Among Friends

[Shanus]

Who needs to fight the crowds to return gifts? I haven't been to the mall or other stores, but hear it's brutal. 

I wonder what happens to clothing that's been tried on or cosmetics.

[Foxxee]

Haven't been shopping in stores recently, so no returns for me. 

Other than QVC, I have the impression most of the stores online where I shop only accept returns in like new condition, so I suppose they try to resell them at full price or on sale.  Where do they get stock when they continue to show sold-outs? They notify me about something I really want if my size comes in.  They must be returns.   

Even Walmart requires returns to be in like new condition.  

When I was shopping in stores for makeup, they wouldn't accept anything that was opened, so I tried samples on in the store, then walked outside to see how they looked in natural light.  Now, I order online, but wouldn't return anything I opened and  tested.  

[Janey2]

@Foxxee  Some stores take cosmetics back even if slightly used. I know Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom take returns. They throw them away if used.

[Foxxee]

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@Janey2 wrote:

@Foxxee  Some stores take cosmetics back even if slightly used. I know Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom take returns. They throw them away if used.

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@Janey2 

Thanks.  I'll keep that in mind next time.  

[PamfromCT]

I try to watch Sixty Minutes every Sunday night.

This last Sunday there was a very interesting segment on Christmas returns.  Twice as much purchased online is returned versus what is purchased on stores.  So much returned merchandise is discarded and clogs up landfills.  I don’t why used clothing cannot be donated to charity.  Quite a segment.

Also a segment how global warming is affecting the global wine industry.  Huge vineyards that have existed for generations are in very big trouble here and abroad.  An eye opener, to be sure.  Imagine vineyards now in Norway, our Pacific Northwest, Canada, and in England.  Now for real.

[millieshops]

@PamfromCT   Some of the used clothing could be donated, but the donor has to have the money to pay for staff to sort and package as well as to pay for storage space until it can be moved.  The accepting charities have to have either paid workers or volunteers in quantity to accept the millions of items that might come their way and they also need storage space.  I don't know what it's like everywhere, but I know where I donate, the piles we private donors use are up to the ceilings.  I suspect a huge percentage will never hang on the sale racks inside. Further, I suspect few organizations have the staff and facilities to absorb 2021's massive number of returns.  

I remember the uproar some years back about what happens to so much edible food leftover in local supermarkets.  No charity that could use it had the refrigeration to accept much at all.  I know Publix actually donated some refrigeration so some of their excess could be used. 

[Shanus]

There are staff shortages everywhere these days. I hope  things will return to some kind of normal soon.

[software]

I've been out in the stores this week and haven't seen any brutal return lines.

According to news I follow all stores have dumpsters full of product.  

I personally watched an employee dump boxes & boxes in a huge dumpster at Walmart.   I've seen videos of dumpsters at stores like Dollar General & Bath & body works full of sealed & packaged items.

There are groups trying to get laws changed.    There must be laws about reselling returned goods & Covid didn't help at all either.    Some stores have stopped taking returns, period.  But somehow it will all end up in a landfill somewhere.

[sunshine45]

i have had only a few returns.

neiman marcus and amazon.

neiman marcus went via fedex on their dime with a prepaid label i printed out.. amazon went via UPS on their dime with a prepaid label i printed out. only a few people in line luckily.

[Nataliesgramma]

I gave cash this year and no one has returned it yet....LOL