Would you return worn shoes? - YouLookFab Forum

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Would you return worn shoes?

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I bought these with Angie (actually ordered) at the Seattle meet-up

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/30.....ltback=958

I wore them once, it was difficult to get the left one put on, but not impossible. Today I was wearing thicker socks and could not get it on.
It's winter I normally wear thicker socks.
Is this a justifiable reason to return?

Shopping

33 replies

Latest reply was from Jenava

Velma

Veteran

I would not make a return on that basis after wearing the shoes--unless the purchase was from a store with a policy that promises "satisfaction guaranteed, no questions asked" (LL Bean has such a guarantee, for instance--and I did once return a jacket that just didn't fit right after wearing it once or twice). Perhaps check the Nordstrom's website to see if they feature such a policy. The stores that do always make a very big deal about it.

Sorry the boots haven't worked out for you. Good luck with them.

Maya

Veteran

I have returned used shoes many times, with no apology. Nordstrom will take them back without even looking at them.

Marigold

Nordstrom has a great return policy. I think they'll take them, no questions asked, resole them and put them up for sale at the Rack.

Queen Mum

Veteran

I know that everyone raves about Nordstrom and their great return policy, but honestly if I felt that it were my own negligence (not wearing them around the house, *hoping* they might work out even when uncomfortable in the store) I would not feel right about returning them.
I will be honest and say that your reasoning for wanting to return does not seem right to me. When we buy shoes, we need to take into account what socks we want to wear with them. When they seemed hard to get on in the first place, I would have not worn them outside until I worked out that issue.

But, like others have said, Nordies will take them back, no questions asked... and I won't judge you for it. I will just hope that they don't resell them to me as new shoes

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

The ones I tried on in the store were fine. I had to order a pair from another store because the suede was mismatched.

Emily

I agree 100% with QM. And while Nordstrom's may have an outstanding return policy, surely we are paying for that in their prices. Well, not me personally because I can't afford to shop there, but you get the point.

Queen Mum

Veteran

in that case then, I'd return them because they didn't fit like the ones in the store. I'm not sure I would have worn them in the first place knowing this though.

Dana

(website)

Veteran

Well, I think Nordstrom will take them back. Can you wear them with thin socks? I have some Wigwam ski socks that are all synthetic, and after over 30 years of skiing learned that synthetic socks are warmer than wool ones! If you love the boots, it might be worth a try.

Megan

The fact that the ones at the store fitted more loosely does suggest that they will stretch...

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

So I tried them on again with thinner socks, and with some effort I could get it on. I called the downtown Seattle store and told them my story. The salesperson said I could bring them in and that they would be able to stretch them for me.

crutcher

Veteran

You know, if I had worn the shoes outside not just on the carpet, I would not return them...JMO but to do so is taking advantage of Nordie's great customer service. and return policy.....Perhaps you can find a thinner sock or if all fails, donate them to a charity that will be able to sell them and use the money for something worthwhile...

Megan

Getting them stretched by the store is a good compromise Hope they work well for you!

Queen Mum

Veteran

Megan has a good point.. the pair you tried on may have been stretched by repeated try-ons. I hope you can get yours stretched to work for you! They are gorgeous boots.

Kim

Veteran

I've returned "worn" shoes, but only when they've hurt my feet *after* not hurting my feet with a good 3-4 3 hour wearings at home. Funny enough when I wore them out shopping for like 8 hours it wasn't the same. They were expensive shoes and the store was awesome about taking them back to make me happy. I actually only returned *one* shoe, they let me exchange it for another new one and that one didn't hurt my foot at all.

So yes, I have.

Traci

Veteran

I'm going against the grain here. The store sets up their own return policy. If they didn't want to take back worn items, they could easily make that part of their policy. If an item fits within their return policy with no trickery, I don't think it's wrong to return the item. I don't see it as taking advantage of the company because the company is the one who laid out the rules.

eta: Would you really want to buy, as new, a pair of shoes that had been worn around someone's house for 16+ hours just because the soles were unmarked?

Beth

Veteran

There are obviously differing opinions on this, but I wouldn't return shoes that have been worn outside my house or obviously worn at all (creases in the leather, etc.) unless there were clear defects in the shoes.

One of the reasons I love Nordstrom is their generous return policy, but just like a generous friend, I'm not willing to take advantage of it. People taking advantage of relaxed return guidelines are one reason why so many stores have tightened up their policies.

Glad to hear Nordies is meeting you halfway, though! It sounds like that may solve the issue.

shana

Veteran

I'm with Beth & Queenie. Just because the company has the policy does not mean that I would feel right (morally) about taking advantage of it this way. If a shoe or an item of clothing has some kind of manufacturing defect, fine but otherwise I think I need to take some personal responsibility when it comes to my purchases. I would be a serial returner if I tried to return some of the shoes that ended up being misses, especially now that feet have become fussy. What that has taught me is that I should be even pickier about my selection process which means reading tons of reviews before I even order, trying them on with the right orthotic,socks, etc. I have the opportunity to try them on at the store and at home before I decide whether or not I should keep them. That's already pretty darn generous compared to the rest of the world.

Kari

Veteran

Yes. If I wore them once or twice, and they caused lots of discomfort or had a major defect that wasn't obvious before wearing them, and I knew that the store (like Nordstrom) would take them back no matter what, I definitely would. If the store has a policy and practice of accepting returns of worn items, I don't think it is taking advantage, particularly if I know I have been careful with the shoes.

I mean heck, Nordstrom accepted a dress that I had taken the tags off of and worn twice, and it totally shredded along the seam on the second wear. It was so obviously caused by the fabric that I didn't feel bad at all for taking it back, and no one gave me a hard time.

If I wore the shoes and then decided that I just didn't like them as much as I originally did, then I'd feel guilty about returning them and wouldn't do so.

Jonesy

Veteran

No, not unless they were defective. It's sort of like ordering a bottle of wine at a restaurant. You can order it, sniff the cork, and try the first drink. At that point, you might realize that it's not what you expected (maybe too sweet, for example) but unless it's defective (corked) you have to just accept that you gambled and lost.

Kate

Veteran

Yes. That is too much money to spend on something that is uncomfortable and won't get many wears.

edit: I just looked up the numbers on Nordstrom for a response on a different thread about returning a worn item, and thought I would share here. For FY 2009 Nordstrom had $8.57 billion in revenue and a net income of $401 million. The company and its employees will all be fine if your return the boots and they resell them for a bit less.

Kyle

Veteran

I would not feel right about returning anything that had been worn unless there was an obvious defect or quality problem. To do otherwise, for me personally, would be taking advantage of the retailer and I would feel dishonest.

Maya

Veteran

I don't think it's dishonest unless you lie about the condition of the shoes. If the SA is aware, how is it dishonest?

I don't want to be contentious, but that "personal responsibility" argument is rather judgmental--even if you're saying you're not judging--because, well, you are. You're essentially saying that those who take advantage of this policy are being irresponsible. This is true in some cases but not all. I'd venture to guess that it isn't true in the vast majority of cases.

Personally, I do not return shoes because I just decide they are not cute enough, or the style isn't "in" anymore. If they do not perform the function I need them to, I need my money back so I can find something else that does.

Those Stuart Weitzman boots were $349 and $595 full price. They absolutely destroyed my heels on the first wear out of the house. I wore them around the house with no problem, but I just cannot tell how shoes will wear until I put them through a real day out. I just can't. I don't walk around the house the way I would outside, on concrete. My slippers are comfortable around the house, but they are not comfortable outside. It's just not a reliable indicator. The only reason I do it at all is to make sure there are no glaring comfort issues, but some things aren't detectable until after a few hours of vigorous walking.

If you're telling me I should have just sucked it up and taken a $349 hit for boots that left my socks soaked in blood, sorry, but there is just no way I would agree. $349 is a drop in the pond for Nordstrom, especially considering they will easily re-sell the boots at the Rack or Last Chance. For me it's a tremendous loss. In the end, they didn't lose much, because I got a replacement pair of boots from them shortly thereafter.

Clearly Nordstrom has constructed a business model wherein an open return policy works in their favor. I would say it is highly likely that they ultimately make MORE sales because of this. I never used to shop there, but now I do, because I know I have that security. They won a lot of loyal customers because of their service and policies. The number of things I return used is minuscule compared to the number of things I keep (and/or return in unused condition), and I suspect the same is true for most shoppers (and let's remember that not everyone or even most people who shop there are even aware of their return policies anyway).

If people who "take advantage" are responsible for retailers restricting their return policies, what difference would it make? What's the point of an open return policy if no one ever used it? They may as well restrict it either way.

So Anna, back to your dilemma, I think stretching will help, but if not, I wouldn't sweat it. Someone else is will be very happy to find those boots at a discount, and no one at Nordstrom will lose their job over it.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Thank you Maya. I'm not an abusive returner. If the stretching doesn't work then I will return them. I've seen plenty of refurbished and even bought them at the Rack. There's always a sticker that says they're refurbished. Besides I've only wore them once.

Lori

Veteran

I'm on the Maya bandwagon with this one too. Nordstrom clearly knows what they are doing, and why, they've been in the shoe business for a very long time, and understand their consumers better than anyone. They put the policy in place to keep customers happy, not to test their conscience and morals.

shana

Veteran

Maya, I'm assuming I am one of the people you are addressing in your rant since you used my wording (though certainly others have expressed similar opinions). All I can say, please observe my judicious use of the word "I" in my post. I could care less what YOU do as long as Nordstroms doesn't try to sell me your blood soaked shoes as new Anna asked for opinions and I gave mine.

Anonymous

I admit, I did not read every comment made but based on the fact I have answered similarly in the past, I must be some dishonest piece of work. I see it this way, Nordstrom makes millions a year. Those millions are the result of the astronomical markups in every item they sell, amongst other things. Everything is accounted for. Their return policy is part of their business model. Don't feel bad about utilizing it. A happy customer is a repeat customer.

Anyhow, they will make some money ( probably still more than cost) once your shoes get re sold at the rack....

Kyle

Veteran

Anna asked if it is justifiable to return, and I think the answer is yes. Many here have made a reasonable case to justify the return. Like so many things in life, this is not a black and white issue and there is no single right or wrong answer. I would not presume to tell Maya to keep uncomfortable boots...my response reflects only what feels right to me and I'm simply not comfortable returning something I have worn. I think that's OK. For those who want to return worn items, that's OK, too. In my experience, life is not a one size fits all proposition.

Christie

I have returned shoes I've worn outdoors. They were Dansko clogs ... obviously *meant* for comfort. Instead, the bottoms of my heels hurt so bad I could hardly walk. I had to wear them more than 4 hours, and walking on concrete to find that out. I felt badly doing so (especially since I bought them at a small local shoe store), but felt worse spending $100 that were so contrary to the reason I bought them. That's the only time I've ever done that, but felt justified doing so.

marianna

Veteran

I'm on the Maya bandwagon. I've returned numerous pairs of worn shoes because they were not comfortable. I feel no guilt. These shoes will never be sold on the sales floor again -- they are automatically taken out of inventory and sent to Last Chance. So you don't have to worry about buying someone's used shoes.

The only thing to keep in mind is that returns affect your SA's income and their commission gets deduced when you make a return. So if a sales person spent 40 minutes with you, running and grabbing different shoes and whatnot, and then you return them, then the SA makes no money. But we are told to keep in mind that 30% of our sales will be returned.

But, I'm still on the Maya bandwagon. I've returned worn shoes before, and I'd do it again if I had to. People come back to Nordstrom and love to shop at Nordstrom because of the freedom of the return policy. It's clearly a successful business model or they wouldn't be doing it!

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