ConsumerWatch: Stores Requiring ID, Tracking To Prevent Repeated Returns

CBS Local ^ | November 20, 2012

[rightwingintelligentsia]

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) – When you make a return this holiday season you may have to hand over more than just your receipt, as retailers try to prevent repeated returns.

“I was required to provide them a copy of my driver’s license, where they actually took the information and scanned it into their database,” said a shopper who asked to be identified only as Leslie.

Leslie told the sales associate at The Children’s Place that she was uncomfortable handing over her ID just to make an exchange, but she was told that the requirement is corporate policy.

In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, 62 percent of retailers have a similar policy. Among those who demand ID for returns are The Finish Line, Home Depot, Target and more.

So where does your information go? Likely it’s being stored on The Retail Equation, a service which tracks how often you bring stuff back and identifies habitual returners.

The retail exchange has said return fraud and “renting” – buying an item to wear and return – costs the retail industry billions each year.

[bert]

While in chick filet I overheard the woman next to me say she wasn’t buying any thing today but returning things to Sears. She came shopping with her sister earlier in the week and to appear prosperous bought some stuff. sisterless that day she was returnig the unneeded items.

I bought a remanufactured leaf blower and was told that most of these were from Home depot where people would buy them, clean up their leaves and return them

[visualops]

My ex-sister in law would do the same thing. Of course, that was her attitude, she was proud she could get away with it. Her husband had a very successful business, she had plenty of money. She just didn’t have a conscience.

[visualops]

I returned a defective lamp to Walmart and the clerk told me someone had been there the day before trying to return the same thing only upon inspection that was the wrong color and style and the customer trying to insist it was what came in the box. Really sounded like someone trying to “return” the old lamp in the new lamp box lol.