Frazz by Jef Mallett for April 24, 2024

My wife now goes to Kohl’s mostly to return something ordered on Amazon that wasn’t what she really wanted or expected – usually because it didn’t fit quite right.

I go to tractor supply, for the the Duluth clothing.

A lot of places have started charging return fees because of people doing that. While it always struck me as jerk-like, I don’t see what you’re supposed to do when women’s sizes are basically random and the size chart bears no relationship to reality.

You can do that in a shop too: try on five pairs and just buy one.

My wife actually does this.

‘Amazon Try Before You Buy’ is a good feature.

Much ends up in landfills half way around the globe. (article by BBC-“Your brand new returns end up in landfill”By Harriet Constable)

This is a real thing.

I never order clothes online, especially shoes. I need to try them on first. Old-fashioned I guess. And I don’t like the hassle of returning things.

Frazz is right. But the action is typical. Amazon has followed the Wallyworld path and grown so large it has put many smaller firms out of business. They deserve to have to handle and restock [if they bother] when items do not match the description or if the same size varies between mfgs. But that also means someone who might be supporting a family is getting paid to do it.

In a similar vein, due to chronic illness, my sweet blue eyed girl can no longer shop for gifts or clothing at her leisure so online is her only choice.

Which means, it is like something she doesn’t like to do but is forced to. Not all bad, not all good.

What in life is any different?

The former Amazon business model with free returns!

I shop at Kohl’s because I CAN order five, and return four – and, they do resell returns. No one seems to consistently carry sizes that fit me in stores; at best, it’s hit and miss. And, even different styles within the same brand can fit differently. Plus, as others mentioned, there is no consistency in sizing in women’s clothing. Even different items of the same brand can fit differently; for that matter, I’ve ordered shirts that fit on one size in one color, but another color fits in a different size!

The worst offender is Land’s End; multiple times, I’ve ordered the same item a different year, and the size was vastly different – inches off! Since there’s no store here to return things anymore, I don’t order from them anymore.

Thank goodness for Kohl’s!

32" relaxed fit is the new 40".

levis dot com is good. They have sizes you can’t get in a store, and they cost half the price. And, they have free returns.

Often times the online retailers don’t even resell the 4 pairs of returned pants. Instead, they toss them right in the landfill to avoid the hassle of restocking. They don’t even donate unused product because it’s not good for their brand to flood thrift stores. It’s a bad situation.

Which stores have people to help you with that? And that would be order 5 return 4 since you’re not buying the 4.