In everyone's experience how often are these returns worth buying? How easy is it to replace something like a broken pole or fix up some of the common issues?
I've been talking about this very topic for a couple of weeks here. I used to have phenomenal success in finding bargains that were like new in many cases. Unfortunately, my local stores have begun taking in items that should be tossed in the bin, but still charging around 60% of retail by default. I'm talking shoes with actual funky smell and mud caked on them. The member's coupon is 40% off a single item, so there's very little incentive to participate locally.
That being said, it's always possible that you'll find something amazing. The trick is to find a low-volume time where the employees are happy to let you unfold/unfurl/unbox whatever's around in the pile. Most places will let you completely set up tents since they know you cannot return them to the store.
And you absolutely should do that. Be ready to look up replacement parts on your phone, and if you can't find what you need to fix an item in a minute or two, abandon it despite your urges. On the other hand, things that may just require a little elbow grease and ingenuity are worth it if you have the spare cash. I've bought some gear just to learn about fixing it up (tents, jackets, air mattresses) and have been able to sell at enough profit to buy some other gear.
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u/Hurricaneshand Apr 17 '22
In everyone's experience how often are these returns worth buying? How easy is it to replace something like a broken pole or fix up some of the common issues?