Where does returned merchandise go?

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derrtaysouth95

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This thread is purely out of curiosity and stems from a recent conversation with a friend.

When an item is returned to a store be it food, electronics or general merchandise, where does it go?

The friend said that food is never reshelved and sold. Depending on what the item is I guess that makes sense. But the next part really got me....

He also said that electronics and merchandise never hit the sales floor in that store again. It's all boxed up and sent off to a homebase location for the company who then process it and send it to either (a) other stores in the company or (b) send it to a closeout store that may or may not be owned by the parent company.

I don't really understand all of that or necessarily believe it. If that's the case why do stores such as Walmart & Target have all of those department labeled shopping carts behind their Customer Service counters that returned merchandise is put into? I know for a fact that I've seen employees walking around restocking those very items....especially after Christmas. He claimed there were basically Walmart outlet stores in small towns in the mid-west region that sell only returned merchandise for bargain prices.  This goes for items returned with a legitimate receipt and also those without receipts.  If a store accepts a return of any item they automatically lose money.

It seems that if it is an item the store still currently sells an it's in unopened/untampered with condition it could reshelved and resold then. It would only serve to cost the company MORE money to ship it off to be processed and redistrubuted to another store cutting into their overall profit margins.

So really just curious if anyone knows the truth regarding that stuff. 

 
This is for Wal-mart, if its food and its shelf stable (no cold items) that has never left the store it gets restocked, if it has left the store it has to be throw away just because you have no clue where its been ect, as far as general merchandise as long as its still sealed or unopened it goes back to the shelves to be resold with a few minor exceptions.

 
Thanks for the responses so far everyone.

I tried to tell my friend that the items went straight back out to the floor unless something was prohibiting it being resold again but he wouldn't listen.

If I buy a frying pan for example, take it home and decide it's not quite what I want, I return it to the store and get refunded my money.  Why shouldn't they just sell it to another customer?  It's unused and in original condition which as the back of most store receipts stipulate is a big part of what consitutes a valid return.

 
I don't know why anyone would think that if something is returned unopened/new that they would send it back and have it reprocessed through their distribution center. That makes no sense.

 
I think it depends on the retailer.

If it is merchandise that a CSR can visibily inspect and tell it hasn't been used, worn, etc. then in most instances I would agree it goes back out on the floor.

If it is a high fraud item, has been opened, used, worn, etc. then it should get repackaged and labeled/sold as such before it ever goes back to the floor---if not damaged out.

However from at least three different experiences at local Kmarts I have bought used electronics hardware sold as new. In one instance after I returned the item (which had previously been used) I found it a few days later being sold as new again.

 
Guessing it depends on the store or perhaps even the employees

As I posted in the other thread, I returned a pair of shorts at Bon-Ton, they had ripped and the employees put them right back on the shelf, after I wore them

I think some states have laws saying what can and cannot be put back on the shelf, but obviously employees screw up sometimes

 
food can never be restocked after it leaves the store under no circumstances

unopened items can be restocked. opened, complete items can be restocked under certain circumstances (all packing material is there, box isnt beat to hell, etc.) but it all boils down to the employees and management at said store. some stores have lazy management and thats why you hear stories like people buying new microwaves and find food in it or a brick in a stereo box.

 
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