Have you ever been given a hard time when trying to return an item at a store? Somewhat of a vent.

[bcla]

What I was not expecting was that once I gave it to them they sent me an E-gift card for $25 that luckily never expires probably because they know I'm a bit turned off by the store right now.
I was not feeling entitled to this or anything I just wanted to vent about my experience so I did send them a big thank you for the kind gesture.

Their customer service is actually pretty good. Once my wife bought some PJs from them mail order. After almost a month it hadn't arrived and we called them. They couldn't track it so they just sent another one, which arrived in a few days. Then the original order arrived late - I guess after being stuck in shipping purgatory. She asked me to call in to ask what to do, and I was told just to keep both of them rather than return it. I suppose they didn't want to pay for return shipping, and I guess their policy is to destroy all returned items.

 

[RedAngie]

Target used to have a pretty generous return policy. They'd even accept items without a receipt, but only for store credit at the current price. Once I returned a bunch of oil filters because I didn't need them any more. I had actually bought several at different stores (including Target) but had no idea which ones came from which store. With their policy I just returned them fairly easily and used the credit to buy something else.

Were the oil filters purchased elsewhere also available at Target?

I think stores will accept returns for something bought at a different store as long as they sell the exact same item. About 5 years ago I returned an unwanted housewares gift to Macy's but later found out the person purchased it at Bed Bath & Beyond.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

BTW since I have only shopped there a few times starting in December of last year and this was my first return I really had no clue that they destroyed everything even if it still had tags and therefore was never worn for more than a try on length of time.
In the future I would be very careful to not purchase an item that I may want to return.

 

[bcla]

Were the oil filters purchased elsewhere also available at Target?

I think stores will accept returns for something bought at a different store as long as they sell the exact same item. About 5 years ago I returned an unwanted housewares gift to Macy's but later found out the person purchased it at Bed Bath & Beyond.

A lot of places won't accept returns without a receipt. Target definitely won't do it any more. I thought Macy's won't accept returns any more without a receipt, although it's something like 180 days to return an item. I've bought quite a few things at Macy's and they often will have a unique barcode on each tag, and the return can be made with just that without the receipt. I think Nordstrom's does something like that too.

Costco has a pretty incredible return policy, although they supposedly have their suppliers agree to pay them back for every item returned. And as a membership warehouse they have a full record of every purchase.

The most legendary return policy I've seen was at REI. I had something that was destroyed, I patched it together as best I could, and they found the purchase and returned cash to me after maybe 5 years. A lot of the stuff returned this way ends up in their "garage sales" although I heard that after a certain date a purchase will no longer be eligible for their practically lifetime return policy.

 

[leebee]

LLBean has a great return policy, too, although I think they've adjusted it as people have taken advantage of it (in both positive and negative ways). They used to replace anything returned to them, regardless of the condition or age. I think on obvious-worn boots they now give you a discount towards a new pair, but other than that, they are pretty generous. In Nov. 2015 I bought a nice winter jacket from Bean's, but over the next 15 months I lost 100 pounds and the jacket was WAY too big this winter. A close friend, who manages Bean's call center, said I should return it for the correct size. She said they still stock that model jacket and I should just return it for one that fit me now. I just couldn't do it. It seems dishonest to me. I bought the jacket that i wanted, that fit when I bought it, and wore it for a year. Why should LLB pay the price for my weight loss? I just cinched in the elastic waist draw-cord and it was OK. Not sure how it'll be next year, but at least I'll have gotten 2 years of wear out of it!

 

[Gracie09]

BTW since I have only shopped there a few times starting in December of last year and this was my first return I really had no clue that they destroyed everything even if it still had tags and therefore was never worn for more than a try on length of time.
In the future I would be very careful to not purchase an item that I may want to return.

They don't. I've returned bras there with tags on them and they put them right back out.

 

[ronandannette]

LLBean has a great return policy, too, although I think they've adjusted it as people have taken advantage of it (in both positive and negative ways). They used to replace anything returned to them, regardless of the condition or age. I think on obvious-worn boots they now give you a discount towards a new pair, but other than that, they are pretty generous. In Nov. 2015 I bought a nice winter jacket from Bean's, but over the next 15 months I lost 100 pounds and the jacket was WAY too big this winter. A close friend, who manages Bean's call center, said I should return it for the correct size. She said they still stock that model jacket and I should just return it for one that fit me now. I just couldn't do it. It seems dishonest to me. I bought the jacket that i wanted, that fit when I bought it, and wore it for a year. Why should LLB pay the price for my weight loss? I just cinched in the elastic waist draw-cord and it was OK. Not sure how it'll be next year, but at least I'll have gotten 2 years of wear out of it!

Well done. Now, OTOH, if after a year or two the zipper had broken or something - fair ball based on their return policy.

 

[leebee]

Well done. Now, OTOH, if after a year or two the zipper had broken or something - fair ball based on their return policy.

Thank you! I have returned things to Bean's if they've been defective or fallen apart in what, IMO, was too soon. DD had the sole crack on a pair of ankle-high "Wellies" after 3 years of limited use (hey, it's a rain bootie, so how often were they actually worn?). I took them back to Bean's for repair. They didn't carry the item anymore (it'd been a seasonal item) and couldn't repair/replace, so they gave me credit for the original purchase price towards anything in the store. I thought that was pretty good customer service, although DD was bummed. She loved those booties and was hoping for a replacement pair!

I have a friend who will return anything, anywhere, and has been known to wear an item once and then reattach the tags and return it. She owns a small business and has been known to "return" an item from her stock to another store for credit if the item cannot be returned to her supplier or doesn't sell on clearance (or if she can get more in a return credit at another store than she can selling it on her own clearance rack). I just don't understand "cheating" a company on a return policy. They eventually catch on and change the policy to something far more strict, and we all lose in the long run.

 

[anniemae]

A lot of places won't accept returns without a receipt. Target definitely won't do it any more. I thought Macy's won't accept returns any more without a receipt, although it's something like 180 days to return an item. I've bought quite a few things at Macy's and they often will have a unique barcode on each tag, and the return can be made with just that without the receipt. I think Nordstrom's does something like that too.

I have returned to Target with no receipt. They scanned my cc, then scanned the item I was returning and the receipt came up in their system. refunded my card in about 1 minute. I thought that was pretty efficient. This was probably 4 months ago, I think.

 

[mom2rtk]

I have returned to Target with no receipt. They scanned my cc, then scanned the item I was returning and the receipt came up in their system. refunded my card in about 1 minute. I thought that was pretty efficient. This was probably 4 months ago, I think.

Target can actually pull up the sales receipt based on the CC used or a check from the account you used. It's a great system.

 

[Princess Mulan]

Update: I was annoyed just enough by my experience that I decided to post basically what I posted on here to VS's FB page and they got back to me and asked me to message them with the store details because they were disappointed in how their staff treated me.
I gave them the info on the receipt which included the cashier's ID number so they would know the employee that was giving me a hard time vs them possibly reprimanding all employees when she was the only one that was giving me a hard time.
They messaged me back asking for my email address which I had assumed was so that they could contact me with any future info or questions.
What I was not expecting was that once I gave it to them they sent me an E-gift card for $25 that luckily never expires probably because they know I'm a bit turned off by the store right now.
I was not feeling entitled to this or anything I just wanted to vent about my experience so I did send them a big thank you for the kind gesture.

I'm glad you got some satisfaction from VS. More companies should learn this lesson and treat customers with a little kindness.

I deal almost exclusively with Nordstrom and Target, largely because of their excellent customer service and easy returns. I've never had any problems in years of purchasing from them.

A good friend has spent a career in retail, and she has explained that returns "hurt" the store in which they occur. For example, if you order a $100 item online but return it to a store, that $100 counts against the store's sales that day. She says that's why some clerks are obnoxious and try to obstruct returns. I'm not sure if this is the case for all retailers, but it has been for the major companies for which she has worked.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I have had mixed successes with returning to Target.

I bought DS some jeans, when he wasn't with me; I thought I had picked up the right size, but I didn't. I stood in line and sent DH and DS to get the right size. I went to exchange them (not return) and CS was very very rude about it. Tags were still attached, and I had the receipt; but she lectured me for 5 minutes on "purchasing the right size the first time", until I asked for a supervisor. Once the supervisor came over, the exchange took less than a minute.

Another time, at a different Target, I was returning a gift DS had received. Someone bought him some clothes, but instead of buying little boy sizes, they bought big kid husky size. (yeah, my 4 year old didn't wear size 18 Husky pants. I think someone regifted them.) The clerk was a bit unhappy about refunding them, as I didn't have a receipt, but after I explained I was ok with store credit, to go get him the right items, she did so without argument. Over $100, which bought the same amount of clothes in the right size and a couple toys too! (Little boy clothes are so much cheaper!!!) *they were brands Target was carrying at the time, and they had the tags on them still; they still had the same clothes on the floor, so they weren't clearance. It was only 2 pair of pants and 3 shirts.

For GS#2's birthday this year, I bought him a Little People set; he got the same set from someone else. They exchanged one without issue, and he got a different set.

DD#2 had to switch GS's formula last year; doctor was concerned about a milk intolerance and so switched him to soy. DD had 4 unopened and one just opened can of formula. (All purchased at Target; she hits their "buy xx, get a GC/take$ off/get xx free" type sales) They exchanged all 5 without a receipt, but she did have to scan her bank card, and no problem.


People who return items after one use, or people who return to the wrong store on purpose are in the wrong.

 

[luvsJack]

You can thank shop lifters for a lot of issues with returns. They will steal items and then try to return them for cash. Or they will find a discarded receipt and then steal something listed on the receipt to return. Target, Sears, Walmart and Kohls have had big problems with this.

 

[Mizzoufan]

I totally understand stores being so strict on returns people have taken such advantage of return policies. A few bad apples ruin it for everyone.

 

[Sabeking]

We have a regional department store called Belk. I love their store just based on their return policy. It really does make a difference!

What drives me batty is the grief I get over not wanting to be on the mailing list or giving out my email address. I truly think some of these people get offended that I don't want to sign up for their coupons or whatever. Do they get some kind of kickback? I had to tell a sales person not to take it personally because she was so bent out of shape.

 

[SMD]

Target used to have a pretty generous return policy. They'd even accept items without a receipt, but only for store credit at the current price. Once I returned a bunch of oil filters because I didn't need them any more. I had actually bought several at different stores (including Target) but had no idea which ones came from which store. With their policy I just returned them fairly easily and used the credit to buy something else.

So you stole from Target? For a relatively low cost item, if I couldn't store them anymore, I'd give them away and if no one else needed them, toss them. Much better than cheating a retailer and driving prices up for everyone else to cover my theft.

 

[Pixiedustaway]

Maybe once or twice. Nothing that sticks out as a big issue. Fwiw I don't shop at vs. they don't sell my size and push that damn angel card like it's the last credit card on earth. 26% interest. No thanks.

 

[luvsJack]

We have Belks. They send out some great coupons but the sales clerk usually will scan a coupon she has at the register if I don't have one. Not always though. And it's good to know about their sales ahead of time. I have just set up an email that I use for all the stores that send these out.

We have a regional department store called Belk. I love their store just based on their return policy. It really does make a difference!

What drives me batty is the grief I get over not wanting to be on the mailing list or giving out my email address. I truly think some of these people get offended that I don't want to sign up for their coupons or whatever. Do they get some kind of kickback? I had to tell a sales person not to take it personally because she was so bent out of shape.

sua

 

[Turn the Page]

You can try on VS underwear over your current underwear. Sane with their swim bottoms.

I can't picture a man buying buying boxers from VS. VS is kind of overpriced for the quality to begin with- their main attraction to women is they're cute for the price, wide selection of sizes, and in almost every mall.

Can't picture a guy caring about any of the above.

I have to say I think VS USED to have cute stuff. I can't say anything they have appeals to me anymore. I used to absolutely love their jeans and tank tops but they got rid of all their clothing (except for ugly work out clothes, pajamas, and swimsuits) a few years ago. I work outside in the summer so I need a plain cotton, unlined, underwire bra. VS does not sell anything made of cotton anymore. There is absolutely nothing functional on their website. It's all about form which I guess is what they are going for but who wears lacy see through things every day?

I don't shop there anymore because they got rid of all the things I liked. Maybe they will bring some of them back someday.

 

[NFLDERS]

Yes! Oops! I should have read the other posts first. I'll leave this reply anyway, sorry.

It was years ago, an order from Sears Catalogue for a child's card table, and two matching folding chairs. Tried to return them TO NO AVAIL! Ended up just keeping the extra set... sigh.
Recently watched "Wild Oats" with Shirley MacLaine & Jessica Lange where a widow (Shirley) receives 5 Million instead of $50,000. in error from her husband's insurance policy, and it was a reminder of the trouble we had TRYING to return the chair set!