How common is returning used goods to a store and getting a refund? And how can this be profitable for the store?

25 comments

1. it really doesn’t happen too often. people tend to prioritize convenience (one trip to the store) over relatively low finances (like a $30 cooler). that’s why we’re willing to pay so much more for stuff like same-day delivery.

   anyway, it doesn’t happen very often as if it was visibly used, it can’t be returned (depends on store policy but that’s pretty common). people rarely use things while leaving absolutely no indication that it’s been used before.

2. Most stores have a 30 day policy or something, i guess it is profitable that incentives people to make a purchase?

3. It’s common enough where someone working returns in a big box retailer will deal with it several times a day but still an extremely small percentage of that store’s daily transactions – which is how they make money.

   It’s priced into the transaction. They know theft and returning used goods will happen and adjust prices accordingly. It’s relatively small enough where it doesn’t really effect pricing too much.

   Big box retailers will take just about anything back with very few, if any, questions asked. It’s a big part of the appeal in shopping at one.

4. You should definitely judge. That’s despicable behavior.

5. Corporations would rather keep a happy customer and destroy the cooler that cost pennies make rather than waste time arguing/proving the customer is in the wrong

6. It depends on the individual store’s policy, but it’s usually a small percentage that gets returned so it’s built into the budget.

7. Depends vastly on the store policy. Most nationwide brands will allow such a return though. They’ll usually resell the product at a discounted price or donate it (which is a tax write off).

   These returns depends vastly on the type of product too. Most food will not be returned unless it was expired or you can prove there was an issue with it.

   I wouldn’t say most people are returning items like that YouTuber though. If someone is returning something, it’s likely due to the product not being as advertised, it was broken or they no longer need it (it was unopened).

8. I don’t think it happens that often. Some people will do it, but I don’t know many that do. I once dated a girl who would read books and then return them to Barnes & Noble within the return window and then get a new book and repeat the process

9. What you saw in the video is frowned upon. But returning things is common. Every time mine or my kids’ birthdays comes around, I’m inevitably headed to the store with a gift receipt to return something or exchange it for the correct size. I return stuff from Amazon all the time by going to the UPS store.

   The stores provide this service to their customers to increase business – there’s less of a risk of wasting your money if the store has a return policy. Usually you can only return something within 30 days, and it’s supposed to be UNUSED. And if you don’t have a receipt they either don’t accept the return or they’ll give you store credit instead.

   I have friends who work retail, and they do ban customers who abuse the return policy. Such as wearing clothes once and returning them, or just returning too many items too often. There is still a limit where stores can be taken advantage of.

10. In the manner you’re describing, not very often. Every return I’ve ever made has been because of something like buying the wrong size.

    However, most larger chain stores have a “no questions asked” return policy, because a billion dollar company doesn’t care about losing $30 on a cooler, and the person working the returns desk isn’t being paid enough to launch an investigation to see if it was used or not.

    Also, most of the time when people get a refund, they will turn around and spend that money in the store.

11. Returning goods is common, especially around the holidays.

    Regarding profitability- most of the time it doesn’t happen the way you described. Someone buys me size 11 shoes but I’m a size 10 and I exchange it. Unopened goods will usually be restocked.

12. Oh boy I got feelings on this one

    **Short answer** – it depends on the store, and what you can get away with, and quite frankly how much of a selfish a****** you are.

    **Long answer:** I worked for 5 years doing returns for a particular green vested company in college, starting prior to their ‘1 year’ change then after.

    basically, we had a satisfaction guarantee – meaning that yeah, in 5 years if you were pissed that the hiking boots you got were just not breaking in, or for some reason you felt that your tent should have lasted 10 seasons and not 3 before de lamination set in, you could return the item

    I have stories of what people tried to return (hello Mr Yakima Car rack dude who didn’t pay attention to clearances) that honestly DID ruin it for everyone else. the biggest issue was the 3-4-5 year returns and just basically upgrade.

    so yes, a small subset of people do buy things, use it once and then return it ([SKYMALL](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs5ya9nw__g)). An even smaller subset of people try to return clearly loved/used/self broken things. Some stores have or had policies that allowed for abuse.

    ​

    but it is generally not the norm, specifically after COVID. Heck. I would buy 10x things online and literally not return ANYTHING even new because it was too much a PITA

    ​

    /rant

13. I don’t notice it that much, I don’t think it’s that profitable for a store.

14. It happens regularly, but its a small enough portion of the transactions to where they don’t really lose money on it.

    However, I would consider purchasing an item with the intent of returning it after you’ve used it as sleazy behavior.

15. Returns are not super common. The process is there so that if an item is broken or defective the store has a process for reimbursing. They also take back items that people decide they don’t need in certain circumstances because it is easier than fighting the customer and makes it more likely the customer will make a purchase in the future since they have more confidence of being able to avoid buyer’s remorse.

    The idea of buying an item with the intent to return it so you can effectively rent it for free is considered an abuse of this system. It is not a common practice and is usually considered scummy behavior. It’s rare enough that it doesn’t cause enough problems for the business to end its returns policy.

16. People using the item and then returning it is gross. Usually in order for a refund youll need the tags on it and your receipt. Some places do give a refund, used, no questions asked but most places aren’t like that

17. I have no idea who Ryan Trahan is…from a quick search he’s a
    “content creator”? Whatever. Doing this is extremely trashy behavior. It’s not “common” at all.

    Stores have refund policies to promote good customer service. “Buying” something with the intention of not keeping it is borderline theft IMO.

18. I’ve been working in retail on and off since 2016. Every place that I’ve worked has maintained such high margins on nearly all of our products, coupled with how our suppliers handled returns.

    For example; Southeast Pet Supply was one of our suppliers at my most recent retail job. If Jon returns a $15 purchase and I refund him, I then turn around and submit for credit from Southeast Pet for that product, so they then give me a new one at no cost. Which means that while I’ve refunded that money, I also just got a new one for free.

19. Some stores have closed their dressing rooms, so you can’t even try items on before buying them. My wife recently bought a couple of shirts and tried them on at home. Didn’t like one and brought it back and bought another size.

20. Ryan Trahan sounds like a scumbag

21. Returning things due to a defect or perhaps because you got more than you needed (such as packaged paper ware, napkins, etc) is one thing, but returning things after using it without anything being wrong with it isn’t a reasonable thing to do.

    I used to work at a dollar store and people would buy things like table cloths and seasonal decorations and return them after they used them, and we all viewed those people as trashy… store later implemented a no-return policy on seasonal items.

    Don’t do that again lol

22. It’s fairly common to return items. Every Kohl’s department store around me has a station dedicated to Amazon returns and it’s always busy. Similarly most stores have a place where you can return the merchandise from the store. Many allow you to return things for any reason. I mean it’s technically possible you bought the cooler, used it for a day, thought it sucked, and you can return it. Some stores even allow you to return items without a receipt in exchange for store credit. When I worked at Walmart some workers got fired because they got caught taking items directly from the sales floor to the return counter, in exchange for store credit. It took them awhile to catch on, and eventually the guy was arrested

23. While not exactly the same, I recently watched a ted talk on how bad free shipping + returns is. Even if the item isn’t ‘used’, it probably doesn’t end up back in the inventory and probably gets tossed.

24. There is this entire new section of side businesses that are essentially junk stores. They have a bunch of crap you look through and maybe find a gem or two. Some owners even add like an iPad or something somewhere in the store for you to find.

    Basically that is just Amazon and other e Commerce returns. It’s collected, palletized, and auctioned off.

25. It’s profitable because I’m more likely to buy something from you if I’m not stuck with a lemon.