Finally stores have figured out how to stop people from buying expensive clothes, wearing them, then returning them.
Because who wants to pay for clothes from a department store that someone else has worn, be it from Bloomingdale’s or Kohl’s. It is not what most of us expect or would knowingly accept if we knew this was the case. Yet the practice is widely known to exist even though it is not talked about much. I am warning you that this post is a rant! Leave now if this offends you.
Worse than that, without bad-mouthing anyone, it’s not your local peons that generally practice this and get away with it. Read rich women, if not rich, read white women are the ones people talk about who engage in this practice at some of the more high end stores with the buyers unspoken knowledge of this fact. There’s even a word for this practice. It’s called “wardrobing.”
As a black woman I simply do not think I could walk into Bergdorf, one of my favorite Fifth Avenue haunts, buy a $1500 dress, wear it, then look the salesperson dead in the eye and say, ” I did NOT wear this and I want to return it.” Instead I expect that the dress will be examined — from top to bottom —because that is what my life experience has been.
Having said that, I grew up in Seattle where Nordstrom’s, a small family-owned business first helped me understand what customer service was. Even 40 years ago, if you purchased Nordstroms shoes (this is when salespeople fitted you), left the store and realized they were not a good fit, you could return the shoes without being hassled. Black, White, Red, Brown and Yellow people expected this. But coming east, this was not my experience in stores like Tiffany where even today, security follows me about.
Needless to say, some people have taken the practice of returning worn items too far. Now Bloomingdales is fighting back and has instituted a policy that will no longer accept returns if the new three inch black plastic tag had been removed.
I say “Bravo.” If I go thrifting, no problem. I know the item is not new. But I certainly do not want to be buying clothes someone else has worn thinking they are new, only to learn that is not the case. Only A SENSE OF great privilege or kahunas makes someone think they will not be challenged.
Kesha Brown says
Wow! I know people do this (even blasted about on TV in movies and shows of women hiding tags so they can take back expensive items) but I didn’t think that soiled clothing would be sold as new again. I also have seen “dirty” clothing on the rack before and was very disgusted!
Patricia A Patton says
Hey Kesha
Thank you for visiting the site and for your comment. It is disgusting that stores occasionally sell dirty clothing at retail prices. But we have to be vigilant, right! Cannot wait to visit http://www.uncommonchick.com
Denise says
I absolutely agree with you!! I worked as a District Manger for Jones NY for years and while it was policy to accept all returns, stockrooms were full of garments that were obviously worn – stains, the odor of cigarette smoke, perspiration stains, etc. Customers would always reply that the items had not been worn. Granted the company gets a write-off , but it is the honesty of the shoppers that annoyed the staff. I wonder how many items got by us and were worn and then re-sold as “new?”
Patricia A Patton says
Denise so you know first hand that I am not exaggerating. Thank you for weighing in with this and for reading this post.
pia louise says
for a short time i worked in a very hi end boutique with fashion from paris designers. women would come in and grab everything off the rack to put on lay away. then come in a bit later grab new things coming in and put on another lay away. they would use a variety of credit cards and often times they were bringing this stuff home little by little thinking their spouse would not notice the new clothing. sometimes the husband would call and tell us to stop allowing the charges.
it was very odd to me. by then i was actually already wearing vintage aka thrift store clothing because after shopping for my kids i didn’t have a budget for me…….but i’d get compliments on my stuff and told how ‘artsy’ i am…but…i digress…….clothing and shopping and pretending to be something that one cannot ‘afford’ is a sad reflection of our culture today. it is complete utter media manipulation. and people ‘buy’ into it (no pun)
Patricia A Patton says
Here’s the bottom line Pia: .clothing and shopping and pretending to be something that one cannot ‘afford’ is a sad reflection of our culture today. Having said there is a temptation to preen. We want to look good but certainly there are limits. Hey thanks for checking in. Love your comments.
Walker Thornton says
I can’t imagine doing that! I did buy a bra not long ago and wore it once then realized it was an awful fit. I took it back, told them I’d worn it, brought tags in hand and they gave me a refund. I hadn’t really expected to get a refund but though it was worth a try. I hope they tossed the bra!
Honesty should carry the day. What you share is about arrogance and very much about white privilege–it’s sad as well as appalling. Thanks for ranting a little !
Patricia A Patton says
There is a place for returns. I think corporations “should” stand behind products they sell. There is also a business procedure by which they can send returns back to their suppliers. It’s just the unevenness of implementing this policy socially that gets on my nerve and prompted me to go off. Thanks for putting up with my noisiness (is that spelled correctly?)