This is a spin off from my prior thread. As I said I realized that even if I like the clothing shoes or purses at a local boutique I wouldn’t buy them because I like to bring things home, try them on, often releatedly and see if it’s an item I really will wear /use. At Bloomingdales and Nordstroms you get a year to return. Same with Zappos. And the returns are easy. In fact both Bloomingdales and Nordstrom now have special areas devoted to returns. And you don’t e en have to keep a receipt. They store it online and can look it up.
I feel bad that I don’t buy local and support stores in my community but feel this is a good reason not to. Most of those stores have draconian return policies. If you lose the receipt too bad. And you often only have a week or so to return. I understand why they have these policies and can’t afford the same as the big guys. But it’s what makes me not deal with them.
It seems to me kind of unfair to return an item of clothing a year after you bought it, just because you never wore it. Clothing trends are ephemeral. You buy the trendy thing, let it sit in your drawer for a year, then decide you didn’t like that trend, and now you want a full refund for a garment that’s out of style? The retailer isn’t going to be able to resell it.
It’s one thing to return a garment for quality reasons, or because you took it home and didn’t like it, or because it you took it home and on second though decided it didn’t fit, but quite another to buy something and decide a year later that you shouldn’t have bought it.
(full disclosure, my fashion profile: jeans, black top, black flats / Dansko clogs / Chippewa boots)
Good point, and I didn’t even realize I do this (that is, consider a stricter return policy before shopping loca). Until I was about to order something from Eileen Fisher that I knew I’d keep. I decided to stop downtown at the shop that carries the brand and check to see if they could get it for me, but only because I knew it was a sure thing. I’ll buy something locally if I absolutely love it, but I won’t take any risks – see above.
One local shop made a very kind exception for me years ago. I had impulse bought an expensive top, wore it once, and realized I was so wrong. I went back the next day and threw myself on their mercy. They generously gave me the refund – instead of a store credit. Over time we’ve been able to give them more business and have been happy to do it. Once I saw three neckties for DH and couldn’t decide which to get him. The proprietor sent me home with all of them for free and said to come back in a few days when I knew which one(s) husband wanted. He said he’s been doing it for years and never had a problem.
“It’s one thing to return a garment for quality reasons, or because you took it home and didn’t like it, or because it you took it home and on second though decided it didn’t fit, but quite another to buy something and decide a year later that you shouldn’t have bought it.”
I buy a lot at blooming and Nordstrom and often use a personal shopper there. The PS always express to me the long return policy and urge me to get the items and see if I really will like and wear them. They are agents of the store expressing official policy so this is a totally legitimate thing to do in by opinion. I also have heard the same policy from Zappos. For example I recently initiated a return and then decided I wasn’t sure. The Zappos customer service person I called to see if I could wait told me to keep the item reminding me that I had a year to decide if really wanted the item. “ Take your time. We are always happy to have you return it later”
How long does it take you to decide if something will work…or not…in your wardrobe house or whatever? A year? I doubt that.
If I buy something, and I’m not sure, I take it home, and immediately look at how I will use it…or not…and make a decision.
I don’t keep it hanging around my closet for a year.
For the record, there are national chains with horrible return policies…Barnes and Noble is THE worst in my opinion. Just awful.
But anyway…it shouldn’t take a year to decide if something is going to work in your wardrobe or house. It’s nice that Nordstrom and Bloomies have that…now (others have jettisoned that policy) but really, I think it’s just a marketing tool that should not necessarily be used.
I’m not sure I should be chiming in here, but here’s a bit different perspective. I haven’t returned a garment in over 10 years, probably 15. And the last purchase from a department store (except underthings, maybe nightgowns) was at least 15 years ago.
I have always been a clotheshorse and did way more than my fair share of buying and returning, but just finally got worn out and interested in slow fashion. I’ve got a budget. I’ve got a signature style. I buy from the same designers, online these days. They know my size and taste. We do measurements over the phone or by email. They send me swatches. It’s not an inexpensive way to dress, but like Maya I can afford it at this stage of life. And though, I’m still thinking about clothes all the time, I’m not buying all the time. My last clothing purchase was in July, and I bought what I thought I needed till the following July. It looks like I’ll make it.
Recently I’ve have been watching the elizabeth suzanne site. She is a young woman doing made to order garments in natural fabrics and her business seems to be exploding. This is an example of the sort of place where I like to spend my money. I haven’t purchased from her, so can’t speak to quality. However, if you look at some of the instagram accounts that feature her clothes, it’s clear there are so many small women owned dress making operations in the US at this point in time, and that seems really wonderful to me.
Just check out Gucci and Prada’s return policies. They are more lenient on their website, but store purchases are very limited. Any time you are buying expensive, fashion item, return policy is usually more strict. On the other hand, NM would take back Prada clothing when Prada boutique wouldn’t.
I usually decide in a few weeks. Maybe 2 months at most when I’ve bought as the new Spring summer collection comes in but spring/ summer ends up taking its sweet time to arrive ( last year it was mid June really). But the local stores have either a credit only and/or 7 day return policies. That just doesn’t work for me.
“One local shop made a very kind exception for me years ago. I had impulse bought an expensive top, wore it once, and realized I was so wrong.”
I wonder if the shop resold that blouse after you wore it? I hope not! I like to presume that everything I buy is actually new and not already worn.
I cannot imagine returning something after I wore it - doesn’t matter if it’s once or ten times. Once it’s on someone’s body and they’ve eaten their dinner in it, it belongs to them whether they love it or not!
Some retail places sell their returns only on their sale racks. Nordstrom sells theirs at the Rack. Saks has Off Saks.
But really…I would never return something I wore. I mean…I only wore the dress to my daughter’s wedding one time. No…not returning it. Maybe that’s why some stores have these tight return policies…so that people don’t use the items, and then return them.
A friend of my bought a pair of Prada pants at NM. She had it shortened because she was only 5’2". She wore it once and decided it wasn’t for her, so she returned it to NM, and because she was a good customer they took the pants back. I am sure those pants went into the trash. And that’s why we call it Needless Markup (Neiman Marcus).
Even stores with liberal return policies draw the line and have stricter rules (in theory) with some dresses (typically special occasion and designer). And yes, there has been more than one woman who has worn a dress to a wedding with the tags still attached so she could return in later.
I love our local boutique. I live in a very small town (voted the #1 best small town, by the way) and I want to support the local merchants. I make sure it’s perfect before I purchase anything. Therefore, I don’t purchase a lot. I’ve never returned anything.
Just always check return policies. I find that small online vendors are worse than brick and mortar stores. Some only give you 14 days, and that’s including travel time!
But the worst is Sprint. You get 3 days to return something. D had a phone charger that didn’t work with her phone’s case (also purchased at Sprint). I didn’t even try too hard but the guy let me exchange it for something else - and that took half an hour to accomplish because they’re Sprint. I would never have expected such a short return window.
I do keep clothing around, tags on, and try them on to be sure for a week or so, but only a week or so. There’s one dress I kept for a year, it just didn’t suit me, so I sold it on Poshmark.
I feel that a 30 day policy is generous enough. If someplace offers 60 day, fine. When a return policy is longer than a season I have to question why you bought it in the first place.
I feel if you have a return after a year that’s like the whole concept of if you don’t wear something in a year get rid of it! Not return it to the store!
I guess I’m not overthinking clothing that much. If I’m second guessing it’s going to be within a couple weeks.
When my kids were young, I discovered Nordstrom’s awesome return policy. I could buy a bunch of stuff, try it on at home, and return it “whenever” (that was especially a big deal when I became a single parent).
I have spent a Lot of money at Nordstrom over the years, and I don’t feel bad when I do returns. I probably would feel bad doing returns to local small retailers.
I do try and do returns fairly “promptly,” but I have very occasionally returned things months after I bought them. I shops mostly at national chains, and live within their return policies.
I seldom return things. If I order online and the sizing is screwy, I will, but usually I know what works. I can’t imagine trying to return something after 30 days unless it truly just sat.
30 days seems to be the sweet spot for me. It takes me a week or two to get Mr. to try on the stuff I order for him, then another week or two to make a trip to the store to return the items that did not work. I prefer to return mail order stuff to B&M stores. Fewer packages clog up mail channels. I only returned a used wardrobe item once: when baby kiddo wore to holes the soles of her brand new Target sandals in one day!!! After that, her shoes came from Nordstrom and they lasted and were passed down.
