Return Concern

   Holiday gifts returns are a drag. I know, I do people's returns as part of my job. Apparently those people are upset that they have to be more responsible when returning their unwanted items to a store. There is an article in today's Akron Beacon Journal entitled Stores at point of no return. The author writes about how it has become increasingly more difficult to return things at stores, and about how stores often track how often people return things. Lin-Fisher, the author, writes that return fraud costs the retail industry about $16 billion a year. So why would it be bad to crack down on fraud?
   Part of the article reads, "But tracking and denying returns seems a bit over the top to me. I understand that there's a problem. But what about those of us who follow the rules and perhaps just change our mind about the color of a sweater?" I can understand her frustration. It can be a pain to hang onto receipts and packaging, especially if you don't anticipate returning something. But these days, I hang onto all of my receipts anyway. If I buy a higher priced item, I am more than likely to keep the packaging for at least a few months - just in case it turns out to be defective.
   I wonder how else retailers would prevent return fraud besides tracking returns? It's better than the old system of blood samples anyway. For anyone who keeps a receipt, I would think it would be pretty easy to return an item. You have a proof of purchase then. To expect a return without one doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps I'm just biased. Besides tracking those unreceipted returns though, how else would a retailer protect its return policies from abuse? Trust me, people try to abuse a return privilege all the time.
   One person in the article said that she often buys two of something because she can't make up her mind about what she wants to buy. So with every purchase like that, she will make one return. I can see that with kids, but when buying for yourself if you can't make up your mind, perhaps returning another day would be better. If you buy two and have to return one you'll have to come back anyway.
   Returns have changed a lot in the past 10 years that I've been in retail. When I first started in a retail store, we would return anything. We returned things that weren't even ours, things that were beyond recognition, and things that were downright disgusting. All of that was to please the customer. But people catch on. When DVD players first came out, people would buy one for the weekend and return it on Monday for a full refund. People buy things, wear them, use them, destroy them, steal them, and still expect a return. Not most people, but enough. Enough to cost $16 billion. If I had a budget gap like that in my finances, I'd sure try to do something about it.
   Tracking people's returns may not be the best solution. The ideal thing would be for customers to not abuse the return policies. I think that's what has caused the shift in recent years to more rules for returns. And it would be nice to have a disclaimer at stores that do track so you know where your information is going. But most people don't take issue with casinos that record your every move in their establishment, and compare your face to national lists of people using biometric data. They are protecting their assets. Retail by comparison is a lot less invasive.
   My advise to you: Keep your receipt. If you're buying gifts and the store gives gift receipts, give one. And take a look at the return policy before you buy. Most are short and to the point, and you can save yourself a hassle in the end.
(source: Akron Beacon Journal, Dec 14, 2004, Sec D, Page 1, Stores at a point of no return)