Sneaky way of getting free shipping at AE.

[dizkids]

Ok its a little off kilter around here.

I dont think the OP was the 1st person to say DUH if that should even matter.

OP your plan is nothing out of the ordinary for many companies.

I ordered my daughter 2 pairs of uggs from Nordstrom because i wasnt sure of size. It was Free shipping over $75 at the the time and my 2nd pair put me over the $75 to qualify. I called Nordstrom to ask about shipping to the store to maybe save shipping on only 1 pair. They did not have her sizes/colors in my local store so they told me to order 2 pairs on line to qualify for FS and i can return one to the mall.

I think your post with the word "SNEAKY" was the red flag. If you had asked what has happened when you purchase items for free shipping and then have to return i think the tone would be a bit different tonight.

 

[Lewisc]

They can't do that when you pay for it with a credit card!! DUHHHHHH!

A store isn't supposed to give you a cash refund if you paid by credit card. A store is within their rights not to accept returns or to only issue a store credit for returns, even if you paid by credit card.

I wish posters would check their facts before they post. DUHHHHHH

 

[whitneytheninja]

It seems shady to me and I wouldn't do it, but I wouldn't think too negatively of a friend who wanted to do such a thing. While I don't think it's worth the time, trouble, and negative karma to pull this kind of operation, I browse the internet at work and use our business copier for personal things. Both of those could be considered stealing from my company. It's all where we draw our lines. If enough people take advantage of a system that gives the benefit of the doubt to the consumer, the businesses will no longer give the benefit of the doubt. But does that mean that you shouldn't do things that would be beneficial to you? Hmm.

It's a toughie. I'd say that if your morality tells you it's sneaky, your inner compass is telling yourself something. If you do this, you may think of yourself differently. Are you okay with that?

 

[Ladysunflr]

 

[treehugnmama]

I had a store credit happen to me. It was a specialty store and I bought an expense christmas gift with cash. The person didn't like it and I got stuck with a store credit. I really didn't need anything in the store and it really ticked me off.......I always ask now what the return policy is BEFORE I shop. To make matters worse the store went under before I used the credit. I never buy unless I get either cash or back on my visa.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

A store isn't supposed to give you a cash refund if you paid by credit card. A store is within their rights not to accept returns or to only issue a store credit for returns, even if you paid by credit card.

I wish posters would check their facts before they post. DUHHHHHH

Ok, they will not give me cash back, they will credit my card. I have taken things back to AE before, wrong size, or something and they will refund you with the method of payment which would not be cash!!!

 

[allison443]

It seems shady to me and I wouldn't do it, but I wouldn't think too negatively of a friend who wanted to do such a thing.

Oh, the OP herself apparently thinks that this is "sneaky"-look at the title of the thread.

 

[taximomfor4]

I had to quit a job at a retail clothing store. We had to have a certain "average sale" amount each day, and certain repeat customers kept buying up multiple things online at great discounts, trying to sell them on Ebay, and then returning to the mall store where I worked. I would have a couple of decent-spending customers, then this lady would walk in with her big bag full. My $70 per customer average would go down to almost $0. Happened about 3x per month. 3 low-sales-average days and you get a write up. The worst was when I only had 2 customers. One spent like $114, the other just bought something small for $6. So Total of $120 (averages out to $60 per customer). Our "target" was $50 per customer, so I was doing ok. Big-Returns-Lady walks in. $260 in returns. I couldn't recover from that, not on a Tuesday, day shift.

I KNOW my store wasn't unique in requiring certain sales numbers! Returns HURT the salesperson at many stores. To have to return something because it doesn't work for you is ok, but to make that your PLAN- - to buy things in order to return them-- seems not-quite-right.

 

[Lewisc]

Ok, they will not give me cash back, they will credit my card. I have taken things back to AE before, wrong size, or something and they will refund you with the method of payment which would not be cash!!!

Sorry I didn't work my post better.....A STORE DOESN'T HAVE TO GIVE A REFUND. A STORE IS ENTITLED TO GIVE A STORE CREDIT. Major chains generally have generous refund policy, and will frequently provide a refund in the form of original payment but there are numerous examples of stores that only issue store credits. AE may presently offer a credit card refund but, as long as they properly discloseant a new policy, they could just offer a store credit. That might be an acceptable compromise. A customer could get a store credit in full or a credit card refund equal to the merchandise returned but net the shipping cost.

One internet vendor deducts the value of "free shipping" from any refund. Few vendors do this but it makes some sense. Whey should a vendor absorb the expense of shipping you an item you're returning? A customer returning an item with free shipping has to pay the cost of shipping back to the vendor and gets a refund equal to the purchase price less a deduction for the original shipping costs.

Blame people like the OP for companies that implement policies like this.

 

[SaraJayne]

It's dishonest, but Karma is a wonderful thing.

 

[sk!mom]

I have never tried to take things ordered online back to AE, but I ran into another store that won't take back things ordered from their catalog, I think it may have been Delia's. Perhaps to prevent this type of thing? Or maybe because they don't carry everything in the catalog in the stores. I would make sure AE will take back things ordered online at the store before I did it.

Victoria's Secret also doesn't take store returns of online items.

 

[sk!mom]

I had to quit a job at a retail clothing store. We had to have a certain "average sale" amount each day, and certain repeat customers kept buying up multiple things online at great discounts, trying to sell them on Ebay, and then returning to the mall store where I worked. I would have a couple of decent-spending customers, then this lady would walk in with her big bag full. My $70 per customer average would go down to almost $0. Happened about 3x per month. 3 low-sales-average days and you get a write up. The worst was when I only had 2 customers. One spent like $114, the other just bought something small for $6. So Total of $120 (averages out to $60 per customer). Our "target" was $50 per customer, so I was doing ok. Big-Returns-Lady walks in. $260 in returns. I couldn't recover from that, not on a Tuesday, day shift.

I KNOW my store wasn't unique in requiring certain sales numbers! Returns HURT the salesperson at many stores. To have to return something because it doesn't work for you is ok, but to make that your PLAN- - to buy things in order to return them-- seems not-quite-right.

Wow- I didn't know this. I definitely think buying things with the intent to return is wrong now that I know this.

 

[Missy1961]

I had to quit a job at a retail clothing store. We had to have a certain "average sale" amount each day, and certain repeat customers kept buying up multiple things online at great discounts, trying to sell them on Ebay, and then returning to the mall store where I worked. I would have a couple of decent-spending customers, then this lady would walk in with her big bag full. My $70 per customer average would go down to almost $0. Happened about 3x per month. 3 low-sales-average days and you get a write up. The worst was when I only had 2 customers. One spent like $114, the other just bought something small for $6. So Total of $120 (averages out to $60 per customer). Our "target" was $50 per customer, so I was doing ok. Big-Returns-Lady walks in. $260 in returns. I couldn't recover from that, not on a Tuesday, day shift.

I KNOW my store wasn't unique in requiring certain sales numbers! Returns HURT the salesperson at many stores. To have to return something because it doesn't work for you is ok, but to make that your PLAN- - to buy things in order to return them-- seems not-quite-right.

That stinks. I'm sorry that happened to you. And you're right, I bet that's store policy for other retailers. I've always felt that this sort of 'sneaky' thing wasn't a good idea, now I know why.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I had no idea salespeople were penalized for returns! I often shop for my toddler and baby alone and buy 2 sizes then bring the wrong one back the next day. I'm just trying to get the shopping done efficiently on my lunch-break. I'll have to find out if the stores I'm shopping at have this policy.

 

[lulugirl]

How old are you? Why do you keep saying duh?

No kidding, I'm finding it difficult to believe that this poster is even old enough to have a credit card.
If you are too cheap to pay for shipping then don't purchase anything online.

 

[Missy1961]

I had no idea salespeople were penalized for returns! I often shop for my toddler and baby alone and buy 2 sizes then bring the wrong one back the next day. I'm just trying to get the shopping done efficiently on my lunch-break. I'll have to find out if the stores I'm shopping at have this policy.

I don't think this kind of return is a problem for stores. That isn't abuse, that's normal. We've all done that on our lunch hour--I know I don't have time to get to a store, pick out items, try them on & then wait to pay within that short amount of time. And shopping for someone else is always a crap shoot anyway. I wouldn't worry about doing these kinds of returns--that's what a store expects. Besides, I bet you keep a lot of what you buy, so your kind of return is normal. That's why stores have return policies.

 

[Va-bear]

I don't think this kind of return is a problem for stores. That isn't abuse, that's normal. We've all done that on our lunch hour--I know I don't have time to get to a store, pick out items, try them on & then wait to pay within that short amount of time. And shopping for someone else is always a crap shoot anyway. I wouldn't worry about doing these kinds of returns--that's what a store expects. Besides, I bet you keep a lot of what you buy, so your kind of return is normal. That's why stores have return policies.

Yes, I agee. You are still buying probably about 1/2 of what you orginally puchased - that's more than they would have made if you hadn't shopped there at all. (My mom used to always shop for me this way - I hated to go shopping and was a hard person to fit - it was the only way I would have had clothes at all!) But, it is a shame that a store sales person shuld get 'hurt' by on-line pruchase returns - doesn't quite seem fair.

 

[DianeV]

Oh come on..why in the world would a salesperson be penalized for online sale returns?

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

Oh come on..why in the world would a salesperson be penalized for online sale returns?

I agree, thats a load of hogwash, and I did put in my order for 106.77 today.
I will let you good people know the results when I get them.

 

[disneymom3]

To have to return something because it doesn't work for you is ok, but to make that your PLAN- - to buy things in order to return them-- seems not-quite-right.

I agree and I think hat is what is bothering those of us who object to this idea. the OP called it in her title sneaky. You don't call something sneaky if you firmly believe it's okay.