Why Online Returns Are a Hassle Now (theatlantic.com)
- Reference: 0175712561
- News link: https://slashdot.org/story/24/12/20/1816259/why-online-returns-are-a-hassle-now
- Source link: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2024/12/online-returns-hassle-fees-fraud/681084/
Major chains like REI and JCPenney are now charging fees or requiring in-store drop-offs, abandoning years of customer-friendly policies. With each $100 return costing stores up to $30 to process, some retailers have given up entirely -- telling customers to keep cheap items rather than send them back.
[1] https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2024/12/online-returns-hassle-fees-fraud/681084/
Multiple Sizes (Score:2)
If anyone is always one size from every clothing-ish retailer, congrats! The money they save on brick-and-mortar is being applied to me ordering 3 pairs of pants, and returning 2. If I have to take it into the store, that is generally fine with me. It is a chore either way.
Man, bites hand that feeds them. (Score:2)
From the "this is why we can't have nice things" department. What did people think was going to happen making things too easy with minimal consequences.
I do not get that (Score:2)
Clothes, ok, for sizes and basically pre-agreed, but anything else? If you do not want it, just do not buy it. Well, eventually, sellers may just price than in for regular returners.
I guess a lot of people just take without thinking about consequences at all. Like the people that rush the ATMs when limits are broken due to IT issues and the like.
Re: (Score:2)
If you do not want it, just do not buy it.
It's not that they don't want it, but more they thought it would look good in this situation, but when they received it found out it's not what they thought it would be, or didn't look right in the spot they intended, or whatever. It's also possible the thing doesn't work. Or maybe the color wasn't as advertised. Maybe they received the wrong item. Maybe they received the correct item in the wrong color.
There are a multitude of reasons people return thi
Re:I do not get that (Score:4, Informative)
I bought a 3D printer from Amazon once, spent $800 on it. I got a box filled with obviously used parts and no packing material. This was entirely on Amazon and their policy of being a storefront for 3rd parties, not the fact that I wanted a 3D printer.
You better believe I made them take it back, at their cost. Maybe be less of a corporate shill and realize the customer wanting their actual advertised product delivered undamaged is not unreasonable. The corporation should have insurance covering their sales in case of a return if it's so problematic.
Re: (Score:3)
I have ordered stuff thru amazon and had it arrive with missing parts, etc too. I have ordered stuff "Filled by Amazon" and been sent the wrong product or a different color than I ordered, etc.
One thing I can say is they have always and immediately generated a return, and either cross shipped a replacement or simply told me to bin the defective/incorrect item or otherwise do what I want with it. Usually with very few questions asked. It gives me a lot of confidence shopping with them. It is one of the re
Re: (Score:1)
And obviously, if you get an item that is defective, incomplete, used when advertised as new, etc., returning it is what you do. You have a legal right to do so, regardless of what the seller states. And hence Amazon is not giving you any trouble on these items.
But my take is that this is not the issue the story is about and your behavior is entirely fine.
Re: (Score:1)
That is not the regular case. I have returned things as "defective" or "incomplete" as well. That is different.
Re: (Score:2)
Next they'll bill us to come to their warehouse and process the returns. Gotta work every angle if you're gonna chase that shareholder profit dragon.
Re: (Score:2)
I think its more like contempt or callousness.
If they could somehow find a way to parasitize your bank account they'd be all over it like ants on aphids. Charging someone without delivering anything of value is their wet dream.
To me some of these businesses are borderline thieves. They can easily get away with it for now, but I'm not so certain it will remain easy for the long term.
Re: (Score:1)
> Customer service has been dead for awhile. All that matters is maximizing profits to boost share holder value.
While I agree that maximizing profits is certainly a huge part of the sad death of customer service, it's also partly the consumers fault as well. People want the cheapest price too. By cutting/killing customer service retailers also can cut prices.
Anytime I find a business that has an actual human answer the phone, I'm willing to pay more. If they have helpful knowledgeable staff I'll be a loyal.customer. Unfortunately, I'm in the minority.
Buy from retail stores? (Score:3)
Maybe it is time to start buying from retail stores again? I do this for clothes, so I know what comes home with me at least has a good chance of fitting. The more people use stores, the more stores pop up that might have cool things.
Re: (Score:2)
I agree for most types of clothing trying on before buying is still essential, given what a joke size markings have become. For hard goods I've typically done research on what I want online, and then often look to see if I can get it locally from a B&M store, but most often it isn't carried locally. It's infrequent that I'll be in a (other than a grocery, outdoor gear or hardware) store and see something new that I actually need.
Re: (Score:2)
I do know a lot of people are hard pressed to find good retail stores, especially where I live, where one had to go to an outlying town just to find a place with parking, but if people shift their money to retail from mail order, it would be a benefit for all involved. So, maybe it might be good that mail order places are tightening up return policies.
I'm in the same boat. If I can find something at a local store, I buy it, but if they don't have it, I'll just order it mail order, as opposed to having the
I get it (Score:3)
Honestly sometimes reading reviews I totally get why they'd make it more difficult. If I buy something and it arrives damaged or not working, then obviously that's a return. Clothing if it doesn't fit, sure.
That said, I've read some forum posts or reviews for something in binoculars where the person is sayings things like "I bought 3 pairs and tried them out and then sent back the 2 I didn't like.". Or "I didn't like this one feature about an item - sending it back."
The return policy shouldn't be a way to test drive products that you may or may not keep. It should be reserved for when something is obviously faulty, misrepresented, etc. If I don't do my research and end up buying something I don't like but its functioning exactly the way its intended to, then that's on me.
Re: (Score:2)
Ok but how do you try something on before it arrives in the mail?
Re: (Score:2)
I said in my response that returning clothing that doesn't fit is an acceptable return.
Re: (Score:2)
Honestly, this is the 21st century. We should have a more sophisticated sizing model and clothes should be evaluated independently by the retailers to see where they fit on that sizing model, ignoring the manufacturer's listed size. The sizing model should take into account the actual topography of the bodies that the clothes will fit on and account for factors like elasticity, etc. It would take all of the stupid guesswork and hoping that the manufacturer is not outright lying about the size (like when pe
Re: (Score:2)
The return policy shouldn't be a way to test drive products that you may or may not keep
Negative. This is a very major reason Amazon is so popular... if you don't want it, it goes back. If they stop doing that, then me and whole lot of other people will just not shop there anymore, and let our Prime membership lapse.
Re:I get it (Score:4, Insightful)
> Negative. This is a very major reason Amazon is so popular... if you don't want it, it goes back. If they stop doing that, then me and whole lot of other people will just not shop there anymore, and let our Prime membership lapse.
That's your choice, and I'm happy to stop subsidizing your poor shopping practices as we all pay higher prices from that type of behavior.
Do your research on stuff before you decide to purchase it. Read or watch reviews. Then decide whether or not you want this product - BEFORE YOU BUY IT. Return it if it doesn't work right or something is wrong (eg, if you ordered a red item but a blue one arrived), but if you just decide you don't like it, then you made a poorly researched purchase and that's on you.
Re:I get it (Score:4, Interesting)
Why not do a test drive with binoculars (or whatever)? One type might feel better in your hand or up against your eyes than another. One is lighter than the other. Maybe one has a sharper image.
This is why brick and mortar stores are so important. You can go to the place, examine the item in your hand, do a test drive, and make a decision. You buy it and go home knowing it's what you want and that it's working. Rather than, as you indicated, buying 3 different items, waiting for them to be delivered, opening each one, trying each one, making a decision, boxing up the ones you don't want, notifying the company which ones you are returning so you get your money back, then finally taking the boxes to be returned.
How many days did you waste ordering online compared to an hour or so at a store?
80-20 rule (Score:2)
Or in this case, it's more of a 5-95 rule. Where 5% are probably generating 95% of frivolous returns. I.e. not broken, wrong product sent etc actually valid reason to return the product.
These are the people who will order clothing to wear once and then return. Order several monitors to figure out which one to keep and return the rest. Etc. Overwhelming majority of people do not do this, but they end up paying for the returns of the tiny minority that do.
I would honestly prefer a more hardline approach, wher
Re: (Score:2)
The largest online store from my country (think of it as a local Amazon) does this. If you exceed the average return rate (% of total orders), they will first warn you, then ban you from buying from that e-tailer if you continue.
I think I returned 3 or 4 out of over 300 orders from them, and only one was a good product, a bed mattress which I ordered in the wrong size, and that was me asking my ex-wife to measure the old mattress, turned out she just spat out a size she thought it was (it wasn't).
I'm actual
pushing customers to amazon (Score:3)
I've never had a hassle returning anything to Amazon. All B&M had was customer service. Their online stores were an extension of the physical store, and that's why I used them. If retailers online throws up road blocks to buying, I'll stop buying from them. It's that simple. They're expanding the "brand is dead" mentality across their online platforms. REI for example exited the branded footwear business. [1]https://www.endurancesportswir... [endurancesportswire.com]
If brand dead and retailers refuse to stand behind their sales, I no longer have any reason to shop outside the most convenient and cheapest option - Amazon.
[1] https://www.endurancesportswire.com/why-rei-co-op-is-doubling-down-on-running-shoes-and-exiting-its-branded-footwear-business/
Re: (Score:3)
A few years ago I got an email from Amazon that went: "You've been returning a lot of items, we thought you should know" I figured it was auto-generated and decided to reply to see what would happen. I think I said "Well now what?" I actually got a response that was apologetic and along the lines like "that was just an FYI" - meaning Amazon is paying attention to excessive returns.
Clothing (Score:3)
Without free returns, no one will buy clothing online.
Clothing *relies* on being able to be tried on. Sizing is inconsistent. Colors on the screen don't match the real world. "Fit" varies from person to person.
If you are an online clothing retailer, you *NEED* free returns. Otherwise, no one will buy anything.
Sow agressive advertising (Score:2)
reap impulse buying
Well kiss my zombie, (Score:2)
JCpenny's is still around? If so, they shouldn't be so judgemental with customers since they should be very thankful they still have any.
great (Score:2)
If they want people to go back to B&M retail this is the way to make it happen.
Maybe they could... (Score:2, Interesting)
advertise honestly?
And improve quality control?
You know, reduce the reasons why people return things so much.
Re: (Score:3)
Certain people are buying dozens of pieces at a time and using the e-commerce returns system as a virtual dressing room.
The mindset of the people who do this can't be fixed. Firing them as a customer is the best policy.
As an e-commerce seller in the electronics segment, I see these chronic returners in the UPS store all the time.
Re: (Score:2)
Yep. And it's not nefarious as much as it's ignorance. What do my octogenarian parents know about [1]global impact and corporate greed? [netflix.com] These are the same folks who might trust an unsolicited phone caller.
[1] https://www.netflix.com/title/81554996
Re: (Score:3)
That would actually be a good thing. Most of the time when you return something to Amazon, they just chuck it in a landfill. Their logistics chain isn't really setup to work in reverse. They only bother restocking small, expensive items. When you return something to the store, especially if it is unopnened nor not used, it goes back on the shelf.