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Reflections on buying and returning

viva

Veteran

I've been tracking my purchases very closely this year, which is new for me. I have not been tracking my "wears" so don't have CPW data but I have a pretty good sense for what I have been wearing frequently and what I have not been wearing, and that's been helpful too. I've never looked so closely at my shopping habits, and it's thanks to YLF that I've become so interested in being critical of this behavior, and I think that's a good thing.

I'm wondering how people feel about the shop-and-return cycle. To what degree is this an expected aspect of shopping, especially when Internet shopping is involved, and to what degree is it a sign of emotional buying (and thus, returns based on either regret or a realization that the "buy" was the thing, and ultimately the item was not needed or wanted)?

So far this year, I have kept 60% of what I purchased. This does not reflect multiple sizes of the same item -- which I tend not to do, anyway, but I did do in one case (I counted only one item: the dress, not two items for the two sizes). What is your gut reaction to that number? How does that compare to your own behavior? Is returning 40% of purchased items a lot? As I look at the individual items, the reasons run the gamut -- fit issues, style issues, and just changed my mind. But I wonder how many of those initial purchases were made too quickly.

Case and point: I returned the citron graduation dress I bought while traveling last week after deciding/realizing the style really just wasn't me. Why didn't I see that in the store? Was I blinded by the sale price? (73% of my 2014 purchases were discounted in some way.)

Just thinking aloud....

Shopping

38 replies

Latest reply was from cciele

Lisa

Veteran

A great topic. When I was figuring out my style a few years back I shopped and returned a LOT. I don't know specifics but I'd say at least 80% or more was returned. Now I still return but it's because I will order more than one size of the same item. I've gotten better at figuring out what items fit my style and that has helped me prevent excessive returning. I am still guilty of overshopping and having to do a return for unworn items. My personal limit is 30 days. If it is unworn after 30 days back it goes. Our weather changes too fast (4 seasons in my area) to keep an item for many months before wearing it.

Adelfa

Veteran

I return a lot of my online purchases. I don't see a way around that because you can't tell until it comes if it will fit and flatter.

Maybe my most unreasonable return was two shoes that I bought in person when I had 40 minutes to fill a pressing wardrobe hole. I couldn't find the right thing so I bought two pairs, one quite expensive. I should have listened to myself when I asked the SA, "What do you think of that crease? Do you think it's too small?" and he said it would stretch. Got home and realized that I wasn't going to pay $$$ for a shoe that my foot looked stuffed into. And the other pair was just a ridiculous purchase. I ran back the next day for the return and felt so bad when the same guy was there. So just a reminder that desperation shopping is bad!

I think return rates go up when you become a fabber because you're trying so many new things.

pastrygirl

(website)

Veteran

This is a thread worth checking back in for! (I mean, they ALL are, but I'll post on this one.)

I've become quite liberal with my returns. I don't keep track, but it FEELS like I return a lot. But, I buy a ton less than I used to once I started making stringent rules for myself. Those rules include: if it's not a 10, it stays in the store; if I even think of the return policy, it stays in the store; if I'm in a rush and I think of buying it knowing that I can return it, it stays in the store. I've worked very hard to not be blinded by sale prices, but they still get me sometimes; if I wouldn't pay more for it, it stays in the store. (I can't say full price, because I'm so in love with my leather jacket that I never would pay $900 for! But I would've paid up to $200 more than I did.)

I don't stay true to those rules all the time. When I don't, 99.99% of the time, I end up returning. I shop A LOT (or at least I did until a couple of week ago.) At least twice a week, so eight times a month. I probably had returns from two shopping trips a month.

I rarely order online, but when I do, it almost always goes back. It's near 100%.

always trying

Veteran

With me it is returning shoes, mostly on line purchases. My on line purchases are 90% from places where I can return to the store, so not concerned about return shipping charges. I am totally convinced that on line retailers like Zappos that pay return shipping the return shipping charges are factored into the initial price, as many times I can find the same shoes in a store or another place on line for much less, so if there is a good chance that you will keep them then you can get then for less by searching around. Have to admit though, some styles are not easily found elsewhere , and Zappos does have the best selections.

Alassë

Veteran

Hmm, good question. I see both sides - returning 2/3 of what I bought last year clearly indicates poor purchase criteria, while online purchases often look/fit differently than expected and thus are perfectly legitimate returns.

Joyce B

Veteran

I am very liberal with returns, too. It's better to have a high rate of returns than to have a lot if money wasted on garments you will not wear. It is a good idea to keep track of shopping habits. I keep all the receipts and track the bills on the credit card but I will follow your suggestion and will make an actual list/ spreadsheet of my purchases.
You have a great topic here.

Thistle

Veteran

I return a lot. Mostly because of fit. I simply don't know if it fits until I try it on. And if it does fit, is it comfortable? Do I like it one me? None of these things do I know until I try it on.

Honestly, I keep right around 25% of what I buy online. 90%+ of the returns are because the items either don't fit or I don't like the way they look on me.

Brick and Morter buys are completely different. I get to try the item on and see if it fits and if I like it on me. These, I keep greater than 95% of what I bought. The few returns are because DH has a strong negative opinion.

Aziraphale

Veteran

My track record for ordering online from home is poor, mainly because the garment never looks on me like it does on the model. Grr. It might be close to 100% returns, or else 100% not-returned-but-never-wore-it. The reason I'm not sure is that I haven't done it in years, because I had such little success. So I'd say a keep rate of 60% is actually really good!

I live in Canada, so return shipping to the US is expensive. I have to really want something, and really not be able to get it here, to order online. I only order something online if I very confident that it will fit, and this only happens if I've been to an actual brick-and-mortar store and tried on the exact item in the regular size, and then the sales assistant has advised me about the corresponding petite size. So the few online orders I've made are made from the store in question, or else it's a repeat of something that I once ordered from a store. For example, I've bought both J. Crew shirts and blazers from home, but only because I already have one in my closet that fits perfectly.

On the other hand, my return rate to brick-and-mortar stores is very low. That's because I always try stuff on and carefully consider. I dislike returning. It feels like a waste of time! The odd time, I take something back because I bought it to wear with a specific other item, and when I get home and try it on with that item, I'm not satisfied. But I'd say my return rate is about 2%.

Marlene

Veteran

I return a lot...70%? I like to try stuff on at home, with my own mirror and my own closet so I can see it styled with my current wardrobe. Even if I try it on at a store, I am still overwhelmed by my surroundings and cannot get a true gauge of an item while in a changing room. So most of it goes back once I see how it plays with the rest of my clothes.

I return about the same for online purchases. I tend to buy from the same places all the time so that I have a good idea about fit beforehand. Then I have essentially the same issues as I would in-store.

Laura J

I don't think returning as much as you have is a lot. I think it makes sense. I'm building a new work wardrobe for a new job in another country, updating my style, and finding comfortable shoes after discovering I need a different size. It's a lot at once and I can tell you I've returned a ton lately. I think with shoes it's imperative that you try wearing them at home in addition to the store. I'm trying to get quality shoes at a discount. For me, this involves driving to stores that are an hour away. I will buy any shoes that I like that seem comfortable in the store. Then at home I will wear the shoes for an hour or two (mostly sitting). Out of the 10 shoes I recently bought, I am returning 5 of them because they weren't comfortable at home. I always return the items in pristine form, tags attached, and they never leave the house. I guess I should also mention I'm shopping at Nordstrom Rack, Sax Off Fifth, and Neiman Marcus Last Call. In those places perhaps more than others I feel like if I don't get it, it won't be there when I return (and I have a lot of driving to do to return).

For clothing items, I bring them home and see how they look with the rest of my wardrobe. I have a plan to keep my wardrobe minimal (and easier to move). I've become very picky about what I keep.

I love the idea of keeping track of purchases like you do!

JAileen

Veteran

Because I live in the sticks I order a lot online. As others have said, you just don't know how something is going to work until you try it on, be it fit, color, or quality of materials. I don't order from just anyone (I'm very particular about shipping costs), so I do have a good idea of fit and quality from Lands End, for example.

Pree

I think this a great topic and thanks for starting it. I do return a fair amount as well (also in pristine condition with the tags on). I do try to consider things before I buy and try to have strict criteria like others mentioned. But sometimes I am in a rush and I buy things that really aren't what I need. I very much like to try things on when I get home with the other items I am going to wear them with and see how much wear I will really get out of an item and if they fit a wardrobe hole. My style is evolving since reading the YLF blog so I am buying new and different items. I also return items if I am over my budget and don't absolutely love them (also a new thing I have started since joining this forum).

deb

Veteran

I shop online a lot so my returns are usually because of poor fit. I think that is to be expected with online shopping.

rachylou

Veteran

Hmm. I return mainly because things don't fit or look wrong on me. I don't think I return because I realise something is not my style. But maybe I should be doing so...

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I do most of my shopping online. I used to just keep things, even if I didn't love them. And then I would find them at the back of my closet, never worn.

I've done a big closet purge this year, partly due to a size change and partly due to wanting to get the most out of what I have. The consignment shop in town has been very happy.

Lately I have become much more rigorous about returns -- I only keep things I really like. I mostly order from retailers that have good return policies. If it doesn't have a good return policy, I have to be pretty sure that I will like it.

Laurinda

Veteran

I return around 80% of online purchases for color, size, or fit issues. For many items you can't tell until you see it in your wardrobe, or try it on and realize the color is not a good shade, the shoe seam rubs your toe or the pants make annoying swishy noises.

Before YLF I would have been okay with items being 5 or 6/10; now I expect at least an 8/10.

The pickings are much more narrow at B&M stores for size and selection, but they do tend to be where I find the few items that 'make my heart sing'.

retailgirl

Veteran

I return a decent amount. I quite often order multiple sizes, and if I am ordering stuff on sale, I'll order multiple colors and if they don't work, then I am returning a lot! And I wear a 10.5 N shoe so I buy all my shoes on line...and 80 percent go back. But I order from the same three or four brands, and I pretty much know how things fit. I think returns are a necessary evil for an online retailer!

always trying

Veteran

Gee with all these returns no wonder there is so much on the markdowns in stores these days, as some do not put returns back with the regular merchandise. Wonder how much of the on line stuff travels around! Looks like about a 45 to 50 percent of on line clothing and shoes gets returned. You guys probably keep a lot of people employed.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

On average with online orders, I probably return over 50% of things, either for fit issues or just that they weren't quite what I thought I was getting. I'm not a shy in store returner, either; sometimes you get it home and it won't work with the outfit you envisioned, or you look at your budget and you were just a little more crazy than you should have been. But since fit issues are normally already culled out with B&M purchases my return rate there is probably around 25%.

I never used to return this much, but then I had a lot of things in my wardrobe I never should have bought. And nowadays I'm trying to be a little adventurous, which means trying new styles and brands which don't always work out. If my budget and my time were tighter, I could buy the basics from several stores whose fit I know, and almost never have to return anything.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Adding the the chorus of high returns of online purchases. You just can't know without putting the item on your body. As for in-store purchasing, I think it's been a couple years since I've returned anything. I know if I want it or not. And I'm not a big impulse buyer.

Anonymous

I shop, try on at home, and return if it does not suit me. I have no qualms whatsoever about this practice. I am certain I return well over 50 percent of what I bring home.

Peri

Veteran

I have not kept track numbers wise but I would say my rate of returns is very high. I'd guess 75% of online shopping. Ex: 5 items came today and there is a chance that I might keep one of them. And really, I don't consider that unreasonable. If I was at a store and took 5 things into a dressing room I'd consider it a huge success if I liked one of them enough to buy. Most likely I'd put all 5 back.

With B&M purchases I'd say it is lower...probably 40%. But still not nothing, because most things I have to try at home with different combos before I really know I want it.

I don't feel bad about this shop and return, just frustrated I can't find more things I like. I never make emotional purchases because shopping is not at all fun for me. I am on a very considered hunt for a good wardrobe and I shop according to holes and needs. I don't consider it my fault when I can't find things to fill these needs, and I don't feel guilty about returns of items that disappoint. My feeling is that the stores should do better! But, this is one reason why I'm a fan of Nordstrom online. I think their policies are very realistic and so they get rewarded with what money I do spend.

kkards

Veteran

viva -- like you, i am an emotional shopper. i would say that of my B&M buys, i return about 25%. my on line returns are about 50%, mostly because of fit. i used to buy a lot when i would travel, but i have tried to curb that, because i found that those tended to be my biggest regrets. and trying to return so of the out of town purchases was tricky.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I haven't actually kept track of my returns. I should probably do that.

I shop quite often online, and an awful lot of it goes back. It's impossible to know the fit or fabrication when you're shopping online, but I don't have many brick and mortar options where I live. So it is what it is. I return much less of what I buy on my rare in-store shopping expeditions.

(Still loving my Reiss jacket....)

Gaylene

Veteran

I'm obviously old school here because I don't do much returning--probably 10% or less of what I buy. My reasons are (1) having to pay return shipping costs because I live in Canada, which can really add up quite quickly, and (2) going to back to many stores usually means driving and parking hassles. If I'm at B&M store, I usually take the time to really assess the item before I buy it; if I'm in a hurry, I usually just walk away. If I buy online, it's usually from a source
where I have a pretty good idea of the fit and quality.

Oddly enough, if I do return something, it is often to my local boutique because the owner encourages me to take something home to see if it will work with my wardrobe. I appreciate this courtesy so I always make my decision within a few days so I can get the item back to her promptly. In turn, she acknowledges my being a good customer by giving me a 10-15% discount on items I buy from her shop which is a further inducement to buy from her. With service like that, I'm more than happy to buy my Eileen Fisher tops and COH denim from her instead of waiting for sales.

On the surface, liberal return policies seem like a good thing for consumers, but, like Always Trying mentions, those "gently used" or "slightly dated" items often can't be resold at full cost. It seems logical to me that retailers need to recoup those "free" shipping costs and markdowns by increasing retail costs. The fact that I can readily get a 10-15% discount from my boutique owner on her newly stocked items seems to reinforce that thought in my mind. I've also started wondering if the thought of being able to return items doesn't factor into my impulse buys which, all too often, end up in purge pile quite quickly. That's one reason I've really tried to limit my shopping to times when I can make a clear, unhurried, and more thoughtful decision about how something will fit into my lifestyle and closet before I hand over my credit card number.

Dee

Veteran

I think I'm on the high end of the return scale. I don't do a ton of online shopping, with the exception of Zappos when I lived in the US. I probably kept one pair out of four at the time, so around 75% returns?

At B&M stores, it's probably around 40%. Even if I like it in the dressing room, I like the try things on again at home and see how they work with existing pieces in my wardrobe. Or I decide the quality isn't worth the price after all. And then back it goes - at least I'm good about that, rather than letting it languish unworn with the tags still on.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I think that a high percentage of returns is absolutely inevitable when you shop a lot on line - especially when your feet are fussy, you're fussy about fit and fabric quality, and you're unfamiliar with the sizing of said retailer.

I don't tend to return the items I purchase in stores that frequently. But online purchases are a different animal. My return rate is especially high online with designer pieces because my expectations are even greater for that price point. And when you can also get stunning quality and design from non-designer pieces, I REALLY have to love the quality and style integrity of the designer piece a whole lot extra in order to drop the moolla - which I happily do if I think it's worth it. Case in point: Sole Society Ankle Strap Pumps for $65 make me and my feet just as happy as my Salvatore Ferragomo loafers that were ten times the price. Both online orders - no returns. No cognitive dissonance either.

DonnaF

Veteran

I shop online a lot and return probably 80% for fit, color, and/or fabrication issues. I buy mostly from Nordstrom, and most of what I buy isn't available at my local b&m stores. I also buy (and keep) way more than when I bought only at b&m stores so I don't feel too guilty about all my returns. Before YLF, I would keep items that were 6 - 8s; now I hold out for items that are 9s or 10s. When DH gets home, I will ask him about a casual dress that was delivered today. The length is about three inches above my knees so maybe it's a bit short, but the non-Petite one I tried on seemed too long and the neckline hit too low. No room to let down the hem.

rabbit

Veteran

When I ordered online in the past (mostly shoes), I'd return 80-90%, which as mentioned, is about equivalent to what would happen in a dressing room - I'd try on 8-10 items of clothes, and maybe buy one.

Brick and mortar I haven't tracked, but I think is about 25% percent. In hindsight I probably should have returned more. I was rebuilding a closet from near scratch and started wearing early buys right away, and ended up with probably about 20-30% more clothing items than I needed in general.

I'm tracking CPW and cost, so getting a sense both of how many times I want to wear any one item, and also just how many tops is too many to wear in a season, so in the last month or two I've returned much more, and returned unworn clothing for store credit if the 30 days are up and I want something else from the store more than the item I have.

My anchor department store is Macy's and their return policy appears to be open-ended with tags, I haven't tried without. As a result, items of clothing I buy there don't get returned as quickly, because I know that I can return them later on if I really don't prefer them to what I'm already wearing. From a place like Marshalls, when the month is coming to a close and I haven't worn it yet, I usually return, unless it's really a stellar find. I avoid Forever21 and any online retailers that don't have free returns now.

To the question of returns cutting into the bottom line, prior to YLF about half of my small closet were orphans that didn't get returned on time, and were missing tags even if never worn out of the house, so I think the typical distracted and busy shopper is probably still taking the financial brunt of the retail markup.

ETA: actually the one place I almost never return things is Goodwill. They have a someone restrictive returns policy, but it's more that I mentally switch the category from a clothes purchase to a charitable donation if I bought something that isn't getting worn as much. Tricky that, I'll have to watch it.

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