Here’s where your ‘free’ online returns actually end up

Many people think the online purchases they return for free end up being sold to another customer. But the truth is much more complicated. From landfills to liquidation warehouses, here's where your returns really end up.

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Produced by John General
Senior Producer: Bronte Lord

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52 comments

    1. @Nobody Knows I expected them to report they were processed by inmates – the way shopping orders all too often are

    2. @James Harmon Usually if prison systems are involved in any aspect of product manufacturing or distribution it is on a case by case basis whereby a local producer or manufacturer can contract some portion of work to the state’s vocational enterprises unit, which doesn’t always have operations in every camp. Most vocational enterprise units delve in products purchased and used by state agencies anyway. License plates, highway signs, office supply products, printed goods such as state forms, applications, etc, or laundry services to state hospitals.

      More common way of using inmate labor, surprisingly, is call centers, providing product support.

      I know, I spent 12 years in one.

    3. @Nobody Knows About a decade ago, 60 Minutes did an expose on this. Inmates were being given CC info among other personally indentifying info.

  1. Wal Mart resells returned computers as new machines. I know this because I got one of them that still all the previous owners information still on it. They didn’t even bother to wipe it, just repackaged it like new.

    1. If it makes a profit, then anything is ethical in business. You just got spin the practice by using flowery words to make it more palatable.
      It’s not used. It’s previously owned.
      It’s not second hand junk. It’s remanufactured.
      That’s not firing employees and doubling workloads to increase bonuses for corporate officers. That’s synergizing labor reallocation

    2. The young people that work at Walmart just put the products on the shelves for sale. Apparently the company that Walmart bought it from slipped in a used product. If you had taken it back with your receipt & showed them they would have given you a refund.

  2. I’ve always said life is one big garbage dump. Look at our 🌍 Planet and what we have done to it!

    1. We stack up billions of tons of trash everywhere just so a small group of people can stack up billions of dollar bills somewhere else. Let them pay for the added costs of waste management – it’s their crap.

    1. Buyer remorse being another contributing factor. I tell my buyers no returns all sales final, just to scare off any tepid buyers.

  3. So, basically we have so much money that we buy stuff we don’t need and then return half of all that crap which is not wanted by the manufacturing companies that have produced way too much of it. And then said crap adds to the waste pile we all sit on already. And all that while half of the world is starving. Idiocracy at its finest…

    1. I bought two transistor radio, very bad quality, I was going to send it back but in the end I decided to keep them, the old Sony one I had was A million times better

    2. This happened to me recently with an Amazon purchase. Quite interesting and disturbing this report.

    3. @judie suh I assure you this is only troubling for the environment, not the economy. The economy greatly benefits from excessive consumerism, including all these returns. Because if we were to cut back on these mistake purchases, then that means less production is needed, which means less jobs are created, which means there’s less paycheques being issued, which means less disposable income being spent, which means even less production is needed, and the cycle repeats.

      Terrible for the environment, yes. But the economy is operating “optimally”.

  4. That’s why I resell everything that doesn’t work out for me either through my etsy, instagram, or eBay accounts.

    1. I remember retuning burned out light bulbs in exchange for free new bulbs to Edison. They also repaired small appliances for parts only. We lived a dairy farm and went through a hundred light bulbs easy a year. It was a HUGE deal when we got the yard light with auto on and off. God had arrived to give light to he night, on a farm any light at 3 am is a blessing.

    2. The fact that liberal males are forcing biological females to compete with and against biological males shows just how much hatred and contempt liberal males have for women. No matter what propaganda they choose to post from the Democrat ministry of truth this will always be a fact. Liberal males are creepy little geeks that hate woman and want to take their opportunities away in favor of gender freaks..

  5. If companies can afford to just throw away returned products, kinda makes me question the price I’m paying. đŸ€”

    1. @Lil Clout buy local if you are worried about infrastructure, thats how your city and state makes money. Quit spending at Amazon or Walmart. Where your money goes to California or New York.

    2. @MAGA 2020 I only agree with half of the things you said, Money isnt flowing into California. Amazon money is going into Washington and mainly Jeff Bezos pockets. New York has Wall Street. California is messed up since Silicone Valley just pumped it and is now dumping it, next will be Texas since they’re all moving there. Austin Texas is already little San Francisco. The voting demographics show that Texas is just 4 years from turning blue and having the same laws as California regarding taxes and 1st amendment. btw I was talking about local government not having money

    3. @Lil Clout I wasn’t being specific with California and New York. I was using those states as examples. As they have large populations and large companies. If you are buying from any national company, you’re money isn’t going to local infrastructure. Its going to other peoples infrastructure. Yes bezo’s is being paid also, but the taxes go to his state. Loads of money is flowing into California, mainly from Big tech selling our personal data, but also from anything you are buying from there. So idk why you said money isn’t flowing into California from abroad.

    4. @Lil Clout But btw, since you said, you are talking about local governments not having money. My first post provided you’re key reason. Quit spending money at Walmart and Amazon, btw those are examples, since I have to point out that. Im meaning companies that aren’t local to you. Yes, your city gains the taxes from the purchases, but the money is going to someone in other states. People have to buy local to get the taxes and also help increase the wealth in your area. They will in return, spend more money in the area, build another business, or hire more workers. That in return, creates more local jobs, employees more local people, which helps to fund these things. If you are dependent on taxes from sales alone. But not enriching the people around you. That won’t cover much of anything.

  6. I so need a “Return” to being on the MUSIC STAGE and living the daily hustle to make that milli and social living. Dam’ Lady Corona🙄

  7. When ever I buy the wrong item online I always feel it’s a hassle to return them,i just end up keeping or giving it away.

  8. It’s insanity throwing items into landfills .. instead of giving it away for free to the needy assuming it’s not dangerous.

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