When companies act in a way that I think is unfair, I let them know how I feel in the strongest possible way. This includes letting them know that I will tell everyone I know about my experience with them. If they don't make it right AND let me know they appreciate my business by apologizing, for example, I stop shopping there. Forever.

Urghh! What a mess they put you through!

What is interesting to me reading these customer service experiences, is that it doesn't seem to correspond to the price of the goods sold. I shop at very inexpensive places for the most part - Old Navy, TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Ross, H & M, and Macys, and I've had no trouble with returns from online to the store, or at the store as long as I still have tags.

I've even had sales assistants take a store credit off one item I returned and apply it to another I'm keeping and bought previously, or match online prices -- they for the most part are just neutral or happy to help, and so of course, I'm always happy to visit that shop again.

Blech, just the kind of thing to turn off your customer for $8 do you (AT) want to do that? Take the return with a smile and shut up. Your customers have so many choices at home she can forgot you really quickly.

More and more retail stores are combining their online and BM into 1 (omnichannel) hopefully AT will get on board with this.

End of rant

I've followed your thread with interest because I do most of my shopping online and return what doesn't work for me to B&M stores. I haven't really shopped much at AT recently though because of an earlier thread that mentioned their quality wan't up to par any more. This just confirms for me that I want to avoid this merchant.

I know that both nordstrom and talbots used to make the store take the hit on returns...although the sales associate didn't have to take a hit. Nordstrom fixed that, I'm not sure about talbots. But either way, it's not your problem that they don't have a system that credits the store or on line, where the original purchase happened! You're the customer, do what works for you, return it to the store if it's easier!

I've been following this thread and appreciate you sharing your experience. I have not had returns at AT be very pleasant in the past (the SA is always so nasty for some reason) and this just adds another reason why I will not shop there if I think I may have to return.

Wow. That is very annoying!! I don't blame you for being irritated. And why oh why are the lines in AT and the Loft always the longest on the block? That is my impression the few times I've been able to shop at one of their stores. GRRRR.