This trend could inadvertently play into the hands of giants like Amazon with Prime, Walmart with W+, and Costco, who can afford to offer free returns as part of their subscription packages. Not only does this keep their customers happy, but it also helps track potential return abusers more efficiently.
Kiss your free returns goodbye
51–60 of 61 posts
Re: Kiss your free returns goodbye
#52I’m ok with this since it means people who rarely/never return something won’t have to subsidize those who do. How in the world are return rates 15-30%! The only way those kinds of rates make sense to me is if a product is just highly unreliable (as in, does not work at all). Yes, sizing varies for clothing, but this says to me people are being perfectionists when it comes to fit.
What about shoes? It's not being a perfectionist, its that they just don't fit. I have shoes from different brands and they are all different sizes. Some even within the same brand are a half size different due to the material (that's my guess as to why they fit different).
Re: Kiss your free returns goodbye
#53Is the average online return rate really 15%-30%? What are people returning? My personal return rate is closer to 0.15%.
Not at all in my case, even something around 20-30%. Why all trousers nowadays are so tight? Why every upper garment is so baggy? You know that sunglasses come in sizes? This smartphone absolutely does not look as in the marketing photos, it's all cheap plastic. American M, Italian M, and European M are completely different sizes.
> Why all trousers nowadays are so tight? Why every upper garment is so baggy?
Obesity rates?
> You know that sunglasses come in sizes?
It would be weird if they didn't. Prescription frames and safety glasses also come in sizes.
> This smartphone absolutely does not look as in the marketing photos, it's all cheap plastic.
Everything is cheap plastic these days. Do your research and don't expect quality materials at budget prices.
> American M, Italian M, and European M are completely different sizes.
Right, because everyone is always shopping at multiple countries at the same time.
Re: Kiss your free returns goodbye
#54I'm shocked they lasted this long. It was obviously ripe for abuse. The question is whether brick-and-mortar stores will be able to recover, since that's an advantage they offer.
Free returns seems like a greedy and arrogant policy. I wish more people were surprised by the free return option; and refuse to buy relying on free returns. My state is that I end up buying very little. I even donate stuff I order without enough thought instead of free returns. Good point also about how various online ordering pushed brick-and-mortar beyond recovery; with many such loss-leading and predatory practic…
Free returns is kind of necessary when you're buying things sight unseen. Clothes may not fit; electronics may not be compatible; parts may not be appropriate.
Obviously that's not everything. It may not even be most things. But it's way easier and more attractive to just say "order it first, then return what doesn't work". It works as long as most people aren't assholes about it.
(It didn't help that there were assholes on the seller side, too. Yet another reason to return stuff was fakes, and Amazon decided it was easier to accept returns without complaint than to guarantee that you got what you ordered. Especially since many customers wouldn't notice.)
Re: Kiss your free returns goodbye
#55Most discussions about this topic somehow seem to assume that people enjoy returning stuff. They don’t. It’s effort One of the key unresolved problems in fashion retail remains the crazy, unreliable sizing systems. Just because you are size $X at one brand, doesn’t mean you’re size $X at another. Also, the majority of brands only cater to average body proportions. Slim feet? Tall? Good luck!
> Just because you are size $X at one brand, doesn’t mean you’re size $X at another In my experience it’s worse than that. Buying from the same brand, sometimes even the same item (or its successor), results in wildy different fitment. I’ve strictly returned to brick and mortar. It’s so much more convenient buying something that fits.
I would love to be able to go into a brick and mortar store for my clothes. Unfortunately, most of the brands I buy only carry petite sizes online, or have an extremely limited petite selection which my 90 year old neighbor would love. I'm 5 feet tall. I can't buy a shirt or pants meant for someone who is 5'6". Tailoring doesn't change the proportions of where the neck and sleeve holes are or how the crotch fits; you can't just lop 4 inches off the bottom of something. So, I'm stuck with online shopping and wildly dumb sizing.
Re: Kiss your free returns goodbye
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Just because you are size $X at one brand, doesn’t mean you’re size $X at another In my experience it’s worse than that. Buying from the same brand, sometimes even the same item (or its successor), results in wildy different fitment. I’ve strictly returned to brick and mortar. It’s so much more convenient buying something that fits.
I just had to return a couple of shoes: I thought I was being smart by ordering the exact same brand, model, and size again, but when they showed up they fit my feet like vises. In the end I also went to a brick and mortar store.
This happened to me with Asics. The Kayano 17 was the best running shoe I’ve ever had, so I replaced them with the Kayano 23. You’d think a newer version of the same shoe would fit the same. Nope. I actually kept them because I’m stubborn, but anything longer than 10k and I get terrible blisters even after putting hundreds of kms on them. I’ve had the same issue with Adidas as well. I just can’t understand why they change the fitment for the next version of the same shoe. Who does that benefit?
Re: Kiss your free returns goodbye
#57Earlier quoted context omitted.
In Finland it's a mixed bag. Some offer it, some don't. I think the worst is when I'm asked to pay for shipping when it's a broken product covered under warranty.
I don’t think that’s allowed in the EU - retailers must remedy or replace a broken product without cost to you. https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/dealing-with-customers...
I'll have to keep that in mind the next time a company like Seagate insists that I pay to return a broken product under warranty.
Re: Kiss your free returns goodbye
#58Most discussions about this topic somehow seem to assume that people enjoy returning stuff. They don’t. It’s effort One of the key unresolved problems in fashion retail remains the crazy, unreliable sizing systems. Just because you are size $X at one brand, doesn’t mean you’re size $X at another. Also, the majority of brands only cater to average body proportions. Slim feet? Tall? Good luck!
> Just because you are size $X at one brand, doesn’t mean you’re size $X at another In my experience it’s worse than that. Buying from the same brand, sometimes even the same item (or its successor), results in wildy different fitment. I’ve strictly returned to brick and mortar. It’s so much more convenient buying something that fits.
In principle I agree but since becoming a parent it has gotten harder to carve out time for a trip to the store and it is comparatively easy to return stuff whenever I get to it, which is less time-sensitive than buying in the first place.
Re: Kiss your free returns goodbye
#59Most discussions about this topic somehow seem to assume that people enjoy returning stuff. They don’t. It’s effort One of the key unresolved problems in fashion retail remains the crazy, unreliable sizing systems. Just because you are size $X at one brand, doesn’t mean you’re size $X at another. Also, the majority of brands only cater to average body proportions. Slim feet? Tall? Good luck!
I have noticed more stores giving actual garment measurements on their site (as opposed to a near meaningless size that is several inches off due to vanity sizing!)
I mean, that's not helpful if all my other clothes are vanity sized.
Re: Kiss your free returns goodbye
#60Earlier quoted context omitted.
If there was no free returns, both customers and sellers will ensure better fit before sale occurs.
How would they do this? And what’s the incentive on seller side? By abolishing free returns without a better alternative in place, sellers clearly say that they rather accept lower sales than trying to ensure people receive fitting clothes
There was and is a world where “goods once sold, no returns”.
Is it predatory on unsuspecting buyers? many times. Is it worse for a slice of the economy? Yes.
But free returns is unsustainable. Hence it eats into quality of products sold.
Even in the US, there are countless things you cannot return.