Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

people who return clothes for a refund after wearing them

121 replies

tenpencemixup · 27/09/2017 13:22

Not because of a fault with the item but because they don't to pay to buy it. Is this really a thing? I don't know anyone who has done this but apparently there are people that buy something new from a store/online, keep the tags on, wear to the event, then return to the shop as unworn for a refund? like a hire purchase but without the fee!

I've just seen it discussed online on a fashion/parenting group and the way it was discussed so openly, without shame or remorse made me think that it's more common that I thought.

Apparently
it's not theft because they return the item
stores over price items so why should they pay
other people don't mind wearing used clothes as it's only the same as trying on in a changing room
it's up to the store to decide if it's worn, not the customer to admit it was worn
a customer buying something new isn't getting a pristine product anyway as the manufacturing process means it's been handled by many people already
if it's only going to be worn once it doesn't matter

Aside from the moral and fraud? aspect I don't know how they do it. I wouldn't be able to relax and enjoy the event wearing an item knowing I was going to return it. what if it got dirty? smelly? other people's smoke? ripped? etc

Do stores know this type of behaviour goes on? Do they write it off as losses? Sell on to other customers knowing that it's worn?

other people tried suggesting that if you can't afford a full price item there are other ways of buying fashion. ebay, buying selling sites, charity shops etc. or buy new, but sell on and list as worn once to recoup costs. Just couldn't get through to them. they want new fashion items , but don't want to pay to wear them.

OP posts:
ZaphodBeeblerox · 27/09/2017 14:00

I didn't even know stores would accept a return if the tag had been taken off. I've had at least 2-3 items that I don't want and have never worn, but because I took the tag off when trying them on at home (and I'm so disorganised I always lose receipts) I've never tried returning them.

expatinscotland · 27/09/2017 14:00

Yes, people do it. They're cheeky fuckers.

Original poster
tenpencemixup · 27/09/2017 14:00

Shock at the tag gun owners!

OP posts:
Fekko · 27/09/2017 14:01

They should be dragged naked through the streets.

I suspect some git has done this with a suit I recently bought (I was in a rush as I needed it for a conference the next day).

When I got home and went to take the tags off the trousers there was just the one tag (usually one stitched to the waistband) which was odd. I inspected the trousers (mopstly checking the crotch...) but they looked ok.

However next day when I crossed my legs there was a stain on the outside ankle - right in the join of the fabric as if something has splodged there and they had tried to wiped it off (but whatever it was had got into the seam). I suspect vomit. Boak.

The I went to put my conference badge in my pocket only to find that the tacking had been unstitched. They always sew up the pockets there!

There's a filthy cow in SW1. I'm sure it's not Teresa May though!

FineSally · 27/09/2017 14:05

millymae I know a shop where the tags are very noticeably attached to the outside, about halfway down. No way of hiding it when you're wearing it. Refunds policy says item must have the tag attached or they won't refund.

Some shops do make it ridiculously easy to abuse the system though. My neighbour "bought" a circular saw & orbital sander from Argos that got returned after he'd been using them for a week. He boasted about how easy it was to do this. He did a lot of DIY but didn't have many tools.

Katedotness1963 · 27/09/2017 14:05

if the item is returned and looks okay is it put back on the rack at full price, or does that stuff get marked down?

It's not something I could do, I see it as theft.

Llamacorn · 27/09/2017 14:06

One friend of mine does this regularly, for weddings she gets £100's worth of clothing for her and her dh and they return it the next day. I don't know how some people have the audacity tbh.
At my dds party her friend had a label sticking out of her dress, I went to pull it off and the child told me her mum told her to leave it so she could take it back Shock

winedancer · 27/09/2017 14:15

I know someone who purposely undoes a bit of stitching and then claims it's come apart. She's probably been wearing it for weeks. Shock

Mummyoflittledragon · 27/09/2017 14:16

The only time I ever did this was when I bought myself some jeans. They were low rise with no waistband and didn't stay up - as in showing my bum - so I returned them. I'd only worn them for a couple of hours. It was in Germany and I didn't think they'd refund me for this purpose so I ironed them. I was disappointed as I loved the jeans. They scrutinised the jeans and finally refunded me. That was scary enough. I don't know how anyone can have the gaul to do this on purpose.

Miserylovescompany2 · 27/09/2017 14:21

I purchased a polar fleece all-in-one from JoJo Maman Bebe last year (online). What I received was a worn/filthy one - completely different pattern with the plastic bit of the tag melted together! It was the wrong size also.

Someone had obviously purchased a brand new one then returned their unwashed one from the previous year...

I did receive a brand new one a few days later.

Some folk have no shame!

people who return clothes for a refund after wearing them
people who return clothes for a refund after wearing them
CoughLaughFart · 27/09/2017 14:22

To my shame, I did this once - but it was an emergency.

I had just started a new job. It was an office smart dress code, and for five years I'd worked in a very casual environment. I'd had to dig out my old office clothes and discovered, too late, that they were slightly more 'snug' on me now Blush

I was leaning over the shredder and heard a massive rip. My blouse had torn right across the front Shock I spent the rest of the morning holding a strategically placed notebook in front of the tear - then at lunchtime dashed out to buy a jumper. I didn't get paid until five weeks into the job, so really couldn't afford to buy a new jumper I didn't even want. I wore it for the afternoon, aired it overnight and then took it back the next day Blush I only did it because I was desperate - I'd never do it as a matter of course.

dingit · 27/09/2017 14:24

dhs boss did this. A well paid boss too. Karma came and bit him on the bum. Bought a suit from M&S. wore it to an event. Returned it next day for a refund. All good, until he realised he'd left his top of the range at the time iPhone in the suit pocket Grin

Mouse510 · 27/09/2017 14:25

Did you see this chat in a Facebook group related to breastfeeding? If so, I saw the same posts and was equally appalled!!

Damnthatonestaken · 27/09/2017 14:28

Grrr they are just making it harder for those who need a refund for actual faults. So scummy

Galerina · 27/09/2017 14:29

My brother in law has done this for a suit. Home owner, good salary etc etc. This has got nothing to do with being short of cash, it´s a state of mind.

RavingRoo · 27/09/2017 14:30

Shops usually provide a refund to get rid of the customer, and the item put into a sale or outlet. A friend of mine who used to work for Harrods, Harvey Nicholls & Selfridges said nearly all of the clothes on sale in these stores were pre-worn!

Mamabear4180 · 27/09/2017 14:31

I didn't know about this and I don't wash new clothes, maybe I should start!

Walkinglikeazombie · 27/09/2017 14:31

When I worked for a concession within Debenhams lots of Debs staff would authorise returns on my goods which were obviously worn/damaged.

I also had goods returned at different tills that were a few years old, oldest being 5 years as it still had an old logo on the clothes.

I do remember this one particular CF returning an expensive dress. She bought it on Friday and was returning it on Monday.
A strong whiff of BO hit me as she got the dress out of the bag.
When I checked the armpits they had massive stains and when I turned the dress inside out, it was completely creased up around the waist area.
Of course she said she bought the dress in such state and how dare we sell her the dress in such condition.
Checking the receipt I realised a person who served her was in so I called her over. She told me that dress was in a bag on Friday as it was delivered that morning, checked dispatch note and my colleague was telling the truth.
The customer wasn't having any of it and involved a Debs store manager who also refused to issue a refund.
She left shouting at me, explaining how she is a fashion blogger who will blacklist the brand I was working for.

She wasn't the first to try it of course but she stuck out the most. I've had women attempting to return worn goods but were so sheepish it was obvious they were trying their luck. They would then ask for store credit "at least" but I never issued it.

Kate whenever I came across a damaged item returned I would inspect damage and if it's minor the item would be discounted; but anything that was badly damaged would be written off. As for clothes that were worn and returned I would always write them off straight away.

ApplesTheHare · 27/09/2017 14:32

Go on I'll confess to doing this in the past to put across the other side of the story Blush

There are no excuses, but both times I did it were for job interviews when I was too poor to buy food (let alone new clothes). At the time I justified it to myself by thinking that the gigantic corporations I was effectively devaluing the clothes of could afford it better than I could, but really it's just a form of theft.

2014newme · 27/09/2017 14:33

Yes when I worked I retail this happened constantly. Often smelly with deodorant marks or lipstick on.

JigglyTuff · 27/09/2017 14:34

I ordered a couple of dresses last year to choose one to wear to a wedding. One of them had pockets (I know, right? A dress with pockets!) and I found a Holiday Inn room key in one of them!

I called them because I was really worried they'd think I'd worn it and they were massively apologetic. They put tags on the outside to stop people doing it but obviously if you own a tagging machine, you can just reattach the thing.

JamesBlonde1 · 27/09/2017 14:35

My SIL told me she was returning a dress after wearing it at a wedding we all attended. She showed me the tag still attached in the back.

Really bad form and pretty gross.

2014newme · 27/09/2017 14:36

And as for wedding hats...

NameChangeFamousFolk · 27/09/2017 14:37

Apples that was brave, it's interesting to get the other side of the story.

silkpyjamasallday · 27/09/2017 14:38

When I was at uni it was common practice, girls would buy dresses or whatever for nights out and then return them. I think social media has probably increased the number of people who do it because they don't want photographic evidence of outfit repeating.

I've bought stuff in zara and realised when I've got it home that it has makeup or fake tan on the inside of the neckline or leg openings, which is gross and even more annoying because I wouldn't try and return something grubby, even if it wasn't me who did it.

Swipe left for the next trending thread