© ivanko80
Man, I haven’t done a What Would You Do post in ages! If you’re new to the blog (hello!), a What Would You Do post is when I pose a scenario (can be funny, crazy, horrific, what have you), I give you 3 options on what you’d do if you were in that scenario. I’ve had great and hilarious answers in the past and today, I thought I’d do this again because I just came up with a great scenario.
Today’s Scenario
You bought a gorgeous dress from a departmental store. It’s quite an expensive dress but you really liked it, so what the hell, why not? Two days later, you found out that the departmental store was having a 50% discount off all women’s apparel. That dress that you just bought is now half the price you paid for.
What would you do?
A. Throw a hissy fit and lament at your bad luck for not getting the dress when it was on sale. Even though you’re not clairvoyant and don’t know when the sales would happen.
B. Snip off a button, wreck the zip, etc off the dress just so you can return it and then buy another similar dress at half off. (cheeky!)
C. Go back to the store, return the dress as it is (unworn and still in the same condition as when you bought it) and tell the store manager that since you got the dress at full price, you’d like to return it and buy it back at the discounted price, thank you very much.
D. None of the above. Your choice. What would YOU do?
This didn’t happen to me, but I was with someone I know when it happened years ago. I was in the US with Tim for our honeymoon and was shopping with … let’s call her … Jane. Jane is someone we know (can’t reveal more in case she reads my blog!) and went shopping with at Macy’s. When we were at Macy’s, I noticed that Jane had brought along a shopping bag with a couple of tops she purchased the week before. She went to a cashier, told the cashier that since those tops are now on sale, she’d like to return the tops and re-purchase them at the discounted price instead. It was a quick transaction; the cashier scanned the items as returned and scanned them again where Jane picked them up at half the price.
Jane proceeded to pick up some items of clothing and before she paid for them, she asked the cashier when the next sale would be. The cashier told her the date and Jane said “okay then, I won’t buy them now. I’ll just get them when they’re on sale. Thanks!”
I kid you not.
That was a jaw-dropping moment for me. I watched the entire scenario in shock and amusement because never in my life did I think such practice existed. Jane told me that this is very common in the US and that there’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve never seen such a practice in Australia and I’ve never tried it out. Have you seen this practice in Australia? 😛
Me, I always do A. I lament at my bad luck for not getting it when the item was on sale. I’ve encountered this many times where I’d buy something at full price only to have it go on sale a day later. Bloody frustrating and full of WTF moments, that’s for sure. But I’ve never thought of returning the item and repurchasing it at the discounted price. Should I have done it? Could I even do it?
Yikes!
It depends. Quite likely C but I’d be upfront about it and explain my situation. i would probably leave it to the store to offer the option to me. AND if and only if it was something crazy like 70% off with an extra 20% with loyalty card etc etc etc. and if there’s still an abundance of my sizes left.
To be honest, I can’t recall a time is happened (groceries don’t count) because I only shop during sales. I more or less know the lines, brands and stores I frequent and know when theirs sales occur so I usually hold it off till then.
I’m so chicken. This happened to me before but I just kept quiet. Damn, should have brought the thing back and re-buy at a cheaper price. 😛
Probably A, since we don’t have such return policies in Singapore. Besides, I think I’d have already removed the tags and thrown the clothes into the wash, by the time I realize the sale prices. 😛
After coming here, I’ve learned not to remove the tags from clothes even though I’m going to be wearing it soon, until I finally wear it. I might change my mind later and I’ll be able to return the item unworn. 😛
Depends on the store. Somewhere like MYER, yes, I’d do it. But a smaller store? Gotta be careful of their exchange policy.
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Oooh would MYER accept this? Yeah, have to be aware of exchange policies. A lot of stores don’t do “change of mind” refunds, only exchanges.
If I were somewhere I can exchange, C. I’ve done it in the UK a few years ago. I didn’t exchange it because it was on sale but I did exchange it because after I bought it and took it back to the hotel, I changed my mind. I know, bad me but I figured that’s what exchanges are for anyway. If it’s somewhere I can’t exchange then A. I won’t throw a hissy fit but I’d console myself with the fact that if it was on sale, I might not have my size and then never go to the sale rack again so I don’t feel so heartsick
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Yeah me too. I keep the tags on until I finally wear the clothes (in Malaysia, I would have snipped them off the moment I brought them home). There have been times when I returned the unworn items a couple of weeks later when I realised I didn’t like the items that much.
I think its probably because of the difference in culture – this isn’t that uncommon really in the UK either, although you wouldn’t wait for a sale because the top/dress/whatever you wanted probably wouldn’t be in it – Australia really *doesn’t* get just how blooming lucky and privileged it is – financially we (me and hubby) think its completely easy street here compared to the UK (for eg – hubby works a 40 hour week here for more pay than he used to work for in an over 100 hours a week job there – and apparently (according to Aussies) his wage here is really dire), so you truly can afford to do more stuff, buy more stuff, pay higher prices. You seriously just cannot in the UK (and I’m guessing the US to, although its been many many many years since I lived there). There is a reason cosmetics/clothes etc are so expensive here (relatively speaking) – its because people can afford them (ie, its not a case of ‘if I buy that lipstick, I can’t make rent this week, its more ‘I really can only afford the lipstick, not the whole set of make up this week. Maybe next week though….’.). If they couldn’t, they wouldn’t buy them and the companies wouldn’t be making bucket loads of money, but they do buy them, and they do make tons of money.
The biggest difference is just in wages – minimum wage here really is something you can live off. I know lots of people here who choose to work only a few hours a week, because they can afford to and the work/live balance it gives them. I don’t know anybody in the UK who isn’t just about making ends meet with just the one, more than full time, job (and I know people with quite high powered/large income jobs). (I’ll note that a little bit of that is you live to your means, but the point is, you really really cannot afford to live in the UK on 15 hours work a week, it seriously cannot happen. Here I know people who do it, and far more than just one or two). I’ve seen many many examples of just how Australians don’t get how much better things are over here than in other places (eg business owners lamenting going from 15 to 13 members of staff, when companies with hundreds of employees that were over 100 years old in the UK have gone bust overnight; UK public sector pay freezes meaning people’s wages are going down quite a bit in real terms for the past 5 or so years; super contributions being doubled overnight with payouts being halved and 10 years later than promised…..people who I have spoken to here about these things really just don’t ‘get it’).
This happened to me last week with some perfume I’d been umming and ahhing over for ages. I went and purchased it, got home and a couple of days later saw it was on offer somewhere else for $10 less. Now in the UK, there would be no question about it – I would *immediately* have taken it back (I hadn’t actually used it , I’d just taken it out of the packaging), got a refund and purchased it at the lower price. Here? TBH, I really couldn’t be bothered, my time is far more important than $10.
Just look at the popularity of the MSE (Money Saver Expert) website in the UK – millions of people in the UK use it, and there isn’t even one to use here in Australia.
Australians seriously seriously just do not get how lucky we are to live here with the way this country is for its residents. Completely ‘God Bless Australia’ 🙂
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Hahaha hear hear! You have a point; if the price difference is not great, I wouldn’t bother returning the item. Like you said, our time is worth a lot more than a measly sum of money. Plus I’ll have to take into account public transport fares as well. Sometimes, it may not be worth the time to return the items and buy it back for just a few dollars less.
I would probably do A because I doubt they have such return policy in Malaysia but instead of throwing a hissy fit, I would just whine about it to my hubby. LOL. Having said that, I have returned a blouse which after washing, actually shed colour at the buttons area (it was a mandarin-collared blouse) thus ruining the white blouse. The store actually gave me a new blouse in exchange of the old one in a different colour but one which I wanted in the first place 🙂
Many stores in Malaysia offer exchanges. But very few offer refunds. You can keep exchanging for better ones till the cows come home but they’re not giving you your money back. 😛
When I was still in the UK, I went to a Oasis store to get a dress I’d wanted for a while. When I went to try it on, the salesgirl told me that they would be on sale in the next couple of days. I tried them on to check the size, left them with her and came back a few days later to buy them! I was really surprised I must admit!
Wow that is super nice of the salesgirl! Few would do that, especially if they work on commission based on the value of the items. I have yet to stumble across sales staff like that. 😛
that’s jaw dropping indeed. i’d probably curse and smack myself for the bad luck 😛 i wouldn’t have the balls to bring in for refund just so i could repurchase it at sales price
Haha I know right? I was gobsmacked when I saw it happen in front of my eyes. I was like, “HA? LIKE THAT ALSO CAN?!” 😛
I’ve never done this with clothes, but I do remember doing it with a makeup/beauty box I bought for my daughter to put away as a Christmas present when she was about 10 (she’s now 21). Had no makeup in it, but was a lovely big aluminium box that was popular at the time. Bought it from my local Kmart and literally 3 days later was at another Kmart and saw it on special! The special started a day or two after I bought it and it was half price – something like $40 down to $20. I was mad, so went back to my Kmart explaining to the lady on the service desk. She told me to return it, then see if there was another on the shelf and buy it at the reduced price and if there were none, come back to her and buy my returned one! Well, there was one on the shelf, so all good.
So definitely a “C” answer for that one!
But I don’t know if I could do it again or do it with clothing. Sometimes if you wait for a special, the dress you love might be gone and I think if you really want it and you’re prepared to pay the asking price, you should be happy with your purchase. And best not to look at sale catalogues after buying!
Woah that’s a 50% off! I’d be pissed off too if I missed an opportunity like that. Would definitely march right back to the store, return and re-purchase.
Oh I hear ya on not looking at the sales catalogue after buying. I have many items from Priceline that were purchased at full price a few days before the sale comes in. Gah!
I’m American and scenario C doesn’t seem strange at all to me. I’ve worked in retail shops and seen people try to do stuff like that all the time. Shrug. As for myself, I’d probably attempt C if i wasn’t too lazy or forgetful to actually return to the store…
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Have you had people return items with tags that were already worn? I know someone who does that very often. She’d buy an expensive dress, tuck the tags in, wear it to an event and then return the dress the next day.
This has never happened to me, but I’d like to think I have the balls to take it back and ask for a refund. With some credit cards, this type of thing is part of their package, and they cover you for any difference. Nice eh? I also believe by Australian law you are entitled to a refund if the item you buy is cheaper (within a certain time period). Dont quote me on that! lol.
I remember reading for the first time about how common it is to return beauty items – OPENED – in the US. I thought it was great because I’ve wasted so much over the years on products that were horrible, but obviously wasnt able to return.
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Oh and I forgot! I’ve also read many cases where high end items (designer bags!) were returned, not a single eyelash batted in the process 🙂
Say what? You can return designer bags?? I wonder how many Chanels classic flaps are technically second hand that are sold as new? 😉
Oooh really? That’s it, Imma google Australian law on that right now!
PS: I purchased an item from Chemist Warehouse last week. Went home to only realise that it’s already been opened. But I didn’t return it. Sigh, I should, shouldn’t I?
In North America, most midsize to big name stores have a price adjustment policy where if something you bought goes on sale, you can just bring in your receipt 14-30 days after your purchase and you’ll get refunded the difference. I’ve done this a few times with no problems. Love that policy!
I rarely by full priced clothing, but if I do, I try to wear it as soon as possible. That way if it goes on sale afterwards, I can justify the purchase because I used it before it went on sale.
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Aww man, I wish we have that policy here. That would be awesome! 😀
Just this weekend I took a receipt back to a store because a bag I’d bought a fortnight ago went from $30 to $20. Got back the difference really easily 🙂
Meanwhile, 28 degrees credit card has shoppers protection where you can claim back the difference if an item goes on sale in the 6 months after you buy it.
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I have a 28 Degrees credit card and OMG I completely forgot about that 6 months policy thing! Thank you so much for reminding me. I have to make a note of it and put it right in front of me!
In the US, many retailers have a price adjustment policy that people don’t know about. Normally, it is printed on the receipt that you can get the sale price within x number of days of your purchase. I don’t return and rebuy intentionally, although when I was younger I was definitely an impulse shopper so I definitely did return things and i probably did buy something again later when i could afford it! lol. In terms of waiting for sales, that is something pretty normal in the US i think – sales are so frequent at stores like Macy’s, so if you plan your shopping well, you can always take advantage of them. 🙂
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Ahh clever shopper! I would definitely take advantage of such policy if it was available here. Goodness knows how many things in the house are purchased at full price only to have them go on sale just a few days later! Sigh.
I’ve had such bad luck before where I go on a shopping spree and JUST miss the sale a couple days later. SUCKS. Last month though I got a awesome tip from a SA working at Priceline when they had 40% off cosmetics but hadn’t got the new Revlon matte balms in yet and she told me to just pick up the normal balmstains and come back later to exchange for the new products at sale price! was pretty pleased with that.
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Oh wow, that’s a very nice Priceline SA right there. I need to have someone on the Priceline inside, I tell ya. 😛
Slightly off topic but I also think it’s kindda great that in a lot of stores in the US they allow returns of used cosmetics…..perfect for when you get the wrong shades or a product doesn’t work as well as you think……why can’t we have that here! (well……in aus and dubai haha)
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OMG I know right? When I watched YouTubers saying that they are going to return used cosmetics, I was like “SAY WHAT??” :O
I have worked in retail and that is uncommon. I live in the U.S. I have had people try it once or twice, but the last store I worked at would not allow it.
As items here are more expensive than the US, it’s unfortunate that this practice is quite common here. Having said that, with the AUD doing so poorly against the USD, people are starting to buy locally because after conversion, it’s not very cheap anyway.
I have just bought a very expensive fragrance a week a go> Now it almost half the price. Its a bad feeling. For me it doesn’t count if something was really cheap. For instance, I bought a razor from a small shop near my house( it was dirt cheap) and I found it on a big department store for half the price.