How often have you done this?
Note: it is cheaper now because you have returned it (not because of a general markdown).
(I was watching an @StevenHe video on YouTube where it was mentioned)
Buying Something, Returning It, and Then Buying It Again Cheaper as It Has Been Marked down Because The Item Is Now Returned
Eeples on 19/04/2024 - 00:35
Last edited 19/04/2024 - 00:47
Last edited 19/04/2024 - 00:47
Poll Options
- 349Never
- 6Accidentally once or twice
- 16Occasionally intentionally
- 8Pretty much all the time
Comments
Returning an item that immediately gets marked down and put back on sale? Where would this be applicable?
Looks like StevenHe is a comedian. Did you just watch a made-up skit and think it was a real daily occurence?
Well it might not immediately get marked down; but it may well be marked down because the box had been opened for example.
Yes, I watched the skit and think it might happen in real life by some people. I am unsure if it is a daily occurrence or a hardly ever occurrence …. hence the poll.
Total Scumbag Steve move. Do you show up an hour later with a fake beard?
Well it might not immediately get marked down; but it may well be marked down because the box had been opened for example.
If it's a popular item, it'll probably be gone from the "marked down" shelves by the time you realise, so it could be wasted effort. In that case, you lose, the store loses and the finder of the cheaper item benefits! haha
Grammarly is not liking my sentence structures; at all.
Was that semicolon used ironically, or are you using a returned and marked down version of Grammarly?
Grammarly is not liking my sentence structures; at all.
I can see why :-)
Where can you return something where you can buy it back again for half price?
SH Mart does it all the time
Steven He Mart that is
Bunnings.
No.
Wouldn't work at most places as change of mind returns don't need to be accepted and most places that do will require the item be complete and as new so won't be marked down.
You should visit an Officeworks some day. :)
Just a matter of time, this policy will be tightened and legit customers will suffer.
So you buy an item with the intention of returning it so you can rebuy it at a lower price. That would make you a scammer committing fraud in my view.
and thanks to OP, there'll be more copycats doing this.
People already do this. There's a reason Bunnings had to start tinting all the returned paints so they aren't the colour the original buyer asked for.
Those returned re-tinted paints, are they in a discounted section with other mismatching returns? Do they offer colour altering on those or just have to buy as is?
Got a few small jobs in isolated areas and not fussed with matching.
@minty: Usually when you get the same shade at different times and they don't come out to be the same and you gotta repaint half your wall.
Giving people ideas on how to defraud a store is never a good thing (referring to OP here). The more prevalent this is, the sooner you can say goodbye to generous return policies.
I was painting a house that I was planning to knock down in 2-3 years.
It wasn't Bunnings but another paint store,, it was like $5 for 15L..
I purchased a few tins.. the room colour were pot luck
All the time for onions.
We did this in America many years ago?
Condoms
Happened to me accidentally once with Amazon, but I am not sure whether it is the same item because they had cheaper option for used items anyway.
I buy something with a manufacturing fault from hardly normal
they refused all warranties because they can
If there was a significant difference i would 'do this' but it has never happen
I have not done this with returned items to buy back, but I have done it with āon saleā items where I bought something a few days prior and it goes on saleā¦ I have just gone in, bought the same item again, taken it home, not opened it and returned it the next day on the old receipt.
Bad karma. Would never do it.
People used to try this with paint at Bunnings. Now they re-tint returned paint so it won't be an exact match
One Pass owners have a full year!!
There's a few people here with different versions (i.e. returning due to price changes), but I think what OP is talking about is:
- Buy item
- Return item for full refund
- Returned item put on sale at a discount due to used/open box/etc
- Buy discounted item
And it seems that for some people they may have done this incidentally - bought an item, changed their mind and returned it, but then when they've found it at a discount decided to buy it again. This I feel is ok.
OP's post is specifically about doing the above process intentionally. Buying it so that you can return it to buy it again with an "open box" discount. This is wrong (IMO).
If they're buying a product again, then it's fit for purpose. They just didn't want to pay full price for it… which shouldn't be grounds for return.
I believe that they'd be doing this by abusing change-of-mind return policies… having said that they've gotten the idea from a (presumably) American Youtuber, so š¤·āāļø
A pattern of 'would you commit fraud if you can get away with it' posts from OP. Good luck if you have to deal with them in real life.
If that is the case good luck to OP if theyāre ever mistakenly charged with fraud and then their internet history is used as evidence in courtā¦
Rubbish.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/817134
"Please try not to allow virtue signalling to colour your poll choice. As I am genuinely interested in the ārealā situation."ie I know what i'm suggesting is immoral AF but I'm still hoping the poll numbers will validate me somehow.
Nope, but I am sick of losing time returning things due to constant crappy quality and items not fit for purpose (regardless of the price).
Officeworks clearance items
Ordered bunnings special order. Cancelled it and purchased 20% cheaper at yotal tools. Item arrived and I found it marked 75% off at that same bunnings clearance section. Bought new in box from bunnings and returned that new in box tool to total tools with total tools receipt.
The hustle is real.
Depends how much the product was worth and also how much their time is worth..
Yes. Purchased an item during a huge Anaconda sale. The sale ended the next day and it became cheaper by $40. I was very annoyed. So I returned it in store and purchased it again online (online only).
Why wouldnt you just ask if they could refund the difference ?
They might say no?
because it's more work administratively for staff
Thatās not quite what I mean.
This only works on cans of Beijing corn.
Anyone that does this is a scummy mcscum face
As a former retail worker (Everything from casual to store manager) There is a special kind of hell for people like you!
Stop scamming business.
Similar to this, I believe I've seen someone do this with a kaboodle kitchen from Bunnings.
I assume he made the order than didn't pay the invoice, which happens sometimes at my local Bunnings; they always mark down all the stuff and leave it on a trolley together. This guy came, checked the set and pushed the whole trolley to checkout. Why else would he want every piece in those specific sizes and colours?
Shameless
Never! If this is being done, then it will collectively push up the prices because of the selfishness of a few.
Nearly every time I've bought my wife something from Peter Alexander before Valentine's or mother's day it's marked down significantly shortly afterwards.
On the most recent occasion she was able to repurchase the same item plus two other equivalently priced things for less than I paid for one. As the pre occasion prices are clearly ripping people off we do not feel guilty about this.
I usually can't be bothered but I don't see why there's a moral outrage - if it's within the store's policy for change of mind returns and you are not doing something dodgy what's wrong with it? It's no different to price match policies, it costs the store little and is a great marketing/loyalty play.
Let's say you owned a small business and this was happening. You wouldn't care? It's a whole lot different than price matching.
If I cared I wouldn't allow change of mind returns and charge a restocking fee. If I wanted to make customers feel like they can place an order at my store any time without worrying about 'waiting for a sale' knowing only a small % of them will return and rebuy for less, than I'd do it and not care. It's purely a business decision
So you'd have no issue with people abusing a system. Would what you claim is fine not be considered fraud? "Wrongful deception intended to result in financial or personal gain" It's practically the definition.
@filmer: you should look up what change of mind means then. if it mattered to the store there's numerous ways they can easily ban it. but they don't, because it doesn't affect their bottom line. i find it amusing people get their panties in knots over the bottom line of the big corporations with their misplaced sense of social justice. if you are that small business owner, which surely is the only reason why you feel so strongly about it, maybe fix your policy? if not, then go plant a tree perhaps?
So, you DONāT WANT the item, so you return it. Then you re-buy the item YOU DONāT WANT because itās now a bargain? Yeah, do it all the time. (Shaking head and sipping more coffee.)
I just read this "it is cheaper now because you have returned it (not because of a general markdown)."
what does this mean? I've never seen anything discounted just because you returned it
ā¦. Well it might be in an opened box.
Ie. they accepted the open box return, but then marked it down for resale.
Man who can be bothered with that.
What a great role model for your kids if you got any. Committing fraud just to save a few dollars. Life must be tough.
I hope voters/commentators read the Note I edited in soon after publishing this forum topic.
I am talking about buying again the actual item you bought and returned. It is cheaper now, the actual item you bought, because it is now a returned item.
Grammarly is not liking my sentence structures; at all.