One former Nordstrom worker is going viral for sharing a horror story from his time working at the department store.
In a viral TikTok, ZoloftTwunk (@zolofttwunk) says he worked in Nordstrom’s designer handbag department in 2012, and the store had “no return policy” at the time. This means customers were able to return used or years-old items because the typical 30-day return with receipt rule was nonexistent.
He explains that this policy was bad for the workers, as they didn’t receive a salary or an hourly wage. All of their income comes from the sales they make. So, when a customer returns something, the money comes out of the workers’ paychecks.
A Jimmy Choo return
He says he sold a white Jimmy Choo bag for $2,500-$3,000, only for the customer to bring it back “wrecked” a year later, looking to return it.
“It is, like, falling apart. It’s dirty and everything, and I’m like, girl, I can’t take this back. We can’t resell it,” the TikToker says.
He says the woman argued that, for the price she paid, the bag shouldn’t get dirty. The TikToker says many customers make such claims, expecting that because an item is expensive, it’s indestructible.
The TikToker goes on to share that while inspecting the bag, he noticed a pinkish discoloration on the side. He then opened it to investigate further and, to his horror, found a used tampon.
He says he called her out, showing her the offending item. She screamed for a manager, who came down to rectify the situation.
“This manager had no backbone, and she allowed the return to happen at the expense of my paycheck,” the TikToker says.
He says he confronted the manager about her decision and she brushed it off, saying that since he’s a good seller, he’ll easily recover. However, he says he didn’t recover financially and to this day hasn’t recovered emotionally.
Is this common?
In a follow-up video, the TikToker further explains how accepting poor returns is common for Nordstrom by using a story he says the company boastfully shared in its training sessions as a shining example of how to offer excellent customer service.
He says he was told during training that a customer had bought a tire from a Sears that was later turned into a Nordstrom. After the tire went flat, the man returned to the location for a refund, but, of course, the store he purchased from was no longer there.
That didn’t stop him from demanding money, though.
He said that since he had bought the tire in that exact location, he should be entitled to a refund. Surprisingly, the Nordstrom workers agreed with him and rewarded him with a refund for an item he purchased from an entirely different store that Nordstrom has no relationship with.
The TikToker can’t believe this is seen as a positive example, as he feels lax return policies like Nordstrom’s make customers entitled.
‘I too have Nordstrom horror wounds’
In the comments section, retail workers commiserated with the TikToker.
One wrote, “I worked Neimans, the amount of people who would try and return Louboutins with the soles SHREDDED is astounding. Also I need to add: rich people (and i [m]ean actually wealthy) are the nicest people on the planet. But its the people who think rich people are supposed to act snooty and mean so they talk down to you and are terrible. im like ok broke have fun renting your bag.”
A second said, “I worked at Nordstrom for 5 months and in those 5 months i sold $62,000 worth of merchandise. they eliminated my position for ‘not selling enough.’ Nordstrom is the WORST company i’ve ever worked for.”
Another shared, “I just quit recently after almost two years of being a manager. I couldn’t take it anymore. They are the worst company I worked for. I almost went on a leave for my mental health.”
What’s it like to work at Nordstrom?
The company has a 3.5-star rating on Glassdoor. One of the cons commenters mentioned is managers accepting “fraudulent” returns. Other cons included long hours, low commission, and a lack of work-life balance. Pros included great benefits and pay, though those comments seemed to come from people who were in more managerial or administrative positions. Other pros were the coworkers and the environment.
The company has a higher rating on Indeed at 3.8 stars. Specifically, work-life balance is rated 3.5, pay and benefits is 3.7, and management is 3.3. Culture has the highest rating at 3.7.
Does Nordstrom still not have a return policy?
Nordstrom states on its website that it evaluates returns on a case-by-case basis. You can return items in-store or online for free. The policy is still lax, not having a strict 30 or 60-day limit, but you probably can’t get away with returning a tampon purse today. As MSN reports, the main things to know about Nordstrom returns are:
- There is no hard deadline for most items, but timely returns are encouraged.
- For designer items, fine jewelry, and select electronics, there may be a shorter window or a requirement for the items to have their tags.
- For Nordstrom Rack purchases, you only have 30 days and need a receipt. These returns must be handled through Rack stores or the website, not Nordstrom.
To be accepted, items must generally be new or gently used, accompanied by proof of purchase, and include all tags and original packaging.
@zolofttwunk Retail Horror : Why Working at Nordstrom was terrible #retail #foryou #fashion #nordstrom #lgbtq #customerservice #work #burnout #fyp #funny #luxury ♬ original sound – ZoloftTwunk
Items that can’t be returned include:
- Final sale items
- Customized or altered items
- Used beauty or skincare products (assuming no proof of irritation or a defect)
- Items without a record of purchase
If you don’t have a receipt, don’t worry. The item can likely be located in the store’s system, or you may receive a store credit. You may also receive store credit for items returned past a reasonable timeframe. MSN does not clarify what constitutes a “reasonable” timeframe, but it is likely up to the store’s discretion. If you’re returning a gift without a gift receipt, you may receive a refund via a Nordstrom gift card.
The Mary Sue contacted the TikToker via comment and direct message. It contacted Nordstrom for further comment.
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