Latest news with #returnpolicy
Fast Company
a day ago
- Business
- Fast Company
‘Customer satisfaction at the end of the day': TikTok users push Costco's return policy to the limit with wild refunds
Costco is well-known for its no-questions-asked return policy. Now some shoppers are taking it upon themselves to test the limits of that policy. 'Returning my slime stained carpet to Costco,' one TikTok user posted earlier this month. Costco offers customers an unlimited grace period to return most purchases for a full refund, earning the wholesaler a top-six spot among stores with exceptional return policies, according to a 2023 ranking by U.S. News and World Report. While the customer received a full refund for the ruined rug, the comments section on the TikTok video was divided. 'That's embarrassing for you,' one person wrote. 'This just seems wrong,' another added. For others, it's simply about getting their money's worth. 'I could be mad but in this economy . . . hell yeah,' one comment read. Even Costco employees chimed in. 'Our upper management has said Costco makes way too much money. [T]hey would rather take the hit than lose a member,' one wrote. 'Customer satisfaction at the end of the day.' What if the rug is in perfect condition but you just don't like it anymore? No problem. Another TikTok user returned a rug bought over a year ago because it no longer matched their aesthetic—and received a full refund. Costco's return policy is not only open-ended in terms of time frame, but it also doesn't clearly define the condition items must be in upon their return to the store. One person returned a broken couch four years after buying it. Another brought back a half-eaten chicken bake. Both were refunded in full. 'This is why we can't have nice things,' one person commented. This isn't the first time customers have pushed the policy's boundaries. One notable return made headlines in 2018 when a woman brought back her dried-up Christmas tree in January. Extreme as it may seem, the policy supports Costco's membership model. 'Kudos for Costco,' the couch-returner said at the end of his video. 'You've got me as a client for life now.' Research shows that restrictive return policies can cost retailers business, whereas positive return experiences often lead to more purchases. Still, that doesn't mean the customer is always right. Of the $685 billion in U.S. retail merchandise returned in 2024, $103 billion was attributed to return/claims fraud or abuse, according to a 2024 report from Appriss Retail and Deloitte.
The Sun
10-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Amazon has turned my life into a living hell as HUNDREDS of parcels arrive at my house – and I can't stop them
HUNDREDS of large Amazon packages kept arriving at the doorstep of one California resident for over a year - and she had no idea why. It emerged that a shady Amazon seller had been using the woman's home as its US return address to dodge the tech giant's refund policies. 4 4 4 The China-based seller appeared to be violating Amazon's return policy by listing a false US return address - in this case, a home in San Jose, located in California's Silicon Valley. Operating under the name Liusandedian, the seller offers faux-leather car seat covers, supposedly designed to fit a wide range of sedans and SUVs. But many dissatisfied shoppers have been returning the products - all of which have ended up at a woman's doorstep. "Kay" (not her real name) told ABC 7 News:"I couldn't even get my mother in the house… It's just been another form of hell." The packages even blocked her driveway, mail carrier and doorway, making it difficult to park her car and for her 88-year-old mum, who is disabled, to enter the home. Showing reporters her crammed driveway, she said: "What you see now is a fraction, because I have refused delivery on more packages than you see here." Online reviews show customers complaining that they never received their refunds. One shopper wrote: "It's going to cost me $124 to return this item" - an item that she already paid at least $129 for. Kay said: "Oftentimes, what it costs to return it is about more than 50 percent of what they paid for it. "Plus, these consumers aren't getting their money back!" Amazon 'price label change' blasted by Trump press sec Karoline Leavitt as she insists it's a 'hostile' act by retailer Kay said she had contacted Amazon numerous times over the past year to try and resolve the issue - including filing six complaint tickets. "And every time I was absolutely assured this will stop… You won't get any more of these packages, you'll hear from us in 24, 48 hours," she said, adding that she was even offered a $100 Amazon gift balance. She claimed Amazon told her to give the packages away, donate them or haul them back to USPS or FedEx herself. But Amazon denies ever advising Kay to return the boxes to postal carriers. "Why is it my responsibility to get rid of this, when your seller is not following your rules Amazon?" Kay asked the TV channel. According to the tech giant's policy, international sellers must either provide a US address to which to send the return. Alternatively, sellers can provide a prepaid international shipping label within two days of the return request or issue a "returnless refund", meaning the buyer does not have to ship the item back. If sellers don't respond within two days, Amazon refunds the customer, charging the amount to the seller. If Liusandedian were to abide by the policy, the seller would either lose all proceeds from the sale or pay return shipping to China. Kay said: "This is thousands of dollars they've paid to send these boxes back to my house!" ABC affiliate KGO reached out to Amazon, who responded, saying: "We'd like to thank [KGO] for bringing this to our attention. "We've apologised to the customer and are working directly with her to pick-up any packages while taking steps to permanently resolve this issue." The tech giant removed all the packages on Kay's property on Wednesday morning. In other news, Amazon is selling a tiny home kit for $9,300, complete with up to 4 bedrooms and "quick assembly". Tiny homes are gaining popularity as a practical solution to rising living costs and skyrocketing real estate prices. Millennials and Generation X are the primary adopters of tiny homes, with the majority of tiny home dwellers being between 30 and 50 years old. Millennials and Generation X are leading the charge, with most tiny home residents falling between the ages of 30 and 50. 4
The Sun
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Thousands of of ASOS customers banned and accounts deleted as retailer cracks down on ‘insane' policy
THOUSANDS of ASOS customers have had their accounts banned and deleted as the retailer cracks the whip on its return policy. Shoppers were sent emails detailing how their accounts had been closed with "immediate effect" after the online retailer said they breached the terms of its Fair Use Policy. 1 The move sparked fury among punters, with many describing the move as "unfair" and "insane". Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one shopper said: "Account closed for consistent breaches of their [ASOS] Fair Use policy when I haven't returned anything since October." While another confused user said: " I haven't shopped with ASOS in over a year and I still get an email telling me my account is being closed." Another upset customer said: "ASOS have really hurt me today closing my account what did I do?." And a fourth added: "I've made three orders in the last six months and from those orders sent back only one pair of jeans. "This is a joke, I've been a loyal customer for years and now you close my account . An ASOS spokesperson: "We recently closed the accounts of a small group of customers whose shopping activity has consistently fallen outside our Fair Use policy. "This helps us maintain our commitment to offering free returns to all customers across all core markets." It is understood that even if customers have not used their account in recent months, it could still be closed if they breached policy rules. Last year, the online department store said it would charge customers for returning items unless they spent a certain amount. The new rule means shoppers only get free returns if they keep £40 or more of their order. My Asos dress looks so high end it's giving Balmain on a budget – it's perfect for a birthday, I'm begging you to buy it Otherwise, £3.95 will be deducted from their refund. Premier ASOS customers, who pay £9.95 a year for free delivery, are also not exempt from the change. But they only need to keep £15 of their order to dodge the charge. The digital department store previously said its profits were bruised by customers making large orders and not keeping all of the items. However, the move has been labelled as unfair by many punters, especially as they cannot try before they buy when shopping online. CRACK DOWN ON RETURNS And ASOS is not the only online store to crack down on customers who make frequent returns. H&M, Boohoo, Pretty Little Thing, and Zara are among stores which now charge customers. Next also introduced the change at the start of 2023 and customers now have to fork out £2.50 per item returned. In December 2023, Debenhams left shoppers feeling "cheated" after introducing a charge for returning online goods. Can your account be closed for making too many returns? By Laura McGuire, Consumer Reporter WHEN shopping online it is important to be clued up on what your rights are - especially when it comes to making a return. H&M, Boohoo and Zara are among the countless fashion retailers which make customers pay for sending products back. And brands such as ASOS and Pretty Little Thing now ban customers who return items frequently. Retailers can impose these stricter rules as part of their own returns policies. Some stores may assess shoppers return behaviour on a case-by-case basis, while others may have a strict blanket policy. Amazon customers in the US have claimed the retail giant has closed accounts without warning more making too many returns.
