Posted on 02/18/2008 11:02:07 AM PST by Cagey
Jimmy Deignan's first time was with a $500 portable DVD player.
He bought it a few years ago at Best Buy for a Boston-to-Los Angeles flight, knowing he would return it for a full refund when he got back. More recently, in November, rather than spending $600 to rent a LCD projector for a business presentation, the Holden resident purchased one at Staples, then returned it a few days later and got his money back.
The way Deignan sees it, he is just a smart shopper: He gets the things he needs, uses them for as long as he wants, and saves money. But to retailers, this is wardrobing, a practice they say is unethical, damaging to their bottom line, and increasingly common.
Nearly two-thirds of merchants had items wardrobed in 2007, up from 56 percent the year before, the first year the National Retail Federation started tracking the trend. Merchants blame tough economic times and a "customer-is-always right" mentality gone too far. They say a growing number of shoppers feel entitled to return used items they no longer want, and probably could not afford in the first place - from costly cocktail dresses for big events to pricey plasma televisions bought exclusively to watch the Super Bowl. So, they are striking back, instituting more restrictive return policies, imposing restocking fees, and keeping a blacklist of serial wardrobers.
"The economy drives people into this behavior - going through their closets and looking for things they can return, regardless of when they bought it or how many times they've worn it," said Dan Doyle, vice president of loss prevention at Bealls Department Stores, a retailer based in Florida with stores across the Sun Belt.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
This may explain why retailers like Best Buy are beginning to charge restocking fees.
not me-first but me-only alert.
This is exactly why Best Buy charges a restocking fee on electronics. Thanks, Jimmy.
I was thinking it before you were typing it.
Anytime, Lois.
The way Slim sees it, he's a thief.
Crooks and criminals come in all forms.
“”The economy drives people into this behavior - going through their closets and looking for things they can return...”
Ah yes, the big bad economy. Can’t be that people spend beyond their means. Theft has many faces.
Plain and simple this is cheating and stealing from the vendor and the manufacturer. They are the ones that take the financial loss.
The way I see it, he is a dishonest weasel.
I'd be more inclined to say that greed and selfishness drives this.
The economy made me do it!
Tammie Faye Bakker was notorious for doing this with clothes in Charlotte
Not when they are passing that loss onto the legitimate buyer as Best Buy does with its restocking fees.
I wonder is she tried to take back her eyelashes too?
I didn't go and watched the game on my own big-screen TV that I purchased legimately and still own today.
I am also aware of many people buying portable DVD players, camcorders, etc., to bring on vacations so they can use them and get their money back later (those tips are all over the Internet) but I always thought that was a scummy thing to do.
The business professor sees this individual as an aspiring rat voter.
IOW, it’s all Bush’s fault
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