]

No health privacy laws after covid THANKS DemonRats

[@jasono2139]

​@@donnadixon289...if the ban doesn't occur UNTIL you are returning the item... that's a problem. 🤦 That's like saying you can get a "free" car inspection... unless you bring in your car to get the free inspection. If you're on the cusp of being banned from returning items... you should know beforehand.

[@joelsaravia1028]

I work at target and I can tell you people do this every single day especially with electronics. 😅

[@calvinthestormfreak]

No health privacy laws after covid THANKS DemonRats

[@yourfavpersuasion9385]

as long as you have a receipt it shouldn't matter.

[@junemoran4550]

That’s me 🤷🏿‍♂️

[@Acidfox86]

@@junemoran4550stop being a bad customer. There is such a thing as

[@Ms9mmBeretta]

I work at Target too. My coworker who works at the customer service desk came over to me yesterday to complain about someone who bought something and didn't even leave the store before they returned it 😂 and it was already extremely busy yesterday, being the day before mother's Day, and people like that doing unnecessary things like that to make people's job harder.

[@Jack-ol8bb]

I run a small business that makes and sells our products on Amazon and other places. Return fraud is a real thing. We sell travel pillows and will regularly get them returned after clearly being used on a trip.

[@kathyyoung1774]

Fraud

[@erickalucas5660]

I’m glad they are doing this! I used to work in retail many years ago and we would have people return clothing that smelled like smoke, weed, etc. Then get an attitude if we wouldn’t take it back and give them cash instead of store credit. If you think the product is substandard or cheap, you need to read and check this out before you spend your money!! I hear a lot of people complaining that these companies sell cheap stuff or substandard products!! Whose job is it to check that?!! yours!!!!

[@WithloveTrinize]

hummmm the influencers are a big part to blame... lol buying items and returning them. I knew a stylist that would buy items and returned them after a photoshoot and said everyone did it then one day she walked in Zara to return items and they told her no......over a grand with of Zara junk she had to keep....

[@kathyyoung1774]

Glad to hear that fraudster got busted!

[@vpsaxman]

The day I'm charged or denied a return when I'm complying with the return policy is the day they lose me as a customer.

[@shubashuba9209]

If you are costing the company more money than they make from you for being a nuisance returner, then they would gladly lose your business.

[@phyliciasadler9596]

You must not own a business. Plus you might be one of those return people the video is talking about

[@catrespecter]

Good, please leave, you are net loss.

[@Luisrrr508]

@@phyliciasadler9596i bet !! Sounds like

[@ahyes589]

Or how about you do some research on the product before you buy it.

[@user-dh4jl1nw1v]

I worked in retail for nearly forty years and it’s astounding how many people return items worn, tickets switched, used, and outside the window of time for the return. Two of the biggest things was returning hats after the derby and returning items they decorated with because they had company coming for a while.

[@billdavis6978]

When buying power tools, open box while still inside store to make sure it’s the tool you paid for and isn’t used. They might think you’re the one scamming if you realize there’s a problem outside the store.

[@Summergaze]

My question is if you’re denied to return items, is the consumer being made aware that the sale is now final? This isn’t like your credit score when you can look it up. I never heard of this before this video. It’s an arbitrary line in the sand so you could very well be swept in it like others who aren’t returning fraudulently. So in essence you can buy something get a faulty product or a product that doesn’t fit your needs and standards return it and they deny you. Based on a system you had no idea about. To me, if this is essential to doing business then the consumer should be aware what’s going on when you’re checking out.

[@ManfredGMarshall]

I once purchased a color laser printer that was on display at a local Office Depot. The item was labeled as "last item". According to the store, the item had been returned. I bought the printer and drove home. When I prepared to print, the printer information application warned of depleted printer toner. Apparently, the customer who returned the device did so after printing thousands of color pages. Color laser printer toner cartridges retail for about US$100 each. A color printer uses black, cyan, yellow, and magenta toner cartridges: a whopping US$400. I took the printer to the store to report the incident. They kindly provided new toner cartridges free of charge.

[@walterwhite1]

Liar 🤥 you used them 🤡 we are not stupid 🫵🏻

[@CJ.1998X.Y.Z]

@@walterwhite1why would someone make that up in a KZbin comments section. Makes no sense

[@marvin19mejia]

@@CJ.1998X.Y.Z cj my guy are you blind!?? of course this man is a criminal and Walter is doing the right thing!!!!

[@walterwhite1]

@@marvin19mejia you’d be surprised how many creepy liars are on this platform

[@sauronthegreat5799]

Those printers are ripoff. They can give you the printer for free and still make money from selling you overpriced ink cartridges.

[@user-fj6ts6bt7z]

I know someone who purchased a folding ladder and a paint sprayer to paint the interior of his house and returned them after he was done. Hate that sh*t.

[@kathyyoung1774]

He was a crook, and that’s the reason for these policies

[@tropicalbeach9225]

Actually, I do not blame retailers and 100% side with them. I remember back in the early 2000's. I remember, there was one girl in middle school who use to monkey branch clothes. What she would do is go to mall and buy an expensive outfit for like $200. then wear it for a few days, then take it back and exchange it for another outfit, then after a few days come back and exchange that for other outfits. She kept doing this after she went through 50 or 60 outfits. Then after she wore the final outfit, then would take it back for 100% refund. So she basically wore 60 outfits for free and never paid for them, and used all these outfits for dates, parties, take pictures in. Social media didn't exist back then; but criminality still did. So the store lost money and look what she did..... monkey branched from clothes to clothes. Then after this, the stores started enacting return policies to where you could only return items 2 or 3 times within a 60 day period. I will admit, she was smart, sneaky, and knew how to play the system. Unfortunately, though it definitely ruins it for the good people. I also know a guy in middle school who did the same with PS1 games. He would buy a ps1 game from target or walmart or circuit city, then he would play it for 2days, beat it and pirate a copy of it; then take it back to place he bought it from and exchanged it for another ps1 game. He did this so much, that within 1 year, he racked up 300 ps1 games, pirated a copy of every single game, and then got a refund on it. So he monkeybranched all the ps1 video games. In the video, they call it "Wardrobing". But monekybranching from item to item or frauding is what it can be called, labeled as welll!

[@4.0gpa44]

While people obviously abuse return policies, if people have a legitimate return within the policies, and the return is denied, they should dispute it with their credit card company by filing a fraud complaint, or sue the store in small claims court.

[@ryanroberts1104]

Absolutely. This is why you should always use a Visa/Mastercard for this sort of thing. The store is the one doing the fraud here, not the customer!

[@kitfisto1827]

if you knowingly and deliberately made the purchase, it is not a fraudulent purchase. You can't later claim it is because now you don't want it. That IS fraud.

[@kitfisto1827]

​@@ryanroberts1104it isn't fraud to not accept a return. if you ever bothered to read a return policy, you would see that the store has the right to refuse any return.

[@ryanroberts1104]

@@kitfisto1827 The store has to honor the written return policy at the time of sale. They cannot change the rules later and say "no returns", this is fraud. Everything is facilitated through Visa/Mastercard, they are the ones who get to determine fraud. If they don't want to accept returns from certain people, they need to say this before the sale.

[@ryanroberts1104]

@@kitfisto1827 Wrong. They cannot simply change the return policy whenever they like. The bottom line is Visa or Mastercard will always take the consumer's side here, it is not fraud, this is common business practice.

[@sherice1730]

I hope retailers flag companies that low quality easily breakable products on the shelves also.

[@amineantion]

siding with the retailers on this one. big item returns are wasteful, annoying, costs money. if you constantly return your purchases, you deserve to penalized

[@Bradgilliswhammyman]

They definitely have. If you return x number of items within a given time period, plus the cost of the item, and a few other metrics you will be on a database of problem customers. If you work on the customer service end of this you will understand why this happens and why it is necessary. For clothing, amazon has a try before you buy policy on most clothes and shoes. You can try it for a week. IF it doesn't fit send it back. I think you are given something like 15 days. It is quite generous.

[@theodoreolson8529]

Years ago I dated a woman who was a crazy shopper. Example, she finds a sweater at Uniqlo. She buys one in her size and one size up and down, and in every color. She would take them all home, try them on, then return the rest. Insane.

[@kaohsiung99]

Maybe she had a phobia about a hidden camera in the dressing room, someone opening the door, etc.

[@theodoreolson8529]

@@kaohsiung99 Could be but she also did the same thing at Costco and Walmart. She is a psychiatrist. Go figure.

[@terry4161]

I do the same thing because I don’t want to try on clothes in a dirty fitting room.

[@JamieStLouis-tu9ml]

Some companies ask you to do that. If the Wall mart fitting room is unmanned for any reason the TELL you to do this! Also, how to you try cols on at Sam's club. There are NO fitting rooms?

[@Hypnodog_]

I hate doing that, but I'm having to do it more often because the fitting rooms are locked and no one is around to open them.

[@hyrenaj2888]

The theory behind return policies is that it induces spending by giving customers an option should they find their purchase not suitable for whatever reason. It's understandable why retailers would amend their policies if this is no longer the case, but it's also quite concerning that someone operating within the bounds of a return policy would not be told they had been flagged BEFORE making a purchase (with the understanding that the return policy still applied to that transaction).

[@hyrenaj2888]

Also, everyone knows that 99.99% of people never read T&Cs in full, it's problematic that legal claims still rely on this, especially when the vast majority of people do not have the legal expertise to fully comprehend that 'wall of text'.

[@brendanforde2631]

Honestly. Makes sense. Returns are literally so bad for the environment cause it is often they dont get reused

[@lifespanwellnessbeauty-60i64]

I started ordering a lot of things from Amazon during the pandemic. It's easy for online shopping to become a habit. I've returned numerous clothing items and shoes because they didn't fit, not because I was somehow defrauding them. Since this was happening so often, I decided just to go to a regular store and try things on instead of buying them off Amazon. It's just easier for me to go to the store and try the things on. Since I made that decision, I don't have as much to return.

[@Videotime-bu2hu]

Give us stores to go into, a pleasant shopping experience where we can see items in person and make better choices on what we buy and you’ll see less returns. I absolutely hate online shopping and end up returning a lot of the junk that I order once I see how awful it is in person. Going to stores is miserable nowadays bc the inventory is not there. I would much prefer to go to a real store stocked with the things I need so that I can browse and enjoy myself. Punish the customer with bad return policies, people will buy much less.

[@kathyyoung1774]

No, there will always be people looking for ways to commit FRAUD.

[@daughterofsekhmet81]

Agree 100%. I miss the days when I could buy everything I needed in stores. I have never returned so much as I have since online shopping took over. I hate waiting on shipping, and I hate when I finally get the thing only to find out it's cheap chinese crap. That doesn't happen when I can handle and test a product before buying, but I honestly think that's exactly why so many companies are forcing online-only. If we see that something is crap up front we won't buy it, but if they post a pretty picture and fake a bunch of good reviews they can trick customers into buying crap and count on a lot of people not wanting to go through the hassle of printing a return label and lugging the crap back to the post office. All the shipping is killing the planet too. Nothing good about online shopping.

[@brianmcginity]

One big reason I buy from Amazon is their return policy. If there is an equal choice, I'll pick Amazon over other online retailers because I know I will not need to pay return shipping if there is a problem. Want to lose my business? Give me a hard time returning.

[@fourmilli]

I work in loss prevention for a big box retailer… yes return fraud is rampant and companies do have resources that track down fraudulent returns / excessive returns that cause a loss for a company. Companies have the right to ban a customer from shopping at their company if that’s the case. Everything is tracked, your rewards number, credit cards, debit cards, everything is tracked, also video footage helps a lot 👍🏽

[@ClayJitsu]

If a vendor limits you from returning, never buy there again. They have to understand that their behaviors also have consequences.

[@USNvet1980]

If you owned a retail operation you would not say that

[@bootscooty]

Met an Italian guy and he told me they don't even allow returns over there. I will say he was very psyched about the American return policies

[@user-j5ja95]

Same in Japan and Korea, returns are almost never allowed

[@WillieFungo]

America is the most consumer friendly country on the planet. We have it so easy here, but very few people appreciate it.

[@_Circus_Clapped_]

​@@WillieFungo I must be related to someone over there because I hardly ever return anything unless I haven't opened it or ordered something by mistake

[@wobbuffetbuffet]

EU has super open return laws. Italy is a member of the EU therefor it also has the policies. Example you have 14 days to get a refund even if there is nothing wrong with the product. They also have the right to request a refund up to 2 years from the purchase date. So if they buy a shirt and its seams come apart within 2 years they can get a refund. europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/indexamp_en.htm

[@e.t.1088]

Mexico bans any store returns

[@josieadkins6847]

Well if they’re going to move all their stores to e-commerce then of course they should expect returns. I can’t see or touch the item in the store before I buy it, how will I know if it certainly works for me before it shows up at my house?

[@venbas2]

Have seen shoppers abusing generous no questions asked return windows to wear fancy dresses shoes gadgets etc and then returning it just before the expiry window and then the loop continues

[@lindafukuyu5767]

I used to work for UPS as a Customer Service .. boy .. people kept returning stuffs after the holidays or even during the regular days. They returned everything and most of them had been used. Unbelievable !

[@Xamry]

Thrift stores are the ones winning Very large in their receipts do they print: ALL SALES ARE FINAL. Even for brand new items with tags

[@Cuban-Jo]

And no one has ever had a problem with that because they tell us up front.

[@kathyyoung1774]

Examine before you buy

[@kikiTHEalien]

Thrift stores are the only ones left which have 100% of the merchandise available for inspection in the store.

[@derekchristensen3003]

"The Retail Equation" is lying about "all consumers" being able to request a copy of their Retail Activity Report. To get the report, you need a Transaction ID found on a warning or denial receipt. If you don't have this, you can't get a report. So you can't know there is an issue until it's too late.

[@capybaraponque611]

what

[@beobe82]

If commercial retailers have implemented this practice most certainly the government is behind this data collection and found ways to track citizens. This is why you see the border influx with immigration. The government tracks the relationship migrants crossing the border giving them free cell phones and cash to digitally track potential non citizens behavior. Using social media to persuade the behavior of a cheap labor force for capitalism.

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

Most customers won't ever have to deal with this.

[@user-vg5ys6ur5p]

OMG, I remember when I first started at CJ Nickle. This lady came in and returned LITERALLY a 3 bedroom and 2 bath house full of STUFF!!!! I was FLABERGASTED, when she left I asked my co worker what was going on with that?! She said, "This won't be your first or last this year. This happens all the time during the holidays. People who are hosting that year will come in and basically pic out a whole house of stuff to "stage their house or the holidays" and return if after in order to impress their guest. " I was like, WHAAAAAAATATTTTTTA?!!!! and she was right, the amount of people that did that BLEW MY MIND!!!

[@TheBreakerbar1]

About time retailers hold these people accountable. I’ve seen people that proudly return items as a habit after events. Costco needs to implement this.

[@darinherrick9224]

Customers have a problem: They sell you a defective product and it fails 31 days after purchase. You have no recourse. They sold you a broken product.

[@rudridz]

Customers in the U.S other developed countries like Australia and the UK do not have this issue

[@kkcook3743]

That's my experience ordering from Amazon.

[@rbartow22]

@@tayl0r612 The downside is when it's an electronics item with a serial number. But otherwise I do the same thing lol if something breaks like just outside of that return window and they won't replace it with a warranty then I just buy a new one and return the broken one lol.

[@ladylove34]

Just happened to me. Got a defective toaster oven from Wayfair that completely broke down just a few months after I bought it. For a month, I wwnt back and forth calling the manufacturer and Wayfair, with each side saying the other should give me a refund. Of course, I eventually tired out and never got a refund. Just had to buy a new one on Amazon smh

[@joez.2794]

Back in the day we'd just buy another one, then return the defective one. Serial numbers weren't really tracked expect for the biggest ticket items.

[@cristinawilliams8026]

Man…it feels so creepy that these stores stoop so low as to collect external data on the humans that walk in the store. It truly is a violation of trust and privacy.

[@ceg4609]

Yeah, I'd like the full list of participating retailers.

[@user-hc9lp3hb1r]

They are just tracking your frequency of returns and other information related to your returns. If you don't want them tracking this information, then make sure you don't buy stuff you don't want. I am willing to put up with this so that stores can reduce fraud and keep the generous return policies in place for customers who don't abuse the policies.

[@l.5832]

@@user-hc9lp3hb1r What about when the item is faulty and doesn't not operate as advertised? I've had things break right from the first use.

[@DS-px3gh]

It’s probably deeper than you can even imagine. Anything you do electronically is being collected and sold

[@kathyyoung1774]

Is so many shippers weren’t blatantly committing FRAUD, this wouldn’t happen.

[@ivangotyokes]

As someone who sells third party on Amazon, Amazon completely sucks at monitoring return fraud.

[@jacobcarpenter4155]

Perfect! I will stop using any company that wants to charge for returns

[@Derpy1969]

Retailers helped create the return problem.

[@judysocal8682]

Because they gave in to the whiny babies who didn't follow the stricter policies to begin with.

[@kathyyoung1774]

People COMMITTING FRAUD caused this.

[@ShannonsBibleStudy]

@@kathyyoung1774 Retailers needed to put their foot down long ago. They let themselves be bullied and it has caused a lot of problems.

[@kathyyoung1774]

@@ShannonsBibleStudy Agreed. Now look how many commenters said they wouldn't shop at a store than tightened up its return policy. Kind of makes you wonder if they are the problem, doesn't it?

[@redmed10]

Retailer activity report. Sounds a lot like a credit report.

[@brodriguez11000]

A social credit score. ;-)

[@calvinthestormfreak]

No health privacy laws after covid THANKS DemonRats

[@jasono2139]

...except you can find your credit score BEFORE being denied credit.

[@DePaul31]

Use cash and solve the problem

[@sor3999]

It is.

[@BenSussmanpro]

In early 80s I sold consumer video/audio equipment for a national chain, and it was common for customers to purchase an entire stereo system costing $500-$750 and return everything the following day or after the weekend. These people were often acquiring the equipment for a big party or event where they desired better quality than what they already owned. And there was nothing we salespeople could do. We lost our sales commissions after we wasted hours trying to sell the stuff.

[@darrinpennington]

It would boggle the mind the number of people who buy something, like a lawn mower, and return it at the end of the season! It's insane

[@kevinmahoney1995]

Wow, I have never been denied the ability to return an item. This is all news to me.

[@omgness1234]

Probably because you’re not one of these people abusing the policy

[@ManabiLT]

Having worked in retail in the past it's _always_ been something that happens, just fairly rare. Stores share info on known shoplifters and those people would end up not being allowed to return stuff.

[@rbartow22]

@@omgness1234 People frequently get flagged without ever abusing policy, even on receipted returns. Most people won't ever deal with this issue but it can and does happen often with people who are just normal everyday shoppers.

[@rbartow22]

@@canela904 it's not only those who don't use it fairly though.

[@nametags]

Because this isn’t that common. It’s people who are trying to defraud businesses

[@JCJW101]

I work for a large retailer and whilst most returns are legitimate there are a significant amount of people abusing the system and its increasing as more people find out ways to defraud us (claiming they sent back multiple items in a package) or simply abusing the returns system like doing 600 orders in a year and returning everything (probably wardrobing). These people should be blocked as theyre increasing prices for the rest of us.

[@HyperDragon01]

There's also the people who use the return process as a free rental service or as a way to buy something new and return something old. Then you have people looking on the ground or trash looking for trashed receipts and coming inside claiming they "forgot" to grab one of their bags or something.

[@demarcusds95]

Exactly black list them

[@covfefemaga7918]

Probably KZbinrs doing hauls. Maybe those specific people should be blocked based on their profession?

[@ShushiG2022]

@@covfefemaga7918 i agree, I saw somewhere that After christmas, there's a long line of people trying to retun the biggest of christmas trees and decor. I m sure they buy it for Instagram pics and vlogs.😂

[@calvinthestormfreak]

No health privacy laws after covid THANKS DemonRats

[@sayrewilkin-dalby619]

We're going back aways but I knew someone that would buy clothes from TJMaxx or Marshall's and repurpose the tag to a piece of their own clothing they no longer wanted, cleaned and ironed. I only found out because I bought one of them and she was like, "Omg. Where did you get that." To be fair, it was my favorite dress. 😂 Also many years ago, I used to work at Trader Joe's. They had a very liberal return policy and I once watched a lady return a whole shopping run, talking 6 full paper bags of groceries. Now that was too far, they can't resell it or even donate it.

[@amo2211]

With everything made in China and breaking two days later, is not surprise number of returns are getting high. We have a friend who works for phone company and said that over 90% phones show some king of deffect because they are all made in China. Also we bought a $500 lawn mower that worked a few days... could not return, could not use warranty... nopbody takes responsibility for the issue, and the customer is going to lose...

[@1qtpie]

Too many people abuse return policies such as buy a dress for an event and return, but a TV for SuperBowl and return. When this happens, a retailer Hass to sell it at an open box price or are used markdown price. They lose money when people buy things and use them and there’s nothing wrong with him. They should have to keep it only unless it’s unused and they change your mind, should they be able to return it? Imagine if you owned a store in all people did was buy use for an event and return it. You would go under right away.

[@AndriaaLeoLove]

So gross to buy something to wear then return after wearing. I always wash my clothes before wearing in case someone bought and wore it, I don’t want their smell on me.

[@kathyyoung1774]

Yes, they are CROOKS.

[@boondoggle4820]

This is good to know because I didn’t know that retailers were doing this. I rarely return anything because I rarely buy anything without doing a lot of research first and really pondering the purchase. Stores try to get people to impulse buy and then they penalize them when they return the item.

[@kathyyoung1774]

They are only trying to prevent Fraud

[@kikiTHEalien]

Yet you still make returns. It seems that the problem is not with how customers behave