I generally know if I like something right away and I would return if the fit is not right. At the same time, I am known to have something sit in my closet for few months to a year before I would wear it. My kids have made fun of me about that.
I have had things hang in my closet for a long time too…but it pull never dawn on me to return something even six months after I bought it…unless it was defective.
I return quite a bit and have made returns after a couple of months. Living in a rural area it is an hour to the nearest mall and they don’t have much of a selection, especially if you need special sizing like wide width shoes or husky clothes. I order what I think might work when there is a good sale and between things not fitting my kids properly or them not liking them there is quite a bit to return. The thing is that I usually only go to the town with mall, kohl’s, target, etc. when one of us has some kind of appointment there or some other reason that I have to go. I save up my returns and try to take care of as much as possible in one trip to save gas money, sometimes it is a good while so I rarely buy things without a good return policy unless I know it will work.
I don’t return things very often but do treat purchases differently. Some purchases are certainties and I cut off the tags the minute I get home. Occasionally, I put things on a shelf in my closet and think about them for a few days. If I decide I don’t want or need an item, it goes back within two weeks. I’ve never shopped at Nordstrom (until recently when I tried Nordstrom Rack) or Bloomingdale’s but I like the idea of being able to return things longer than a few weeks. And I really like the personal shopper idea, after feeling directionless on my “style” recently.
Nordstrom, Saks, and Neiman send their past prime returns to their off-brand stores (Rack, off 5th, and Last Call). I was a lucky “bottom feeder” at the Rack today. Scooped up a pair of beautiful, never worn Prada sandals that are a couple of seasons old. Someone must have had them and retuned them… no box or dustbag, but the soles looked pristine. Another gal scooped up a pair of suede Jimmy Choos. Again, they were from some past season… her lucky day.
https://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/p/prada-scalloped-suede-block-heel-sandal-prod133460050
Those sandals are so cute BB! My rack never has many luxury items, great score for you.
I return stuff, and usually it’s within a few weeks. But it’s nice to know that I have that luxury of not. The thing with a small local store is not just the return policy but the guilt of returning it. I don’t know, it just feels different and I try not to return. The one boutique is 14 days, credit only but the other is 30 days. But if I get home and decide it’s not really my style, I will return pretty quickly so they can get it back on the floor.
I have such conficted feelings about buying local. We have had many discussions here about having a physical place to try on items. It seems that people like having a store to try on, especially I think shoes. But then, we want to have a store, try on their items and then go online and buy them. With either a better return policy or more likely a better price.
I needed new snow boots recently. I know that my local shoe store doesn’t carry my size but they would order them. Because it’s so much easier, I ordered 4 pair from Nordstrom and returned 3. But if that shoe store goes out of business, people will lament that they really loved that shoe store. Even though their shoes were more expensive and that people do what I just did.
We can’t have places to try on clothing, shoes and the like, and expect them to stay in business if we don’t buy from them.
Off my soapbox
This is not directed to @maya54 situation, because the store has to be a place we really want to buy their product from.
Why do we really want a local store? We all talk about “how nice” it is, but it doesn’t even sound like many people like to shop at a local boutique store.
The boutique I shop is located in a rapidly gentrifying area. Late 19th and early 20th century stores are being renovated or demolished for retail and condominiums. It is a hot area for young professionals and moneyed retirees. Real estate is through the roof. Developers are making a fortune. A lot of money is being spent locally.
People are attracted to the area for restaurants and shopping, but rents are pricing many shop owners out. The original, pre-gentrification retail is long gone. (Another thread topic entirely) The current shops can’t survive on sight seers, but having the shops helps sustain the popularity of the area. My boutique has a lot of traffic, sometimes so crowded it’s difficult to walk around, but not enough sales. He’s in the process of changing his merchandise in a last ditch effort to stay afloat. There will no longer be handbags in the $ and $$ range that people checked out and then ordered online.
When this boutique goes under, the landlord loses the rent, the owner and two employees lose their jobs, there is a vacant storefront next to a restaurant that was benefiting from all the non-buying, walk in boutique traffic. When this happens repeatedly, and there is less shopping and dining… the area loses its appeal. Real estate prices fall. Home owners, landlords, developers lose money. Probably it affects the tax base.
A small local store employs local folks who spend their money locally. The mall stores, target and Wal-Mart get more and more automated. There is less need for employees. And the big dept stores are closing fast. The future of retail does seem to be Amazon. And most people seem okay with that. These days it’s almost impossible for me to find anything there when I search. I can’t figure out how to filter out the trash. Especially if I don’t have a brick and mortar store to see the merchandise.
Edit… of course, unlimited return policies and a willingness to spend time making the returns makes brick and mortar unnecessary probably.
I love Boutiques when I travel, I won’t go into stores I can go to at home. I bet boutiques do better in tourist destinations. They won’t have to contend with returns as much.
I have a favorite local boutique, and this thread got me thinking about it. Looked online and found that they had closed! The overhead costs were killing them. Sadly, this is our future… So, do we get used to ordering online now or shop while we can?
Anyone here a big Saks customer? Although I love the prices, I loathe their new policy of no returns on final discount items and will only buy something if I’ve tried on the identical item in the store. I snagged an Akris dress that I had tried on last fall - felt pretty good about getting it so cheap.
I just got stuck with a Derek Lam cashmere sweater that I bought in a size small and was enormous - more like an extra large. I was mad! I felt that it was really a defective item, and that should be an exception to the policy. They won’t let you print out a return form for the final discount items, so I hand wrote a note and put it in the box with some other full price returns. They sent it back to me! I sent it to my niece - she liked it, so at least it will get some wear. I’m really done with them now, however.
I definitely shop in boutiques. I love shopping local. I don’t buy anything unless I’m 100% sure so don’t worry about the return policy. I love a town with a vibrant down town.
Back in the late 90s, I never imagined the day when I’d prefer shopping online over brick and mortar.
But that day has arrived! Shoes? Zappos. Clothes? Old Navy, eBay, REI, Sierra Trading Post, Loft, Darn Tough… Glasses? Warby Parker. Lots & lots of items from Amazon.
I’m awaiting the day our local Target has order online and curbside pick-up. I tend to buy the same things over and over and I’d welcome skipping the aisle wandering.
I never buy anything unless I absolutely love it, while it is on me in the dressing room. If I have the slightest doubt, I don’t buy it, whether it’s a cheapo item at TJMaxx or a $250 pair of jeans at a boutique. I rarely order clothing online, unless I know the brand well and am certain of the exact cut, or if it’s an item where the cut doesn’t matter much, such as a giant down coat purchased solely for warmth and not fashion.Looking at you, Eddie Bauer!
Not to change the track but I love EATING local but not clothes shopping local. A clothing boutique is not for me. You can support local but perhaps not support everything local.
There are some clothing boutiques in my city that seem to be doing well. My biggest beef with the downtown boutiques? They all close at 5 or 6! Well before I get off work, so I can only window shop.
I found that department stores carry very limited stock in MOB/MOG dresses, but I could find more of a selection online. I had no idea what size I would wear (and it was heavily cut-dependent), so it was helpful to order in two sizes and return one. I wound up ordering ten dresses before deciding on the one I wore. When I can’t go try things on in a store, the return policy had better be flexible! I ordered from Nordstrom’s, Dillard’s and Macy’s and had no problems. Made the returns within 30 days, didn’t have to pay return postage.
Eaxctly, @momofsenior1 . Small towns that can’t support boutiques end up with 50 banks and no place to shop. A classic example of this is downtown Lexington, Mass. A handful of very good restaurants, and the rest, banks.
I guess I shop boutiques when I shop Farfetch. 
Mosty European ones, but I had shoes shipped to me from NYC once.
I have returned clothing when I wash it in cold water and it shrinks so that it becomes a polo shirt barely reaching my belly button—not a look I favor. Fortunately Macy’s did allow me to return the shrunken garment.
That was a rare return. I also wanted to return a llbean cashmere sweater that pulled badly after only being worn a dozen times—gave it to S to return but suspect he may have just trashed it. It was $200!