Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
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Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
#2To save you the trouble of loading the page: the Amazon returns they tracked for this article ended up in a landfill.
Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
#3> 30 to 40 per cent of all online purchases are sent back
That seems almost an order of magnitude higher than I’d expect. Setting aside kids shoes (which probably do get 50% returned), I can’t imagine sending back even 5% of my online purchases, let alone 30-40%.
I think I’ve sent back exactly 1 Amazon order in the last year, out of nearly 100.
Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
#4> The tactic of enticing customers to buy more than they need and return what they don't want "has had tragic repercussions for the environment and business," he says.
That's disingenuous. I've never purchased "more than I need" from Amazon. But probably about 10% of items purchased for the first time simply aren't as advertised -- not Amazon's fault, but the manufacturer's. They don't meet the needs you bought them for, so you have no choice but to return them. And of course clothing is notorious, because manufacturers still insist on making up their own idiosyncratic definitions of S/M/L, when simply providing measurements in inches or centimeters would fix most problems. (Also color-accurate photography, for when the item listed and photographed as red turns out to be orange-pink.)
> "You're lucky if half of all returns can still be sold as new, so a huge amount of merchandise has to be dispositioned via some other means — liquidation, refurbishment, recycling, or landfill."
Yup, that's just how it works. That's why I buy a lot of stuff "open box" off eBay -- especially things like dongles, adapters, cheap peripherals. They all come from returns from places like Amazon and Best Buy, but are half the price. It's great.
This article isn't surprising, except for one data point about a single bag that wasn't resold. But they're probably hiring minimum-wage workers to categorize returns, who make errors.
There isn't really anything new in this article.
Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
#5> 30 to 40 per cent of all online purchases are sent back That seems almost an order of magnitude higher than I’d expect. Setting aside kids shoes (which probably do get 50% returned), I can’t imagine sending back even 5% of my online purchases, let alone 30-40%. I think I’ve sent back exactly 1 Amazon order in the last year, out of nearly 100.
Few people probably abuse the system too much. There are scamming forums and services for Amazon refunds. Scammers take 10-20% of the item cost for refunding it without giving the original.
A trend I observed here among college students is buying clothes for a party or instagram selfie and then returning it.
Small sellers get screwed pretty hard. You should check their forums.
Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
#6> 30 to 40 per cent of all online purchases are sent back That seems almost an order of magnitude higher than I’d expect. Setting aside kids shoes (which probably do get 50% returned), I can’t imagine sending back even 5% of my online purchases, let alone 30-40%. I think I’ve sent back exactly 1 Amazon order in the last year, out of nearly 100.
It varies significantly between sectors.
I for one have the unfortunate problem that my clothing size is somewhere between M and L. Whenever I buy from a new manufacturer, I basically have to flip a coin if I pick the right one. So for some clothing products, I would definitely hit 50%.
Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
#7To save you the trouble of loading the page: the Amazon returns they tracked for this article ended up in a landfill.
I'm not sure you actually read the article. They bought 12 items and one went to landfill (which Amazon said was because it arrived damaged). What they describe is pretty egregious, but not all returns go to landfill - some are resold, some are sold in bulk, and some go to landfill.
Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
#8The GPS tracker technique does not seem foolproof, basic QA on returned goods would likely be trashing the GPS trackers.
Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
#9> The tactic of enticing customers to buy more than they need and return what they don't want "has had tragic repercussions for the environment and business," he says. That's disingenuous. I've never purchased "more than I need" from Amazon. But probably about 10% of items purchased for the first time simply aren't as advertised -- not Amazon's fault, but the manufacturer's. They don't meet the needs you bought them…
> That's disingenuous. I've never purchased "more than I need" from Amazon.
My guess is you've never purchased clothes then. Regardless, this is your own individual experience and doesn't represent the trend as a whole.
Re: Cameras and secret trackers reveal where Amazon returns end up
#10> The tactic of enticing customers to buy more than they need and return what they don't want "has had tragic repercussions for the environment and business," he says. That's disingenuous. I've never purchased "more than I need" from Amazon. But probably about 10% of items purchased for the first time simply aren't as advertised -- not Amazon's fault, but the manufacturer's. They don't meet the needs you bought them…
> That's disingenuous. I've never purchased "more than I need" from Amazon. My guess is you've never purchased clothes then. Regardless, this is your own individual experience and doesn't represent the trend as a whole.
Literally three sentences later they talk about buying clothes.