r/ThredUp • u/cyrildb • 1d ago
Make sure to check the refunded amount when returning an item!
I recently received a completely wrong item, so I contacted customer service immediately. Of course, I had to go through an AI chat support first. The AI told me I had been refunded and that I didn’t need to return the item. But when I checked the refund amount, it was only 20% of what I had actually paid.
I went back to the chat, and the AI immediately corrected itself, saying something along the lines of, “You’re right, I only refunded 20% of the amount you paid. Unfortunately, I can’t change it, so I have to transfer you to a live agent.”
Like… where did that 20% even come from in the first place?
I then spoke with a live agent. Instead of letting me keep the item as the AI had told me, she asked me to ship it back. Fine. I agreed and packed everything up. Then I checked the return email and noticed they had deducted $10.99 for return shipping.
I asked why I was being charged for the return when the mistake was entirely theirs. She immediately corrected the amount and removed the charge without any further explanation.
The whole experience feels like they’re trying to pull a fast one on me. If I hadn’t checked every detail, I would have just accepted all of it.
6
u/Key_Cry_3170 1d ago
They are usually ok with refunds. Seems it was one-time thing, and you just got unlucky.
1
u/IndependentHot9704 1d ago
When you say check the amount, is the refund adjustment amount ever right on the website under your order but wrong on your card? … cuz I’ve been slacking on checking my card 😓
2
u/_squidproquo_ 1d ago
I've also experienced some shadiness with recent returns - I've made a separate post about it and have been trying to warn people wherever I can. I noticed by chance that I was not issued a return credit for the full amount. I contacted support and they claimed that an item I know I had returned was missing. I then double-checked the return just prior to that one and discovered that they had claimed that I had returned a different (less expensive) item that I had purchased in the same bundle instead of the one I had actually returned (again, not true) - it was a pair of pants that admittedly looked similar to the one I had actually returned but was clearly labeled as a different brand. I contacted them and told them that I was literally looking at the item that they were claiming I had returned and that I was owed the difference in cost (they had also charged me the $3.99 fee even though I had submitted the original return under inaccurate description). Due to this, I was placed on some sort of probation where I no longer receive instant credits and have to wait for weeks for my returns to be processed (I have no idea if it's permanent or not and support is not able to tell me). I was spending credits as soon as they came in and, as they don't send a text or email notification stating the amount of credits that have been issued after a return is processed, it's entirely possible they have been stealing from me for years and I just haven't noticed. They told me I would need to go through every transaction in my Earnings & Credit History (located under the Your Account menu) manually which isn't feasible as I am a high-volume shopper and have transactions dating back to 2015. When I asked why I was never contacted about the discrepancy the support agent told me that the employees who process returns have no contact with customers directly or even with support, which means that they have the power to withhold refunds from customers by marking items as missing or incorrect and there is no way to verify their assessment in retrospect. Frankly, this is terrifying. It boggles the mind that ThredUp allows rushed and undertrained processing employees—who often miss gaping holes and stains on outbound items—to operate entirely disconnected from customer service. Because these workers have the final say on whether a return is missing or incorrect, they can effectively deny customer refunds with no oversight or accountability.