It's okay to wear clothes then return them for a refund

[KeyLimePies]

Kay Burley on Sky News mentioned an article in one of the papers covering what happens to clothing purchased online and returned (not sure which retailer). Apparently they go to a big warehouse to be sorted and are given a 'sniff' test - to which KB said "c'mon, we've all done it"

AIBU to think that the majority of people don't order clothes, wear them, then return items in a smelly state for a refund? I have never done this unless the item has developed a fault after wearing it - and I've definitely never returned clothing smelling of sweat or anything else.

YABU - it's perfectly okay to wear something then return it for a refund, even if it's not faulty - it's one of life's perks.

YANBU - the majority of people don't do a KB!

@SoupDragon

My opinion is that only twats do this.

This

I'm sure there are people who do it but I've never heard anyone admit to it.

I might buy a variety of sizes or styles when I'm having a bit of an online shopping session, but I have only sent back unworn stuff - it arrives, I try it on and realise it looks nothing like the website pictures because I am not a willowy 5'10 decide what I'm keeping and the rest goes back. I might take a few days to mull over any items I'm not sure about before I actually take them back, but that's it.

Returning worn clothes is grim.

My mother used to do this with catalogues, always thought it was awful.

I am guilty of buying lots of clothes and then returning them - I vary between a 10 and 12 and sometimes a 14 in some stores, and so I tend to order two sizes of every item, and even then not every item is nice once it arrives.

But I’ve never returned an item I’ve worn out anywhere. I know someone who does though. She would occasionally have tags hanging from her clothes and it never occurred to me until years later that she was planning to return them!

Only a complete dick would do this. Disgusting.

It's awful and completely wrong. DD used to work in River Island and she said people regularly tried to bring back returns with stains in the crotch and make up all round the neck.

No, the people I know who do this are generally arseholes in other areas of life. Refunds are the bane of retailers life. Shop managers are constantly reviewed on the % of refunds going through the tills, and I have had to refuse items in awful states, items that are months over the 28 days, quite often customers will come in with the receipt and not the item for a refund and the worst of the worst people who replace a well used broken electrical item and use the receipt to try and get a refund on the old one.
Imagine being the type of minger who buys a whole new outfit to go out in, hides the tag all night and try’s to return it all stinky. It can only be worse for online retailers and the wanna be influencers who do ‘hauls’.

People definitely do this, I used to work in retail and took great delight in refusing refunds for non faulty items that had clearly been worn.

In wouldn't do it, it's akin to stealing. I do know a woman though who generally is a very casual dresser who refuses to buy a smart black coat. She says every time she needs one for a funeral for example she buys one, wears it with the tags tucked inside then returns it!

Why wouldn't you just buy one then keep it forever for occasional use?

My opinion is that only twats do this.

Correct. But that accounts for at least 75% of the population.

I think it’s disgusting and extremely selfish. I wouldn’t do it. With that said, my own mother did this. I was mortified! When I got married, she did this with her outfit - including the hat. The hat tag was repeatedly visible throughout the day. It did come back to bite her though as it was a warm day and her make up smeared all inside the rim of the hat. No way they’d take that hat back.

I've never ever done this - I did have a friend suggest I do this once - an auditor - I buy or used to buy a lot of clothes.

A close friend of mine did this in her 20s and then quoted Sale of Goods Act as item had been 'faulty' but I knew she'd worn the item (I was with her), she was a legal executive.

No, I don't and wouldn't do this.

No I don't think it's ok to do this. I never have or would, but I know someone who does. They take it back to the shop they bought it from, for a refund, after wearing!

There was a thread once about whether ppl wash newly bought clothes before wearing. Most people said they don't, but I always try on before I shower, then wash before I wear, for this very reason!

People definitely do this. I’m not convinced online returns are checked that thoroughly though, I’ve received the odd item that had definitely been worn out before. I’ve seen a lot of ‘horror stories’ about stained clothes being sent out too

Football was supposed to be green face

@gelatodipistacchio

What a disgusting person. It shows a lot about KB's character that she thinks this is normal.

I don't think she was saying she's returned clothes she's worn, it was the bit about sniffing the clothes she was commenting on and yes I think most people have sniffed clothes. I've got a nice warm top I wear instead of a coat, it washes well but I don't wash it every time I pop to the shops, I have sniffed it to see if it needs a wash.

I've returned clothes because once they arrived they stank of smoke and perfumes, I knew someone else had worn them before.

No thanks

No we’ve not ‘all done it’! I’ve never done that. I try things on, of course, being careful not to compromise the item. But I’d never actually wear things and then return them. Ugh.

I imagine this has got much worse with the rise of fashion Instagram influencers, who have to showcase new clothing/outfits constantly.

I once returned a dress I had worn to a party because I was hit with several unexpected bills at once and needed to scrounge some extra funds however I could, so I returned that and sold half of the rest of my clothes and possessions on ebay. Other than that, wouldn't do it, would obviously return something I'd tried on but not worn properly.

@Badnightguaranteed

I saw this but don’t think Kay Burley was referring to everyone returning stuff they’d worn, I assumed she meant we’d all ‘done the sniff test’ , eg sniffing our clothes to check if they’re still clean after wearing once or heaven forbid, picking them off the floor! (I live with teens).

Sorry I didn't notice your post and posted the same thought. I think if people actually watch it she was clearly talking about the sniff test.

I don't do it, I sometimes order two sizes, try them on and send one back but I've never bought something, worn it properly then returned it.

I'll admit, I have done it in the past when I was a teenager/poor student. I wouldn't nowadays though.

Another who has never done this and I really hate when I've received a new item that has obviously been worn. I've recently purchased a number of items, all in the same category, trying to find one that will fit, flatter and frankly doesn't look like it has been made in the dark and interestingly the best (and the one I kept) was the cheapest and if what was advertised, resembled what we actually received, then perhaps there'd be less returns. Catalogue shops used to sell returns (might still do) and these items were often worn but you accepted that and were prepared to wash or repair and were none refundable. I think there is obviously a need for more of these now given the behaviour and is some of this related to the rise of instagram and posting your latest outfit or always feeling you need something new. Donb't some retailers monitor quantities of returns from their purchasers to help deal with this?

Apologies for the sloppy checking before posting!

Nothing from Kay Burley would surprise me.

I most certainly have never done that.