Buying online? Cost of returns!

The Magpie

Recently I ordered a couple of items from Tesco online.

2 bulky coats, the delivery cost was £4.95, not unreasonable.
Unfortunately they didn't suit and I decided to return them.

I nearly died, the cost of sending the parcel back to the UK in standard mail was €30!:eek:
Now I know they were coats, but seriously! The coats themselves only cost €40 each! I was raging!

Has anyone any suggestions of an alternative?
Do you factor in the cost of returns when ordering an item that may or may not fit the bill?
Or have you been gobsmacked in the post office and sheepishly handed over your laser card to pay postage on an item that cost practically nothing to receive?

I know for the time being this has seriously put me off shopping online from the UK as the cost of returns make it so daunting!

saggycaggy

Is there any chance you could return them to a Tesco store in Ireland that stocks clothes, like the larger Tesco Extra stores?

dudara

saggycaggy wrote: »

Is there any chance you could return them to a Tesco store in Ireland that stocks clothes, like the larger Tesco Extra stores?

Check this option out first. A lot of the online retailers will allow you to return to a bricks & mortar store also. Makes online change of minds much easier.

The Magpie

Thanks, unfortunately its not an option and I had to return them via post.
I learnt a valuable lesson, hopefully no one else will get caught for a staggering returns payment.

mood

Can you return them with a company other than An Post?

The Magpie

The Magpie wrote: »

Do you factor in the cost of returns when ordering an item that may or may not fit the bill?

I do. It's why I constantly have to restrain myself from buying shoes - they'd cost so much to send back!

It's usually handy to check postage before you send anything. Looking here, if it cost €30 to send, it must have been between 2.5 and 3 kilos. If you sent the two coats separately, they'd probably be two items each weighing 1.25. That would only cost 7.50 each, or €15 overall. So your cost would be halved. Sometimes checking beforehand can save you quite a bit of cash.

wmpdd3

You can swap any item of Tesco clothing instore, without receipt.

The couriers are usually cheaper for parcels like that as they are tracked already.

The Magpie

true-or-false wrote: »

It's usually handy to check postage before you send anything. Looking here, if it cost €30 to send, it must have been between 2.5 and 3 kilos. If you sent the two coats separately, they'd probably be two items each weighing 1.25. That would only cost 7.50 each, or €15 overall. So your cost would be halved. Sometimes checking beforehand can save you quite a bit of cash.

Thanks for the link, that's definitely something I'll use in the future.
I did check with them through email if I could return them to a store here that does the clothing, but I was told I had to return them through the post as I had purchased them from the UK online store.
I know New Look used to let you bring things back to an Irish shop, then had an Irish return address for a while too, but they seem to have gone back to UK post system as well.
Thanks for all the suggestions though, if there's a next time, I'll definitely investigate using a courier service.

wmpdd3

Don't tell the store where you bought them. They could have been a gift.

fifib

New Look and Dorohty Perkins allow you to return to store..just did it recently
as does Dunnes Stores

Tayla

Did Tesco charge you a fee to return them?

I remember someone on another forum that I use had a thread about this before, that they were actually charged a fee on top of postage for returning their clothes.

The Magpie

Tayla wrote: »

Did Tesco charge you a fee to return them?

I remember someone on another forum that I use had a thread about this before, that they were actually charged a fee on top of postage for returning their clothes.

No, that was just ridiculous postage charges, my own fault, for 2 large, bulky parka style coats.
In fairness, I posted them on Wednesday and they confirmed receipt Friday, and I had the money refunded to my credit card on Monday.
I can't think off had where, but I have seen some (possibly American) sites charge a "restocking" fee of 10% for returns, also its common on Ebay stores too.