Knickers by Playful Promises
In this month’s Why do Lingerie Retailers…? feature, we asked Catherine the ever-popular question “Why do returned goods go back on the shelves?” If you’ve ever wondered why lingerie retailers resell things other customers may have tried on or purchased , Catherine is here to explain -
So you sold a 34DD bra to someone who was a 32E and hopeful, and it didn’t work out and they sent it back. Why it is now back on the shelves?
Money. Buying fashion online is HARD. I pretty much only shop online and I’m forever sending stuff back. In the UK, a 10% profit margin is considered to be doing pretty well (I think supermarkets are doing more like 1%). Figure in an average return rate of 10-25% (which is not uncommon in fashion), and basically, if you sent all that returned stuff to charity rather than putting it back out, you’d go bankrupt. Not that that’s any excuse for reselling stuff that’s dirty, because the store should check things, but the default setting is to sell returned stock again.
This is the reason why some shops don’t let you try on knickers, and why we’d really like you have something on underneath when trying on our pants. And also, dear god, please don’t send us garments back with stains. Apart from anything else, it makes us compete on euphemisms for bodily fluids, and some of us are pretty crude to start with and really don’t need your encouragement!
Do you have any questions for Catherine to answer? Send them to editor@thelingerieaddict.com!
I had no idea that anyone expected returned goods *not* to be re-sold! The only time a retailer should have to accept a returned item that isn’t in resalable condition is if there is something wrong with it – I can’t imagine how anyone thinks they can receive a full refund for an item that wasn’t suitable and at the same time expect the items they purchase to never have been tried on.
Agreed! I have no problems with retailers reselling returned items. They’d be insane not to! I also agree that they shouldn’t have to accept returns on items that were clearly used (obviously, though, some sort of proof/explanation should be included if that happens).
Have to agree – I have always assumed returned items would be resold. Otherwise the retailer carries the price tag for me trying something out, and the item is wasted. It’s trickier with lingerie, especially bottoms, but that’s why you try them on with a protective layer or two!
There is no difference between someone trying on a bra in the changing room and someone trying on a bra at home, if it does not fit it goes back on the rail – End of.
The exception here is hosiery, anything that is returned is never re-sold. As a business, we have to bite the bullet and take the loss – which is tricky when it is a £40 pair of silk stockings!
Lucy.
Most lingerie companies I know of won’t accept hosiery for returns if the package has been opened for that very reason. It could be something to incorporate into your own return policy.
Even if the stockings are faulty?
If the stockings are faulty, a retailer will do an exchange for the exact same item, but I don’t know of anyone who refunds worn or tried on hosiery.
If the stockings are faulty, we would always replace without question. Being honest though, faults in hosiery are very very rare.
Lucy.
I bought silk stockings from Agent Provocateur once, they cost a small fortune for what they were but I thought I’d treat myself. They were ‘shaped’ like a leg, but the problem was that unless your legs are the exact same shape as the stockings the fit is simply awful! They were baggy in some places, too tight in others – and I definitely bought the right size. I couldn’t return them so it was a waste of money – for the same price I could have bought a few pairs from my usual favourite Leg Avenue, whose stockings always fit 100% perfect!