Not if they offered better prices. Some of us rarely return stuff and would rather have the savings up front. I've probably had 4 returns in my adult life. About 4 years ago I did take something (unopened) back to Lowes.
Wait a minute, you bought a fricking BOAT based on pictures?
Sure, if it turns out a product is junk and they can decide to eliminate it. The real added cost is the people that take home 6 colors of an item so they cad decide what looks best or a much worse scenario, the guy that buys a tool for one job, uses it, then returns it.
I have no problem with returning defective items but some take it too far. Some stores are cracking down on abuse.
But they do offer better prices.... and returns. :-)
That is my original and only point in this entire discussion. The stores that do offer free returns already have the best prices, so we, the consumer, don't even notice the higher price that is absorbing the retailer's return expenses, because their "higher" price is still lower than the place that doesn't offer free returns.
We also don't care that the price is whatever percentage higher due to the expense of offering free returns... at least the vast majority of us don't.
You guys sound like my Mother-in-law who would never go out to eat because, "Well, I can make that a lot cheaper at home," which of course isn't really the point of eating out.
When we did get her to grudgingly eat out, we'd end up at somewhere like Cracker Barrel and she'd inevitably order the cheapest thing on the menu, like soup beans and corn bread for $2.99 with a water. I would say, "You know I'm just going leave a bigger tip because you're such a cheapskate, right." And I'd leave like $10 more on the tip just to tick her off. :-)
I don't have any problem (nor do the stores) with buying multiple options of a item to see which is best for me or my client, then returning the ones that don't work out. I try my hardest not to do this with, or even open, those terrible molded plastic packages that many items now come in, simply because if reasons I've already explained.
What you guys are missing is that this is actually better for the stores to do this. Besides the value of offering that kind of customer service, they are replacing an old practice with a new one that works better for them.
There was a time when a store had to either carry "samples" of a bunch of different options or something, or allow customers to take loaners home to check out, then bring them back to the store and buy the one they wanted.
Have you ever gotten loaner tools from an auto parts store? They used to charge a "deposit." They still do, but have you ever noticed that the "deposit" is actually the retail price of the tool? You're just buying the loaner tool and returning it after you use it. And you know what? The store is perfectly fine with it. They offer it as a service to attract customers. If you don't return the "loaner" tool, fine with them. They just sold you a used tool for full price. :-) Before someone gets his panties in a wad, I'm NOT saying this defend people who do this at HD and Lowes! Obviously a store offering "loaner" tools is different from people taking it upon themselves to do the "free rental" thing.
I suspect Amazon gets a shipping discount from USPS, much like Netflix.
I recently purchased a set of Tombow Duel-Brush Pens (primary) from Amazon and they cost me $16.99USD. That is $10 cheaper than almost everyone.
I've also recently purchased an HP hand calculator. Usual price was up around $150. I paid a measly $56.00USD. That's almost 2/3rds off the regular price! How could they do that w/0 a shipping costs break? That or that particular item was being discontinued.
I also usta have Amazon's Prime. It was cheap, no doubt about it. BUT, it encouraged a person to "buy stuff", so I no longer have it. I recall ordering something that only cost $2. Sure enough, it was on my doorstep in less than 48 hrs. Did I need it? Kinda, but not really. I did it mostly to see if Prime was true. Apparently, it is.
Have I had issues w/ Amazon. Sure, who hasn't. I once bought a banjo instrument stand. It had an almost "perfect" rating, five stars from over 100 ppl. They musta been all bogus. The "instrument stand" I received was pure junk. Perfect rating? Not likely.
I notice Amazon has re-instituted its $25.00USD "free shipping" policy. ;)
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Yep. Costco is a good example.
Costco usta have "no questions asked" return policy on their TVs. Ppl started "abusing" the policy by buying a TV, then returning it when a new model came out. Costco hadda change their return policy. It was in "all the papers". ;)
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You think that's bad?
My daughter (who has been/still is a victim of identity theft) lives in the North East. A few months ago she got a call from the Wisconsin state police . They were inquiring about a trailer that she sold to a couple in Wisconsin for $17K but never delivered.
Turns out that someone used her name to post a Craigslist ad - in Florida - for a trailer. A couple in Wisconsin answered the ad, negotiated a price (supposedly with my daughter) and then sent the person a check for $17K, which that person promptly cashed.
Once again, my daughter had to put together a package of her past identity theft issues (Verizon accounts, Comcast accounts, apartment rental applications, etc.) to prove to the WSP that she was as much a victim as th e couple that stupidly sent "her" a check for $17K.
No way, I traveled all over Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan looking at the real thing. I did order it, pick it up in Costa Mesa Ca and pulled it back to Michigan. I did not plan on returning it ;-)
During the 48 hours to deliver the part. how many times did you have to dump the bucket under the leak?
The subject of the thread.
Impossible is the right term. And few would go there. I certainly wouldn't. I don't buy clothes from a brick and mortar store unless I can try it them on first. Sizes simply vary too much.
Not buying that at all. I've only returned one other thing to an online seller - because it wasn't what was advertised (a downrod for a ceiling fan). I bought the right one because the wrong one made it clear which one was supposed to be used. The seller didn't.
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And I don't buy that you speak for all of mankind.
If the AMZsecrets site is correct, then ...
"Amazon return rate is generally about 5-15%, but it varies widely dependin g on the category. Books and media have lower returns rates as they are generally well described products that the customer knows what they're getting."
I once saw a number like $300MM per day in sales. I don't know how many individual products that is, but even the low end of 5% is a lot of returns .
I'll wager that anyone that has only returned 1 product to an online seller in their lifetime is in a very, very (did I say *very*?) small minority.
Mabee only bought 2 things online???
I'm guilty of going to Home Despot and picking up8 or 10 fittings for a job that I have to do after hours when I don't know how far back I need to go to do the repair and whether I can use a single 90 or need
2 45s, for instance. What gets returned is what I didn't need, never installed, and is in the same condition I bought it in (including unopened packaging if packaged)Or I need a car part and the parts giuy isn't sure which one I need, say without a serial number. As long as it's not an electrical part (sorry, no returns) whichever one isn't needed can be returned (restocking fee applies if special ordered)
Or Iknow I need to do the brakes on the truck over the weekend. I pick up pads, rotors, seals, drums, shoes and spring kits as well as adjuster kits, not knowing WHAT I'll run into. Might end up returning everything except the front pads if that's all I need. Might even throw a set of rear cyls into the mix.
Or when the snow blower blew a belt on Friday evening and the part number I was givendidn't fit and I bought the next 2 sizes to be sure I got the right one - returned the one that was not the right one (as well as the one I was sold in error) (and when I returned the wrong one I picked up a spare right away to save mr the trouble next time and make it worth the seller's while) Still have the spare from the last blowerm as well as the spare for my old furnace hanging around -- - -
I don't buy that you would have such a position but can't give examples, when it should be so simple. ...if you really believed what you wrote.
I didn't say one product. You're lying now. Figures.
If in original packaging, no problem. I generally throw them back with all my plumbing stuff, though. I'll use them sometime.
"The parts guy isn't sure".
When I did my own brakes (three or four decades back) I replaced everything in there (rotors can be seen). No point in opening the brakes up without changing the pads.
Good plan.
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Big difference between lying and not understanding.
What does "I've only returned one other thing to an online seller" mean.
(And please stop being such a dick. Just have a conversation.)
No, you made an accusation with no information. That's a lie.
The discussion was about other-than-clothing things that were not defective or advertised incorrectly. I just received a set of (expensive) headsets that won't take a charge. Dead. Yes, they're going back.
Lying about what's said _is_ being a dick.
OMG ! 'Try before you buy footwear', what could possibly go wrong? I pity the po' fool that buys used shoes!
Thanks, Walt. Now, I can't UNsee those pictures.
Why did I click on all three?
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