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Original poster

Wear clothes once, then take them back?

252 replies

Massiveroastdinner · 07/11/2021 21:35

Does anyone do this?

I remember doing this a lot as a teen, so I’d have lots of different outfits to go out in, but couldn’t afford. It was either from the catalogue or from shops.

Haven’t done it since, but was reading about how many fashion influencers on Instagram etc do

OP posts:
Lightswitch123 · 07/11/2021 22:51

Wow. What lowlife behaviour.

Surely that's fraud / theft.

Mynameismargot · 07/11/2021 22:52

Infliencers rend to buy lots for try on hauls and then return them but I don't think they actually wear them out. More just trying to get people to think they bought them by taking photos of them trying them on and putting up #af links to make their money then returning them.

And no, I have never returned something I have worn out because I'm not a manky cow.

whoopy1 · 07/11/2021 22:53

@Massiveroastdinner That is a gross thing to do! Please do not bring others down to your own level, by saying that we ALL did this. I never did this, and never would, and would judge anyone that did it as disgusting (no matter what age they were)!

Bettybantz · 07/11/2021 22:54

Gross. Reminds me of this story. I think she overreacted with the carpet but I’d be horrified to receive a soiled item like this too

www.lancs.live/news/local-news/traumatised-bride-finds-large-bloodstain-22087790

Iamanicepersonreally · 07/11/2021 22:56

I did it once. It was the wrong thing to do and I'd never do it again.

Hairbrush123 · 07/11/2021 22:57

What’s the difference between someone doing this to someone trying clothes on in the changing room or trying several outfits at once at home? I’ve always been under the illusion that “new” clothes are more than likely secondhand because of the amount of people who’ve probably tried it on/returned it because they didn’t like it when they took it home.

Obviously morally it’s different but from a hygiene point of view

SamosaSammy · 07/11/2021 22:57

I used to as a teen - pretty much every week.

I used to keep the tags and reattach them if possible. If it wasn't possible - then I'd unpick a seam and return as damaged which is obviously a lot worse.

I felt no guilt or shame at the time at all...but I wouldn't dream of doing it now!

Bananarama21 · 07/11/2021 23:02

Hairbrush123

What’s the difference between someone doing this to someone trying clothes on in the changing room or trying several outfits at once at home? I’ve always been under the illusion that “new” clothes are more than likely secondhand because of the amount of people who’ve probably tried it on/returned it because they didn’t like it when they took it home.

Obviously morally it’s different but from a hygiene point of view

Totally different trying something on at home especially as some places the changing rooms haven't reopened then returning it or changing your mind to actually wearing the outfit out hiding the tags then returning it, it's completely grim and appalling behaviour.

bridgetreilly · 07/11/2021 23:04

It’s grim.

I was once shopping in Sainsburys when one of the staff came over to the till I was that to borrow some scissors. She had a returned garment the had not only been worn but altered! There was an actual seam where someone had turned up a hem (badly). I just think it is stealing, tbh.

Hogwarts4Christmas · 07/11/2021 23:05

I haven't and wouldn't do this...I see it as dishonest, but I know people that do and it makes me really uncomfortable.

TonyThreePies · 07/11/2021 23:10

@Youdoyoutoday

www.dailystar.co.uk/fashion-beauty/bride-traumatised-125-asos-playsuit-25394072.amp

This story popped up today!! 🤢🤢🤢

This happened to me when I worked in retail 25 years ago. Someone bought a white suit back. I took the jacket out, it had obviously been worn and she started screaming like a banshee at me. My boss came over and refunded her just to get rid of her. Then we got the trousers out of the bag - there was blood on the crotch. It was fucking disgusting and I left not long after.
PizzaCrust · 07/11/2021 23:13

It’s fucking rank. Anyone who does this, teen or not, needs their head looked at.

So grim and trashy.

PizzaCrust · 07/11/2021 23:19

@Hairbrush123

What’s the difference between someone doing this to someone trying clothes on in the changing room or trying several outfits at once at home? I’ve always been under the illusion that “new” clothes are more than likely secondhand because of the amount of people who’ve probably tried it on/returned it because they didn’t like it when they took it home.

Obviously morally it’s different but from a hygiene point of view

There’s a huge difference for wearing something for a few minutes while looking in the mirror, and going on a night out, sweating into the dress and potentially getting smoke odours on the garment, and/or stains.

Even if someone absolutely stinks, if an item is on them for a few minutes the smell probably won’t really transfer. If they’ve spent an entire night in it, you can guarantee it will stink to high heaven.

That’s the issue. I don’t mind the idea of people having tried on items I’ve bought, but I bloody well do mind if I buy something and it shows up dirty.

It’s the same as car shopping. I’d much rather have a new/ex demo car than one that was presented to me full of rubbish and stinking of smoke, for obvious reasons.

flashy44 · 07/11/2021 23:20

No no no,someone else might buy the clothes you have worn and returned,its a gross thing to do ,your body odour and other stuff from you will be on those clothes YUK

JanetFromAccounts · 07/11/2021 23:21

Disgusts me that people do this. Teen or adult, I don't care, filthy mingers

Stopsnowing · 07/11/2021 23:22

I saw a woman try to return a dress to m and.s once. She said it had smelled so she had had it dry cleaned and now she wanted to return it and have her money back

itsallgoingpearshaped · 07/11/2021 23:23

It's disgusting and incredibly dishonest in that they're stealing from the store.

Just as bad, when I was at University many years ago, I learned that a friend of a friend used to work in a clothing department store. She and a couple of her friends would buy clothes, then they would bring them to her to 'return' them. She would process the returns, put them back in the bag, and the friends would waltz out of the store with the now 'free' (stolen!) clothes.

Rangoon · 07/11/2021 23:23

I never did it. Apart from anything else, my mum would never have let me.

BeefSupreme · 07/11/2021 23:24

The lady at the returns desk was sniffing the crotch of a pair of jeans that someone was trying to return

Well that’s enough mumsnet for tonight Envy not envy

StandWithYou · 07/11/2021 23:27

I was in a mens section of a store when someone tried to return an item. The shop assistant refused and said that it had been worn. The guy returning it said he hadn’t. The assistant responded, ‘Yes you have - it reeks.’ I was silently cheering.

Cryalot2 · 07/11/2021 23:28

Never did it nor am I ever likely too.

There have been times when I was poor but still never did this. It would feel so wrong .

I guess people are different.

fairynick · 07/11/2021 23:28

I did it once, bought a dress from River Island to wear out clubbing for my 17th birthday then returned it next day and paid for my birthday meal with the refund!

I’m not enough of a good person to feel bad about it now, it’s just a funny story from being young. Also, not enough of a bad person to actually consider doing it now.

LaurenKelsey · 07/11/2021 23:29

We have a large chain of department stores here in the US that for years would allow returns of anything ever bought there. This of course encouraged outrageous abuse of the policy. I once saw a woman returning bras that were ready for the bin. The employee used a clothes hanger to pick them up, they were so foul.

TatianaBis · 07/11/2021 23:37

No. How was it even possible with tagging?

Original poster
Massiveroastdinner · 07/11/2021 23:50

I didn’t say everyone had done it, I was saying in my group of friends/people I knew at that age all did it

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