Return Fraud, hmm what could that be. When my friend Karen wrote a guest post for CBB this week on dumpster diving it received mixed reviews and truthfully you either like it or you don’t. Personally I’m all for finding great bargains that people put out to the curb or don’t want to pay disposal fees for that I can use. This lead me this article titled “What Happens To A Product When It Is Returned To The Store” although centred around the USA I’m sure it happens right here on Canadian soil. Have you ever worn something a few times and decided to bring it back to the store wanting a refund? Well, they call that return fraud in the USA although I’m not sure what they call it, if anything in Canada but returning an item.
Did you know that most items returned to the shops might not even make it back on the shelves, even in Canada? My wife has worked in retail when she was younger and she said that one shop could easily repackage some items in store and others would go to the garbage. For example if you open the package of socks, it may have to get sent back to get repackaged and by that time it may be a discontinued product and it gets discarded. Sometimes items would just build up in a bin out back and forgotten about until the pile got too big or inventory was abound.
You only have to drive around some of the big retailers in Canada to see their dumpster filled with top of the line products that are destroyed or in full packaging. I’m betting they weren’t returned that way looking like Edward Scissor Hands had paid them a visit. Honestly though, do you really want to buy new clothes knowing that someone may have had their sweaty body in it a few times and it hasn’t been washed? That is the number one reason why I always wash clothes when I buy them new because you just never know. Some look down on those who shop at second-hand stores saying how icky it must be to wear used clothes when their new garments, digs, threads, gear call it what you may could have been worn by someone who showers once a week. Either way, wash your clothes when you get home wherever you buy them.
Return fraud, really who would have guessed it but if there is money to be made or saved there will be someone waiting to scoop it up. According to creditcards.com return fraud in Canada is dubbed bringing back stolen merchandise for a refund, using stolen receipts to return, and returning items bought with counterfeit money. While reviewing the Stats I didn’t see anything that said it was a crime to wear clothes and return them in Canada. Maybe we’re just not at that point yet although common sense tells us it’s not the ethical thing to be doing. It’s one of the hardest things to prove I guess. I can hear it now, “it smells”, “I saw you at the pub last night, look I have a picture of you in that shirt on my IPhone” says the cashier. Non-employee return fraud came in at 32.1% in 2008 according to Stats Canada. In the USA 8.9 Billion dollars will be the loss as a result of return fraud, ouch.
What does your organization do with returned merchandise and clothes?
Do you know someone who buys clothes, wears them with the tags then returns them?
What’s Been Happening at Canadian Budget Binder?
No a whole heck of a lot’s been happening over here at Canadian Budget Binder to be honest besides planning for the new design. We had a lovely Valentine’s Day Dinner and I made chocolate Chip Walnut cookies shaped like hearts and she just loved it. It’s also that time of year where my mind starts thinking, what do I need to do in March, April and May as I know this summer is going to be crazy busy for me. I may even think about taking a day off the blog and only post 6 days a week since I’ve posted 7 pretty much since I started one year ago. I’ve been a bit under the weather the past week and trying to catch up on emails and blog posts but that’s about it. On a good note we did purchase some seeds for the garden mainly flowers for our hanging baskets.
We’ll be heading out this week to Home Hardware to pick out some other vegetables that we want to grow. Last year I saved the seeds from our tomatoes and peppers and will give them a shot this year to see if I can make some magic happen. It will be the first year I saved seeds so I really don’t know if they will work out or not. I’m pretty sure I will have plenty of compost as I saved all the leaves from the fall and they’ve rotted nicely. I do know we will grow plenty of basil, even more than last year so we can make more basil cubes but also basil pesto as we use it for so many meals, besides it adds amazing flavour to just about anything.
When do you start to plant your garden seeds?
Vote Canadian Budget Binder!
Thanks for your Support! Just Click, and Vote… literally seconds!
It’s that time of year again where Jeremy at Modest Money has set out to find Canada’s Next Top Personal Finance Blog. If you have a moment and can click this link and Vote Canadian Budget Binder!
Plus
Sean at One Smart Dollar has Canadian Budget Binder up for nomination in his challenge for Top Personal Finance Blog… if you have a moment and can click the link here and Vote Canadian Budget Binder I would be appreciative. If we win I get $100 to give to one lucky Fan to help pay down debt!
Check Out This Weeks Canadian Budget Binder Blog Posts
- Mr.CBB’s Personal Finance Reading List #7 Air Fare Wars~ Air Canada Price Guarantee
- Dumpster Diving, The Top 5 Rules For Finding The Good Free Stuff
- Becoming a Single Homeowner The Plan Part 1
- The Grocery Game Challenge Feb 11-17 Stock Up When You Can~Pancake Day
- CBB January 2013 Net Worth Update
- Mr.CBB’s Shrimp, Rapini and Radicchio Penne Pasta In A Creamy Pesto Sauce
Canadian Budget Binder Mentions Around The Web
Canadian Budget Binder is fun place where people come to not only learn about personal finance but also to share. Thanks to these sites who linked up to Canadian Budget Binder this past week. Sorry if I missed you, please let me know.
Check these awesome pages out!
- Money Bulldog Uk
- Stumble Forward
- Frugal Rules
- Budget and The Beach
- Unique Gifter
- IHeartBudgets
- Modest Money
- Friends Of The Family
- Debt Round Up
- Eyes on The Dollar
- Reach Financial Independence
- Vix Money
- She Thinks I’m Cheap
- Finance Fox
- Lil Suburban Homestead
- Monster Piggy Bank
- Gap Tooth Diva
- My Best Cookbook
- The Frugal Farmer
- My Money Design
Carnivals
- The Newlyweds Notebook
- Carnival of Financial Camaraderie #68 at My University Money
- Carnival Of Money Pros at Drop That Debt
- The Money Mail Carnival #13 at The Money Mail
What People Searched to Find Canadian Budget Binder:
Search terms really help me to understand what people are looking for at Canadian Budget Binder! Any typos below are simply how the person who searched typed it in search, or me 
There were thousands of searches this week.. but not too many juicy ahahaha ones.. so I picked out some of the best ones for you.
Top Pick: Banks For Sale In Canada- Yes, I’ll take 2 please with full inventory.
- What do you think of people who buy second-hand clothes?- I think I’m awesome… how’s that! lol Does it really matter what anyone thinks? Who gives a toss. We create our own stress by worrying over the small stuff in life, it’s not worth it.
- Closet Game Challenge Couple- Oh, sounds kinky. What do you do in the closet? I’m sure you’re not folding clothes… ermm
- What does it mean to be “multi-tasking” by employer- It means your boss wants you to use both your feet, both your hands and your head to do ten things at the same time while keeping your sanity. Try it, everyone else is. It means, your boss wants you to pick it up a notch and try to get two or more things done at once, in other words, you’re too slow.
- 55 Ways to Say I Love You- Really, where do people come up with this. How about, “I love you” full-stop.
- Dollarama Paint Rollers, any good? You just wasted $1.00 of your time searching for that when you could have just bought one and tested it out for yourself.
Are you NEW to Canadian Budget Binder?
- If you are new to Canadian Budget Binder >>>Start here!
- Follow Mr.CBB on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest
- Subscribe to Canadian Budget Binder>> Everyone else has, why wait!
- Do You Have A Question For Mr. CBB? The best way to get in touch with me is on Facebook
- I’m currently accepting guest posts. If you are a blog owner or fan who wants to share a story email me today with your topic ideas! I can’t guarantee everyone a spot but give me your best topic pitch and show me what your work looks like.
Related articles
- Mr.CBB’s Personal Finance Reading List #7 Air Fare Wars~ Air Canada Price Guarantee! (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- The Saturday Weekend Review #10 December-White Christmas,Facebook $1 Fee (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- The Saturday Weekend Review #4 January-Marketplace On Bank Fees~Magnifying Glass Needed! (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- The Saturday Weekend Review #1 January 2013 (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- The Saturday Weekend Review February #5~Wanted: Like-Minded People, Rounding The Penny Edition (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- The Saturday Weekend Review February #6~Well Behaved Kids Score Their Family A Dining Discount! (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
