If you’re thinking of sending back a disappointing gift you just received over the holidays, the return may bring even more disappointment.
Americans have grown accustomed to free returns, but a growing number of retailers are charging fees as returns squeeze retailers’ bottom lines.
Macy’s, Abercrombie, J. Crew, H&M and other companies have all added shipping fees for mail-in returns.
And it’s not just the big mall brands, either. Eighty-one precent of merchants are now charging a fee for at least some methods of returns, according to Happy Returns, a logistics company that specializes in returns.
Part of me wants to be upset, but especially since these are clothing manufacturers, I have to wonder if the people handling the returns have the same problems that I did when I used to process them.
It was my first job out of highschool (through a temp agency), it was my first day, and I did some returns. You know, writing down what the products were, why they were returned, the order numbers yadda yadda.
Everything was cool until I got this package with a LOT of sharp pins in it saying “you obviously need needles to sew the clothes properly”. There was only ONE thread loose, and this lady felt that making a complete stranger find sharp needles hidden in fabric was ok. Part of me hopes that that person finds the same kindness in life that they seem ok to give to strangers. Part of me wishes that it wasn’t such a common thing.
Some returns had legitimate rotting garbage in them, and a lot of them were only worn once and then were returned because they “only needed it for party, need money back now”. You can only see so much ridiculousness before you have enough, you know?
As a former employee, the fact that that company essentially paid for those needles and for the rotting garbage to be sent for other people to deal with was enough to make me quit. It’s not worth my health, full stop. It never will be. That incident also made me lose a lot of faith in most of the general public. Part of me wishes that that particular person experiences the same level of “goodwill” that they give to others. I don’t like wishing ill on peopld, but I also don’t want to wish on good things for bad people. Most of us manage to submit returns without including a hazard, and it takes next to no effort at all. I don’t even have to think about whether or not to do that, personally. It’s a no-brainer.
As long as the in-person returns are still valid (within reason) and it’s stated very clearly that online returns will cost money before purchasing, I don’t really see the issue. Just put that information where they will read it (or hear it if it’s voiced) and it should be OK.
It will help save the people who still have to deal with these insane returns for minimum wage. Fuck the overhead profit, and fuck the people who take their rage out on random minimum wage employees. (Don’t do that literally ofc.)
Take it up with the people who might be able to actually do something to fix your problem, if you’re that angry about the product. I will absolutely think much less of you if you personally take out your business complaints on the minimum wage employees.