Delivery Driver Says You Should Never Buy Wayfair Furniture—Here’s Why
There are tons of reasons why many of us rely on Wayfair to furnish our homes. The retailer is fast and affordable, offering a wide range of categories, including lamps, bath mats, appliances, and bedroom sets. However, the company has come under fire in recent years—and even a delivery driver took to social media to warn shoppers against purchasing Wayfair furniture.
RELATED: 5 Worst Things to Buy From Wayfair.
A delivery driver says Wayfair frequently resells returns.
These days, if you want insights into the inner workings of corporations, TikTok is a good place to start. A FedEx delivery driver, @ce88maine, responded to TikTok user @tacoreacts, who posed the question: “What’s a company secret that we shouldn’t know?”
“Don’t buy furniture from Wayfair,” said @ce88maine, per the DailyDot (the video has since been removed from TikTok). “Because the chances are you are getting something that someone already received and returned.”
He then explained that when a shopper returns a damaged item, “there’s a reason why they want it in the original box … They resell it.” He continued, “Even though they will send you a replacement, you still have to pay shipping on that item.”
Furniture or not, he offered a broader warning: “Stop buying from Wayfair.”
Wayfair is fairly upfront about its returns policy—even the parts that may seem unfair to customers. If you return an item, the return shipping costs will be deducted from your refund. Those charges vary “depending on the location of the return, size and weight of the item and the selected return method,” it states on their website.
Additionally, Wayfair will not refund your original shipping fee or service charges (although the retailer offers free shipping on orders over $35).
It’s also clear about its practice of reselling: “Whether through an Open Box deal online or one of our returns outlet stores, any items that are resold are meticulously inspected so they meet our high standards for quality and safety,” a Wayfair representative told Best Life.
RELATED: Wayfair Customers Angry Over “Unethical” Delivery Delays.
Shoppers are angry with the return policy.
Returns through Wayfair are not only costly, but in some cases, they require customers to jump through hoops.
“We accept returns for most items within 30 days of delivery. The item(s) must be in its original, undamaged condition,” the company explains. “If the packaging is too damaged, use a similar-sized box or one no longer than 108 inches. If the item was delivered disassembled, it should be returned disassembled.”
In a recent pair of Reddit threads titled “Do not buy from Wayfair” and “WayFair is Dying,” shoppers expressed their frustration with the company.
“They sent me a huge 200 pound mirror that was poorly packed and completely shattered. When I told them I needed to return it, they not only told me I would need to pay a large fee to return it, but take it to FedEx myself,” shared one disallusioned shopper. “This thing wouldn’t even fit in my car and I couldn’t drag it to my car if I tried. I eventually escalated enough times to have them send FedEx to get it from my house.”
Another shopper shared how they received the wrong size barstools and had to pay $50 to return them: “I tried to get them to waive the shipping since I wouldn’t have bought them if they were sized correctly on the site and they insisted I put them back together and send them tape measurement photos to prove it. I had already disassembled and boxed and taped them. Super unsatisfied with how to handle it and they were rude about it.”
In the TikTok post @ce88maine seemingly confirmed these frustrations: “The amount of times I have delivered and then picked up furniture from Wayfair is too many to count.”
RELATED: 5 Secrets About Shopping on Wayfair, According to Experts.
However, the practice of reselling returns is fairly common.
Reselling returned items is fairly common. According to CNN, retailers such as Amazon, Target, and Walmart resell a portion of returned products. In many cases, they’ll sell these items at a discount.
For example, Walmart sells returned items in its clearance section and offers refurbished electronics on its website. Other items are sold to resellers, like 888 Lots, Direct Liquidation, and BlueLots, which sell them to stores like the Outlets at Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s Backstage, per CNN.