This past week, the LA Times ran an editorial that got me thinking about return policies.
In the editorial, Meghan Daum reported that quite a few people have been walking out of the film Tree of Life and demanding their money back. She reports that one Connecticut theater has even posted a sign advising theater goers to “read up on the film before choosing to see it.”
Then she goes on to question just where the vendor responsibility for customer satisfaction ends and the consumer responsibility for customer satisfaction begins. Hmmmm…
Certainly with the economy still in the doldrums, there is intense pressure on businesses to offer generous return policies so they don’t alienate the few remaining customers out in the marketplace.
But perhaps, like me, you know some folks who, rather than take the time to try an item on in a store or to read the helpful information on an electronics box or to check out a movie’s reviews online, prefer to take advantage of generous return policies time and time again.
But that costs all of us money because businesses factor in the cost of customer returns into the prices they charge all their customers.
Which leads me to my thoughts on customer returns in the vintage clothing business.
Some vendors say no way, no returns, period. They’ve been burned so many times by people purchasing their items, wearing them and returning them that they’ve developed a no tolerance policy. I get it.
Others will take anything back — but you better read their fine print because that’s only if you return the item within x number of days of receiving the package, remember to request a return authorization number first, pay a restocking fee, or some combination of the above. And I get where they’re coming from, too.
Some vintage sellers take returns only on a case-by-case basis, agreeing to make it right with a customer if they fail to somehow mention a flaw that slipped by them, and arbitrarily applying a return policy based on their relationship with a customer and how many returns that customer is requesting over time.
And often vintage sellers will only take returns for store credit because refunding purchases to customer credit cards can eventually add up to higher merchant fees for sellers on all their sales.
So what’s a vintage seller to do?
While it would nice for sellers to be like Zappos or REI or Nordstrom and take anything back anytime, most vintage dealers don’t do enough volume to warrant these types of generous return policies. They also don’t have vendors who are willing to absorb some of the cost of the returns for them. And they don’t have huge customer service departments to handle the paperwork and logistics.
And that’s where consumer responsibility comes in.
Vintage sellers take the time to write detailed descriptions, list accurate measurements, and post lots of pictures to help you, the customer, make an informed buying decision.
You, the customer, need to carefully read those descriptions, consider those measurements and examine those pictures before deciding to hit the “Click to Buy” button. And you definitely must take the time to read the site’s return policy and factor that into your buying decision as well.
Perhaps when more consumers shop more responsibly, more vintage sellers will be willing to offer generous return policies again.
And we can’t leave this discussion without addressing the most common problem faced by vintage sellers. Yes, I’m going to call a spade a spade.
If you buy a fabulous vintage costume necklace, wear it out to a party this weekend, and then return it, that’s stealing. Yes, stealing!
And the same applies to a scarf or dress or handbag. If you want to wear and return, then use one of the rental sites like Rent the Runway or Avelle where you can wear and return to your heart’s content.
After all, pieces like today’s VPOD don’t want to spend their lives as pretty pictures on an online vintage shop. Nor do they want to be shuffled back and forth between sellers and buyers in USPS or FedEx boxes. They want to be adopted and find a new home in someone’s closet and then be taken out for walks and playdates regularly.
This vintage 1970s sweater dress has hippie vibes with flared sleeves, a drawstring waist, cowl neck and ethnic print. And it’s primed for some good times this Fall. (And yes, it’s returnable for store credit within three days of receipt.)
That makes it an easy purchase decision for a boho-lovin’ vintage fashionistas!
Available at Posh Girl Vintage.
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