# Returning Halloween Costumes **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 2, 2025, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502 "2025-11-02T15:47:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/1 "2025-11-02T15:47:51Z")
I have a friend who runs a UPS Store and she says like clockwork she gets a ton of elaborate, expensive Halloween costumes returned on November 1st and sure enough this year was no different. People buy them a few day before, use them and then return them. This seems dishonest to me (and not a little wasteful). If want a fun costume on the cheap, rent one. What do think? Is it fine and frugal or a little bit sketchy? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/2 "2025-11-02T15:50:36Z")
It is unethical and kind of a dirtbag move. But as far as rental, good luck, very hard to find in most areas outside of cities. I’m surprised to see there is one in my county. That is 1 store in the entire county and I expected 0. I wonder if some of these returns are rentals? There are some online rental places. Are they all going back to Amazon? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/3 "2025-11-02T15:50:46Z")
Do retailers even accept returns of Halloween costumes after the holiday? Googling, Spirit Halloween stores don’t. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/4 "2025-11-02T16:27:40Z")
I say it’s unethical even if allowed by the seller. Some years ago my sister worked at REI, who had a policy that they would accept returns of any item for any reason. She said people would come in with a handful of well-worn socks and underwear that they had bought 3 years earlier and asked to return them, and she was required to accept them. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/5 "2025-11-02T16:37:44Z")
“Marge, we’re not talking about a toothbrush here!” ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/6 "2025-11-02T16:50:41Z")
They are indeed Amazon returns. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/7 "2025-11-02T16:54:33Z")
Amazon will have to change its return policy on some items eventually. But hard to prove “wrong size” I guess. So if it isn’t stained or damaged, it will probably pretty much continue. Amazon has baked all this into its profit margin overhead costs. I live near the “Jersey Shore”, almost all electronic sellers had to make a high restock fee on items as many summer rental people thought nothing of buying an item for a week or two use and returning it when they were heading home. There are a lot of less than ethical people in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/8 "2025-11-02T16:55:57Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Do retailers even accept returns of Halloween costumes after the holiday? “I’m not returning it one day _after_ Halloween, I’m returning it 364 days _before_ Halloween!” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/9 "2025-11-02T18:29:34Z")
We’ve done this general topic a few times before. Lotta folks think it’s 100% ok to “borrow” goods from retailers w generous return policies. Then, as @What_Exit says, eventually the retailers tire of being chumps and the honest folks get screwed again. Humanity is why humans can’t have nice things. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/10 "2025-11-02T19:09:12Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Then, as @What_Exit says, eventually the retailers tire of being chumps and the honest folks get screwed again. See: Costco ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/11 "2025-11-02T19:52:32Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > Some years ago my sister worked at REI, who had a policy that they would accept returns of any item for any reason. She said people would come in with a handful of well-worn socks and underwear that they had bought 3 years earlier and asked to return them, and she was required to accept them. Googling, REI allows returns up to a year for REI members, and ninety days for non-members. So they’ve apparently tightened the rules. I believe LL Bean did as well. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/12 "2025-11-02T20:34:56Z")
I don’t think that people realize that a whole bunch of policies cost money and the sellers/service providers that have those policies build it into their price. Or maybe they just don’t care. I say that because I constantly see people complaining that a store/provider doesn’t have a particular policy that I never would have expected them to have. I don’t really understand why people think they should get a “price adjustment” if the price goes down after they have already bought it. Sure, you can return it and maybe re-purchase it at the lower price - unless it’s a situation like the one where I first heard of it. I received a circular for K-Mart or some similar store for a sale starting on Saturday. I arrived right after opening, couldn’t find the item I wanted and was told they were sold out and next time, I should show up as soon as I got the circular because people buy them before the sale.Returning and repurchase won’t work if you have to wait around for however long it takes for your return to go back onto the sales floor. Another one I see is people who have paid for some sort of travel expense who think they should get the benefit of the price going down after the date when they can no longer cancel and rebook. There’s a reason stores now charge “restocking fees” and I’m pretty sure it because these unofficial “rentals” made returns more common. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/13 "2025-11-02T20:45:47Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > I don’t think that people realize that a whole bunch of policies cost money and the sellers/service providers that have those policies build it into their price. Or maybe they just don’t care. I think it’s more like I know they have to price in the costs of folks “renting” their goods for a month. So I’d be stupid not to use that feature and get my payback. Only chumps will pay the extra and keep the stuff they no longer need. And IMO that’s the nub. When behaving ethically is seen as simply chumpism, ordinary folks will be driven to behave not only passively unethically, but as the ethos takes over, actively unethically, just in order to not be the biggest, last chump left standing holding everyone else’s bag. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/14 "2025-11-02T21:35:48Z")
My bunch haunts trifts, fleas and Goodwill for costume fodder. The Lil’wrekker does Cosplay so she has a trunk full of stuff. Day after Halloween sales are her favorite. It’s stupid to pay full price for the crappily made stuff anyway. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/15 "2025-11-02T21:44:09Z")
I have a nice lab coat, mainly as it was cheaper than a crappy costume one. My daughter has a growing collection of stuff made and repurposed from thrifts and sales. She ends up being the go to for her friend group for their costumes for Renaissance Fairs and Comic Con type events. She learned to use a sewing machine pretty much to make costume pieces. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/16 "2025-11-02T22:04:13Z")
Yeah I’d say it’s unethical. Even if it’s Amazon (which I assume it is?) it’s not the Amazon mega corporation you are stiffing (yeah I don’t think Bezos will be sleeping on street because your 45 dollar sexy zombie costume was returned), AFAIK it’s the small business that sells through Amazon that has to eat the return. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/17 "2025-11-02T22:08:53Z")
Also, the returned Halloween costume is almost certainly going to be thrown out, so why would Amazon even ask that it be returned, even if they’re willing to issue the refund? I’ve heard of them just telling the customer to dispose of the merchandise and that’s what they could do here. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/18 "2025-11-02T22:25:52Z")
They do tell people to dispose of the item sometimes - but not always. My son had a problem with an order last week - one of the items was apparently misdelivered since the photo was not of his door. He tried to report that he never received it , but something seems to have gone wrong, and who/whatever he was communicating with though he wanted to return it and I got the following email > We’ve accepted your return request. To see details about your replacement order, click Check return & refund status. > > Please send the original item by Nov 26, 2025\*. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/19 "2025-11-02T22:27:50Z")
Some is disposed, a lot is boxed off for resale. I haven’t looked into the program, but there are Youtubers that do pallet size unboxings of their Amazon returns the bought. Also, apparently if you do the returns too often, you go into a different status where returns are not just accepted. Thankfully I don’t know the details on this. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2025, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502/20 "2025-11-02T22:28:50Z")
God I’d love to do that. But I need more littles like a new hole in my head. (I realize they do it for resale) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/returning-halloween-costumes/1024502.md?page=2)