Zap - that is a truly interesting read on Nordstroms. Their business model really does seem to revovle around customer service, and yes they take higher returns for it, but it is workign for them.

From a personal point, we do not have a Nordstrom's in my state. We really don;t have any store even close to par with Nordstroms. I made my first purchase there because of their free shipping and returns. While I really only had 1 item work for me, I am now a little more familiar with their brands and sizing and will buy from them again.

It's fairly high because I learned here on YLF to be picky and that returns are alright. And I also shop a lot more online now than I did pre-YLF, so there's much that doesn't work out. I'm not sure which percentage I return exactly, but it would be interesting to look into it.

This is all interesting, especially about the Nordstrom policy!

I've never really thought about it. I'm not a huge online shopper, I'm much more likely to impulse buy in a B&M store when I have a spare hour or two to kill. But I'm much better about returns than I used to be, so I'd guess I return around 30% of my purchases from B&M stores, and I'm probably 50/50 for online, maybe even a little higher on returns than that.

I have become a very loyal Nordstrom customer, in large part because of their customer service and return policy. It's great to order online from them and know that I have absolutely zero rush to see if an item works in my wardrobe before returning it. In fact, I have a jacket that still has tags on it from nearly a year ago that needs to go back. I'll be a little embarrassed to return it, but it's nice to now they will accept it.

I think my rate of returns is about 80-90% too esp since I buy a lot online and usually try multiple sizes and styles. For example, I just ordered like 8 burgundy sweaters from Nordstrom, but then I went to H&M a couple of days ago and found one that was a lot cheaper so I'll probably return all of them once they arrive. When I do have the time to shop B&M stores my rate of return is more like 10%, but that's after I try on 8 or 9 items for every one I buy! I wish I could get better at this, but at least I've learned to be picky about what stays in my closet! Actually, I think I've gotten a bit better since I started, because when I first joined YLF I tried on 50 pairs of jeans at Gap (different sizes and styles) before I found the right one for me (Long and Lean).

interesting discussion, since the recession started, i have tried to shop at small local stores more, and i have found myself reluctant to return things to them. and while i feel good about helping the local economy, it has lead to my keeping some items that i would have returned if i had bought them at banana, ann taylor, anthropologie etc.
i need to become better at saying no to pieces that i'm not 100% about!

Kkards, I hear you about the local boutiques. I try to frequent those places as well, but the tight returns policies have burnt me a few times. I just need to be more careful and certain of pieces I buy from those places!

I think the nature of shopping online where you can't try on for fit, makes for higher return rates. I hate to think of the total I've spent in shipping and return costs this year. It must be over $100. But I don't have those not quite right items in my closet, clogging it up, either!
I am trying more and more to narrow my searches to free or very cheap shipping and return costs.
As for B & M shopping, I am picky before purchasing and would bet my return rate is at 10% or 15%.

Very interesting discussion, especially about Nordstrom. I must say that despite the economy I am loyal to the stores with the best customer service. I've worked retail and know it's not hard to be friendly and accommodating (to a point) in order to retain someone's present and future business. I was recently put off Ann Taylor because they would not refund me for an online purchase because I used Discover electronic-generated numbers. I got a merchandise credit (after a snide remark from the clerk) and have been trying to use it. I returned something today bought with the credit and was asked for an ID so they can track my returns (and potentially black list me because I return too much???) This is just too much.
I am not a person who returns used items or tries to get away with anything (although I've read of those). I will continue to purchase from Nordstrom and return if the item does not work for me. They still welcome me.

I am not sure what my 'percentage of returns' really is, but I do tend to return in-store purchases a lot more than I do online purchases. I know this isn't the norm, but speaking personally - I am much more likely to purchase too much "stuff" the store, and I also tend to get sort of taken in by sales.

This doesn't happen to me nearly as much as with online purchases. With online purchases, I've done my research, I've read the reviews and I've probably been thinking of buying the item for quite some time before actually buying. In short, I'm a bit more patient with my purchases when buying online than I am in-store. When I'm in a store, I tend to buy a lot more, but then get home and realize that I've made several mistakes and a lot of it goes back. This isn't true for me with online purchases.

I also find that Angie's recommended products are a very good choice. There isn't anything that Angie has recommended (whether it's a NAS-type product or a fab find) that I've bought and then returned. She often posts additional helpful information - based on her experience with clients - things like whether to size up or size down, if a certain heel height works, or that one of her picks works particularly well for certain body shapes and so on. Meanwhile, I also find YLF'ers input extremely helpful as well. I've bought things that other YLF'ers have posted that worked out nicely for them, and these have worked out better for me than just blindly buying things in a store during a sale.

In short, I am much better-off with YLF guidance! In the store, I tend to buy too many things and then end up returning way too much of it. When I check in with YLF, read recommendations, and look at people's WIW's or questions/ideas - it helps a whole lot and as a result, my 'rate of returns' has actually been going down. My online purchases are more considered and thoughtful. I've seen them recommended by Angie or another YLF'er, I've done my homework and carefully made up my mind.

In store? Ack! I'm not very good at it. Buy a whole bunch of stuff, get home...wonder what I've done and what in the world will work with what I've bought, realize that I've purchased a bunch of "stuff" (ie. orphans) and end up returning almost all of it.

This is all a guess, but I'd say brick and mortar maybe 10-20 %, tops. I spend a long time trying on and viewing from all angles. Some returns are things that don't match what I thought, but others are, you know, I just didn't need this, even though it looks fine.

On-line is a lot higher due to poor fit or fabric that I can't tell from photo. More than half and maybe up to 75-80%. It's why I don't branch out more to find good things "out there" because I hate getting a size and wondering if the next size up or down fits better, and hate packing up the returns.

Nordstroms is amazing, cuz they ok returns no matter how old it seems....I have probably a 70% return of online items, much lower in B&M stores, cuz Im very picky about what goes to the checkout with me...one thing I try to consider is I always imagine 'would I wear this to a YLF meeting?' If not, I wont even bring it home to try..:)

With store returns, my percentage must be 10-20% mostly because I don't buy much in store anyway and if I do, I've tried it on, made sure it fit, etc.

Online, it must be around 75% at least. I'm a Petite and my sizes aren't available in stores sometimes. The store gets more of my business if I can order it home, try it on and return (typically within a week of receipt)