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La Luna
Fly With The Angels My Beloved Son Chris
Premium Member
join:2001-07-12
New Port Richey, FL

2 recommendations

La Luna to goalieskates

Premium Member

to goalieskates

Re: Bamboozled: Retailers are monitoring your return habits

said by goalieskates:

Well, I won't be shopping Home Depot anytime soon, that's for sure.

It's not just Home Depot, many retailers are using this service, and it is all networked together. So if you show a pattern of sketchy returns at stores X, Y & Z, it will all be documented and at some point they will deny your returns. Returns fraud is a huge (and multi million dollar) issue.

goalieskates
Premium Member
join:2004-09-12
land of big

goalieskates

Premium Member

said by La Luna:

said by goalieskates:

Well, I won't be shopping Home Depot anytime soon, that's for sure.

It's not just Home Depot, many retailers are using this service, and it is all networked together. So if you show a pattern of sketchy returns at stores X, Y & Z, it will all be documented and at some point they will deny your returns. Returns fraud is a huge (and multi million dollar) issue.

Oh, I realize it's not just Home Depot. It's the networked together part that bothers me, and the idea that some Star Chamber behind the scenes demands your id like you're some criminal when the vast majority of consumers are not. Their decision is apparently final, even if it's wrong - such as the Lowe's post following yours.

Returns fraud may be a huge issue, but retailers should have to disclose this stuff up front at the time of purchase. That way you have the option of purchasing elsewhere, not finding out the hard way later.

Which I most definitely would. I rarely return anything I buy - generally only if it's broken. But this goes too far.

Blackbird
Built for Speed
Premium Member
join:2005-01-14
Fort Wayne, IN

1 recommendation

Blackbird

Premium Member

said by goalieskates:

... Returns fraud may be a huge issue, but retailers should have to disclose this stuff up front at the time of purchase. That way you have the option of purchasing elsewhere, not finding out the hard way later. ...

I would also submit that there needs to be a meaningful path of info access and appeal of a 'return' ban levied on a customer. As it stands, errors or bias or misunderstanding can dominate a particular customer's record in the database and there's nothing to permit him remedy of the harm. I wonder how long it will be before the ugly specter of "discrimination" is raised in some kind of litigation by a banned customer... and if it is, you can bet the retailers will soon be compelled by the Feds to open up the process.