Annals of Annoyances

Finally There’s an App for the Worst Part of Shopping

Even before Covid, returning things was never my favorite part of shopping. I’d drive to the UPS Store, drop off a package of ill-fitting garments, and leave the receipt on the front seat of the car.

I never checked to see if the items I was returning ever arrived. I just forgot about the refund I was owed. I wonder how much money I leaked over the years. It’s such a small thing. Until it is not.

And then came the lockdown when I couldn’t leave the house. I’m no fool, I quickly switched to online shopping, and with it, more problems of fit and photography. (It doesn’t fit. Or it doesn’t look like the picture.)

Back to refunds. I ordered a pair of shoes from Zappo’s. They didn’t fit, so I ordered a pair in a different size. A couple of days later, three Zappo’s boxes arrived on my doorstep. They were all the same thing — the shoes in the better size. I had to send two of those back, along with the first pair that didn’t fit. Now it was no longer a small thing.

While we’re promised free refunds, we are not guaranteed that they come in quickly or at all. According to Returnly, a return management platform, slow refunds are the largest source of customer support contact stress. Unfortunately, neither banks nor retailers…