More retailers caught selling used underwear

I think that many of my readers were horrified last week when they read my post: EWW! Retailers caught reselling returned and used underwear. Well after dishing a few of our top retailers, I thought it only fair to report on the update that ran on msnbc yesterday.

As a recap, retailers like Macy’s, Victoria’s Secret, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale and GAP were found accepting returns on underwear and swimwear, re-tagging these items and placing them back on the sales floor. They were reselling used underwear! We all collectively said “EWW”

But msnbc did a follow up story yesterday and I was greatly relieved to hear that Macy’s, Victoria’s Secret, Nordstrom and GAP have all come clean. (no pun intended) Some of these retailers were flat out refusing to accept used underwear returns. Others were accepting returns on used underwear, but not reselling the items. Now that’s good news.

But before you can give a final sigh of relief, msnbc investigators decided to test some new big brand retailers including Target, Wallmart, JC Penny and Marshalls, giving them the same test. The investigators purchased underwear and swimwear, removed the tags and protective linings, and in some cases stained these items with baby oil before returning them to the stores.

So who’s on the chopping block this week? Well here’s the dirt.  First, the good guys: Target and JC Penny both took back the used underwear and swimsuit items but did not return them to the sales floor for resale.

And the BAD guys: Marshalls and Wallmart provided refunds for the used underwear and then re-tagged and returned these items to the sales floor. Shame, shame, shame!

So as usual, the management of these stores claimed that this was absolutely not their policy and vowed to “re-educate” their staff about proper operating procedures.

Now what really bothers me is that the first nsnbc expose was widely publicized – in the news, on YouTube and in numbers blog posts, mine included. So you would think that any underwear retailer would have the common sense and quite frankly the common decency to make sure that their associates were not reselling used underwear For retailers to be caught with their pant down when this issue has been so widely publicized is simply not acceptable.

And this begs the question: Do we only do the right thing when the light is shining on us – when all eyes are on us?

Bottom Line: ladies we just have to keep washing these garments before we wear them.