I thought of this when I saw the Janie and Jack shoes that I recently purchased marked down from $29.99 to $19.99. I was crushed. I thought I nabbed the best deal at $22.49 when I purchased them with my 25% off coupon…now they were lower. 
Janie and Jack is not offering free shipping at this time. I do not live near a Janie and Jack store, so I am not able to take advantage of free returns. Thus, this go around, I really could not reap any benefit of “rebuying”.
However, I have done it in the past with Gap and Gymboree items. I would buy something on sale, only to see that it was marked down at a lower price. Then I would reorder the items online at the new sale price and return the first purchase when I had a chance.
I haven’t figured out if this practice makes me obsessive, stingy, or just plain shrewd. I am hoping I fall into the shrewd category. Have any of you done this before? Any tips to share?
I find usually if you go back and show them a matching price, they are just as happy to meet it rather than lose the business.
If there was a large price difference and only a short time since I purchased the item, I would ask the store to honor it. Being on a tight budget, it could help out. But if it’s only a couple of dollars, I wouldn’t bother.
I’d ask for price adjustment policy before making purchase, otherwise, return and rebuy if there is a big difference.
If I haven’t opened/worn/used the item, I definitely bring it back if I find it at a cheaper price.
Before reading this post I had never heard about anything like this. I would not buy return and the re-buy unless I could save a lot of money because it seems like to much work to save only a few dollars.
I haven’t but my mom was just telling me a story about how she went to buy shoes and they asked her if she had a coupon and she said no. There was one at the counter, but the lady wouldn’t let her use it. She was too embarrassed not to buy the shoes so she bought them, went and got the coupon, bought the shoes again with the coupon, and then returned the original purchase. She said she thought it was unethical. I didn’t think so!
It really depends on the price of the item you are talking about. If it is a large difference (maybe $10.00 or more) then I would support it assuming it was never used or anything. If it is only $2 or $3 then I am not really sure it’s worth it. Is that more valuable than your time?
I do go back and ask them to price match the item. Most stores will match the price if it’s within a certain time period. Why not do it…may as well save some money.
In our area, you just have to come back with your receipt within a specified time period (varies by store) and they will refund the difference if they offered the item for a lower price since the original purchase date.
I’ve done this, but I only had to show the lower price and the retailer refunded the difference.
I’ve done it! If its allowed at the particular store..why not. I’m a bargain shopper & I want to get it at the lowest price possible.
My sister does it a lot, but I’m personally a little too decisive!
My friend does this on a regular basis, but I’m not a big fan. As others have said, I’ve found that most retailers will honor a lower price if it’s within a certain time period. I’ve done that before and been surprised at how easy it was!
I have never been a good bargain hunter, so once I buy something I don’t (or try not to look) at the prices later. I can’t imagine I would return it. I think I would just say, “Oh well” and be done with it
I’ve never done it, but my Mother has.
great idea. That makes you thrifty. I’ll have to try that sometime.
I ALWAYS buy on sale so when I see something reduced even more I’m disappointed. It has to be a substantial mark down in order for me to rebuy & return because the price of gas has gotten ridiculous and driving around to do the returns can mean I lose the $$ I would have saved on gas. I like how Target does it. They have your records in buy your debit card and will issue credits within a certain amount of time based on that. So, no extra driving around!
I agree on the gas issue. Much of the time that I have done this, it has occurred because the “new sale” was not valid on prior purchases, so I was not going to get an adjustment at store level. So I had to return the original purchase an then “re-buy” to get the sale.
I have never done this, but have considered it a couple times before deciding it wasn’t worth the effort. When you live in the middle-of-nowhere, you pretty much just have to be right the first time, lol.
i do buy and return as long as the item is not used. Last year at Christmas, I found the PS3 $100 cheaper!! Of course, I came straight home and returned it and repurchased it! Im a stay at home mom! I have to do what I can!
I find that I can find the time to do this as a stay at home mom. When I worked and had kids, there was no way to coordinate such things.
I have never returned and rebuy at a lower price. I always kick myself and say like why didn’t I wait. But I find returning products such a hassle. I would return and rebuy if I see a big difference but if it is a small difference, then I won’t
I would also ask for a price adjustment, but all the same I would take something back and rebuy it cheaper. It might be a little time and effort but to save more than 10% would be worth my time and effort.
Occasionally we do if someone forgets to use the coupons.
Sometimes we do if someone forgets to use the coupons.
I usually just check to see if they will do a price match
I have done that a few times. Sometimes it just wasn’t fair that I wasn;t told that the item would go on sale the next day. I happen to catch it and would ask to return and buy it at a lower price.
I do return and re-buy items if the price difference is worth it. I wouldn’t bother doing it for a dollar or two but for the $10 price difference in your case I would… that’s $10 you can spend on something else!
Yep I’d do it and have but my husband get preterbed about it
This always happens to me when I’m grocery shopping there’s CVS and Safeway right next to each other and it always seems that when I buy something from one store the other store has it on sale for cheaper. These are just small items though so I don’t usually return and repurchase. It’s really annoying though, lol, but if it was a big ticket item I’d definitely try to get a price match (if I can find the receipt).
I would bring my receipt in and see if the store would do a price match.
I almost always return and rebuy if it’s past the price adjustment timeframe, especially if the price difference is a lot.