Just because you can, should you?

[jrmasm]

There is a TikTok floating around made by a woman that says she returned a 2.5 year old couch to Costco because she didn’t like the color anymore. According to her the return was accepted after she said she didn’t like it anymore.

I say no. I think that’s an abuse of the return policy.

 

[kdonnel]

As a general rule(there are always exceptions):

I feel like if you have to ask if you should, you shouldn't.

If you have to ask am I right, you are wrong.

If you have to ask is this legal, it is not.

As for Costco and their return policy, didn't they tighten it up a few years back? Or was that just for electronics? It seems like LL Bean changed their policy a few years back as well.

In this case if the policy allows it, they are using the rules to their favor, but probably exceeding the moral limits of many.

 

[soccerdad72]

I agree, it’s abuse of their policy. The same person will be complaining of the rising cost of their products as well.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I agree, it’s abuse of their policy. The same person will be complaining of the rising cost of their products as well.

Yes! I used to know a guy that would work the system like this (and worse) with practically everything. He’d brag about it in one breath and whine about rising prices in the next.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Reminds me of when I worked in retail and a customer attempted to return bananas but he only had the peels. Thankfully they refused the return because that is just ridiculous.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I say no. I think that’s an abuse of the return policy.

I agree!

 

[SteveH]

I just find any ding-dong video pointless and probably fake.

 

[ronandannette]

I wouldn't do that particular thing, nor be impressed by anybody who would, but end of the day, it's up to the retailer to apply their own policies appropriately. They could have just declined the return if there were grounds to do so. I suspect instead the "satisfaction guarantee" makes them a whole heck of a lot more money than it costs them.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Why even LLBean changed their return policy:

https://www.businessinsider.com/why-ll-bean-changed-its-return-policy-2018-2

 

[mikehn]

Some things you just dont post. Return whatever you want, just dont brag about it on a public forum.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

In general, just because one is allowed to do something, that isn't sufficient justification for doing it. Can, and should are two different things. In the case of returning the couch absolutely not justified.

I like no hassle returns as much as the next guy. But people that abuse that will result in the policy being changed to hassle returns.

 

[georgina]

I think REI had to change their lifetime guarantee of returns because of people doing things like this. Now it's 90 days for non-members, but a year for members,

 

[Magical2017]

I voted no but they really should have a policy. The flip side is they are getting free advertising. If their overall sales increase, then they probably don't care about the couch.

 

[slo]

No, No and No

 

[_19disnA]

Yes! I used to know a guy that would work the system like this (and worse) with practically everything. He’d brag about it in one breath and whine about rising prices in the next.

Too funny I work with someone like that. He will spend 2 hrs scheming a way to get out of doing a task that only takes 15 minutes...........LOL. Always acts like he is getting away with something by behaving this way. Most co-workers consider him a goof-off and avoid interacting with him.

Many stores won't let you return an item unless you have a receipt. Wouldn't surprise me to find that on big-ticket items, they can look into their sales history to find the date when you actually purchased it. Returning a 'used' item long after the purchase is clearly an abuse of their policy. Since she posted on social media who knows if the story is even true !!!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Too funny I work with someone like that. He will spend 2 hrs scheming a way to get out of doing a task that only takes 15 minutes...........LOL. Always acts like he is getting away with something by behaving this way. Most co-workers consider him a goof-off and avoid interacting with him.

Many stores won't let you return an item unless you have a receipt. Wouldn't surprise me to find that on big-ticket items, they can look into their sales history to find the date when you actually purchased it. Returning a 'used' item long after the purchase is clearly an abuse of their policy. Since she posted on social media who knows if the story is even true !!!

It’s one of many reasons why I couldn’t continue my friendship with this guy. I never worked with him, but he always bragged about how he used to be paid handsomely for sleeping through meetings and getting others to pick up his slack. He bragged about cheating through nearly every class in college and getting away with it in plain sight.

One of his more recent cons of choice was big items from online only retailers with generous free return policies. He’d claim whatever he got was damaged and wind up with two sofas or tables, because the company supposedly didn’t want to deal with return shipping. He’d turn around and sell the replacement for a profit. It wasn’t right, but they allowed him to get away with gaming the system. There are times when I wonder how much truth there was in these stories. Like a blend of con artist and compulsive liar. Nonetheless, he was quite comfortable having people believe he was that kind of person.

 

[sam_gordon]

I remember (correctly? falsely?) Sears used to have "lifetime warranties" on at least some of their tools. But using the warranty after 2 1/2 years because "I don't like it anymore", I'm not sure they would have accepted.

I don't think the store in the OP should have accepted the return for that reason. But, that's their call.

 

[MsChristy12]

I say no. I think that’s an abuse of the return policy.

agreed. I know someone from college used to do similar thing at Nordstrom (or she might be doing that still!). She showed me this leather jacket she got during the anniversary sale and she had worn it a few times in a little over year. She cut the tags but kept them in the pockets, so one day she decided she no longer wants it and took it back to Nordstrom. Of course, with Nordstrom's extremely lenient policies, they let her return it. This is her way of having the new and trendy items but without paying for it. Then I realized, this is the reason why she is a HUGE loyal Nordstrom shopper.

After I witnessed this is the type of person she is, I started distancing myself from her. I'm not impressed with this type of shameless behavior, and I don't want to be close to someone who does this regularly.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Definitely blatant abuse of the return policy. IMO, it’s unethical, bordering on theft. However, there will always be people like this, and if Costco allowed it, that’s on them.

 

[Jennasis]

Reminds me of the "Alligator Rule".

For those unfamiliar with the Alligator rule: it means just because I didn't specifically say you are not allowed to run around the house with an Alligator on your head, it doesn't mean that it's ok to run around the house with an Alligator on tour head.

Use some common sense.