Are Your Returns Being Tracked?

Did you know the Retail Equation is watching you? Consumers return over 200 billion dollars in merchandise a year and that includes makeup, beauty, and skincare along with electronics, clothing, accessories, etc…! But be careful what you return because third party services like the Retail Equation is keeping track of your returns!

What’s the Retail Equation?

Companies use the Retain Equation and other services like it to keep an eye on chronic returns so if you’re making an abnormal amount of return do beware. Consumers are unaware in most cases but many bigger stores track returns by using a third-party company that creates a profile of your returns and analyzes how much you are returning.

Even though many stores have generous return policies that doesn’t mean they want you to use and abuse that policy. In most cases even with an original receipt you’re still required to supply a photo ID to make your return and this is where possible tracking of your return occurs. Many stores such as Best Buy, Target, Bath & Body Works, and other stores require ID for returns.

The Retail Equation and companies like it keep track of your returns whenever your driver’s license is used for a return and if they determine you’re making questionable amounts of returns they’ll alert the store which could potentially black list you returning for a period of time.

I’m not much of a returner myself. If I’m not liking something it gets tossed in a bin for my friends or my sister to maybe grab up or I’ll give it to mom to take to her church flea market. New items I typically donate to a particular young lady/girl organization. There have been times though that I buy shoes or clothes online that don’t fit right and I end up returning in store. I’m not sure how I feel about return tracking! It feels a little bit like an invasion of privacy and store’s should disclose if they are tracking your returns.

What do you think of return tracking?

Do share!