General query - 'returning' fragrances

[Davem81]

This is a question I've wanted to ask on here for years, out of pure curiosity - I'd be really grateful for input particularly from any North American posters...

Since joining this site the better part of a decade ago, there never seems to be very long goes by before I read of someone 'returning' a fragrance, usually because they didn't like it. Since I read of this so often, I assume its perfectly acceptable practice in North America? The reason I ask is that, as far as I'm aware, retailers would absolutely NOT allow this in the UK. You might get away with returning an unopened fragrance, for example if you happened to find you'd purchased a duplicate, but if you've opened the packaging, and absolutely if you've sprayed it, the chances of a return being granted here in the UK would, I'm pretty sure, be virtually zero.

Just curious to hear thoughts/clarifications/further explanation about this...

Best wishes to all!

[naylor]

In general, retailers won't allow returns of used cosmetics or beauty products, such as fragrances. But that doesn't mean that they won't still do it if a customer twists their arm, or otherwise claims the perfume to be spoiled, fake, or defective. We Americans typically have a "customer is always right" attitude about these types of things, for better or for worse.

That being said, I'm never supportive of people who try to return fragrances simply because of buyer's remorse or because it didn't smell how they expected. That's no fault of the retailer's and it's not right to burden them with a return in those situations.

[hednic]

I assume its perfectly acceptable practice in North America?

Most retailers won't accept returns and I personally don't agree with this practice of returning a fragrance just because a person might not like it.

[Bonnette]

On eBay, sellers often state clearly that returns on personal items like perfume and cosmetics are not accepted. Discount houses tend to be more lenient, accepting returns if the customer says that there is something wrong with an atomizer, or the bottle shows signs of having already been sprayed, or that the stock photo doesn't match the received item, or that the fragrance smells off in some way. Stores like FragranceNet and FragranceX are high-volume businesses which do not accept order cancellations, so they don't lose a lot of revenue by accepting returns that private sellers might decline.

[cacio]

As others were saying, while not an explicit policy, US stores tend to accept returns quite often. I think that large stores (broadly, not necessarily in perfumery) have algorithms to keep track a customer's behavior and decide whether to accept a return or not.

Marco

[cazaubon]

Nordstroms has always accepted my fragrance returns, even if opened and sprayed. Neiman Marcus generally does not, unless you apply pressure, I have seen them give in.

The big problem I’ve had is ordering fragrances that they don’t carry in the store, only online, so no possibility of testing it. On the very rare occasions where I have ordered something unsniffed due to no tester available, I have returned twice due to the fragrance being totally unwearable and vile.

[drseid]

Most retailers won't accept returns and I personally don't agree with this practice of returning a fragrance just because a person might not like it.

This

[thrilledchilled]

eBay always allows returns. I’ve returned maybe three times. Twice for damaged bottles. Once for juice that was no good.

[PStoller]

Nordstroms has always accepted my fragrance returns, even if opened and sprayed. Neiman Marcus generally does not, unless you apply pressure, I have seen them give in.

Nordstrom has built a reputation for accepting returns on virtually anything, no matter how long ago you purchased it, even if it's not in pristine condition. Most retailers won't do that, although they may be more likely to if you have developed a relationship (read: "regularly spent gobs of money").

eBay is different for a number of reasons, not least of which is that many sellers trade in used fragrances, which won't lose value if you try them once before returning them. Personally, I would never return a new fragrance after opening the box just because I disliked it: it would have to be defective—and that's never happened to me yet. However, I have returned a few open fragrances that I felt were more poorly preserved than advertised.