I’ve worked retail where clothes were a component and the most frequent returns are for clothes too small, like a large exchanged for an XL or an XXL or the largest available size returned for store credit. There are a lot more of the very small sizes than there are very small people, anyone who fits into an S or M has a lot of options and not much competition. This is also more true of women’s clothes than men’s.
Also, clothes aimed more at an older, like 60s 70s years old consumer will have more reasonable size distribution in my experience, but the clothes will be extremely frumpy and odd.
Also, shop the clearance rack, especially when it’s been recently filled with new stuff, there is so much decent cheap clothing out there for like a couple bucks a piece.
I worked doing returns frequently and a lot of women doing returns clearly had the idea they would get clothes that would be fun and racy and it didn’t work out the way they saw it in their mind’s eye, which makes me happy they at least tried. Chase that dream!
I feel like I should mention something about fast fashion and slave labor producing so much clothing today. Also, quite a bit of what is produced doesn’t sell and where does it go? They have to make room for the new stuff.
I dont know if any of that is what you are looking for OP but those are my thoughts on the matter.
That’s so interesting about the returns. And I never thought about the stuff that doesn’t sell. Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks! I’ve done office work too but retail always has this appeal where you get to work directly with the random public and provide an actual, immediate service of value. I really wish it paid better but its frankly incredible to get such a broad view of your regional community if you can figure out how to get people to open up. Having good coworkers that support one another in an active environment is so great too.
Of course, many complaints and concerns about how the industry is changing currently, with AI and election time anxiety, corporate weirdness etc but the site I’m at runs well and has it’s own community that serves the larger area. Amazing stuff, I hope I find a job with a thriving wage that has at least some of those qualities someday.
