Unrelated to my earlier post, a few days ago I started the return process on a clothing item I had bought from Amazon. Somehow I had selected the option for Medium on my order but I had intended Small. Oops.
In the returns explanation box I said: “I ordered the wrong thing. I wanted Small but selected Medium. You sent what I ordered so this is all my fault, not yours”. I got a message back from a human saying “Do you want us to send you a Small for no additional charge?” I said “Sure.” (Fortunately I had not already ordered a Small replacement). She came back a few hours later with “Your Small is on the way.”
Which left me wondering about my “return”. So I asked: “What do you want me to do with this Medium; it’s been worn about a minute and has all the tags still attached. Will you send a return label?” To which she said “Keep it, donate it, throw it away, whatever. We don’t want it back.”
The fact the seller is based in England but the package had customs tags indicating it came straight from China may have something to do with her decision.
So now I have two of these things. The Medium is wearable, so will get some use.
Moral of the story: Yeah, most clothing stuff isn't restocked, it's just pitched.
Amazon usually gives a bunch of options. As well as Kohl’s and Whole Foods, they usually have The UPS Store as a drop off location. That’s what we usually use, since they’re all over the place (around here) and one is only a mile from our house. But in any case, you can always mail it back at any post office.
I’ve not been there yet but there’s a place nearby that does overstock, scratch & dent and (Amazon) returned item sales. But the model, AIUI, is sell everything CHEAP and, if there’s any left, CHEAPER TOMORROW … except Thursdays when it cycles and they restock.
There’s a store like that where my parents live. They buy returned goods from Amazon and other retailers (I think in the form of pallets of mixed goods) and then sell them cheap. From an article on the store, “Electronics, household appliances, cosmetics, clothing and other high-end products are sold for $10 on Fridays, $8 on Saturdays, $6 on Sundays, $4 on Mondays, $2 on Tuesdays and $1 on Wednesdays. The store is closed on Thursdays for restocking.”
I used to use the UPS Store for all of my Amazon returns. They never gave me a receipt. I only had an issue once. Amazon sent me an email stating that they hadn’t received the item. I think I replied to the email. I told them what day I returned it and where I returned it. The next day I received an apology from Amazon and that was that. I have no idea if they received it or not.
I use Kohl’s now because the UPS Store charges. It’s only $1 but going to Kohl’s instead is not out of my way so why not save the buck? Kohl’s always gives me a return receipt.
It is the rare week when I do not have one or more orders arrive from Amazon, and yet I never return anything. Shoes a size too small? I wear them anyway, hoping they wear out quickly. Pants slightly too big in the waist? I wear a belt.
The only time I contacted Amazon about a purchase, it was a battery powered Worx lawnmower and the Amazon page had the wrong description (cutting width was wrong). The description was for the model I wanted. It was a $400 purchase and I was a bit upset because I did not realize the error until I’d fully assembled it.
The Amazon CSR quickly saw that my complaint was indeed due to their error. She immediately credited my account and apologized. She told me I could keep the mower, use or donate it! I reordered and received the correct product a few days later.
Amazon almost always gives me the option of returning at a UPS store. There was a couple times when for some reason they required I take it to a Kohls which is a pain. Further away, drive around and around in huge parking lot, park far from the store. Walk all the way into the back, etc.
With UPS I just take the item (no shipping box or anything required), park near the street entrance close to the store and drop it right off. (Xmas time excepting when there could be a noticeable wait.)
They always give me a receipt and have never charge me. Unfortunately, the tracking # is not UPS’s but Amazon’s. So when I was worried about a recent return after 10 days not showing up I had no automated way to check on it’s progress. Fortunately, later that night it finally got listed as returned.
As to why I return things. That last item was a hard drive. They packed it with a quite heavy item. The delivery idjit threw the box on the porch so hard it bounced on the porch and then against the door sill making two loud bangs. Nope, that’s going back. Not even taking it out of the packaging to test it.
(Speaking of Kohls. Those few times I have gone into the one near me to do a return, the store is basically devoid of customers. Lots of employees. No one buying. Why it’s still in business is a mystery.)
If given the option I always go the Whole Foods route–extremely convenient for me as I’m in between a couple of stores within a 5-minute drive (or if it’s a small item, a 15 minute light rail/walk) away.
The other potential benefit with a Kohl’s return (in my area anyway) is they give you a coupon for 20% off any non-sale item.
Once in a while UPS is my only option. My only issue with UPS returns is they don’t ship right away. Sometimes it takes more than a week for the item to make it back and get my refund.
UPS always gives me a receipt and I think it’s a UPS tracking number. But the $1 charge for returning via UPS isn’t something you pay at UPS- it’s deducted from your refund, so if you return a $10 item, you get a $9 refund.
I don’t shop at Kohl’s so on my way out I play “coupon fairy” and give my 20% off to someone who’s browsing the store. Now our Kohl’s has a Sephora and I get an additional coupon for 10% off Sephora so I drop in there and give that coupon away too. It’s a treat!
I don’t know what people are talking about regarding UPS $1 charge. There is no deduction/charge anywhere for me. I get the full refund, etc.
Regarding non-UPS tracking number. The latest return receipt code starts with “D” and many letters (upper and lower) after that. Then it says “Contact Amazon for status.”
