Bed Bath & Beyond will NO LONGER GIVE CASH BACK - WHAT!?

When FSIL got married in 2012, she was able to return almost $600 worth of stuff to the local BB&B for cash and she had no receipts.

We had receipts for quite a few of our BB&B gifts that we returned. We always got store credit. I wouldn't expect anything else.

Not many stores even offer a cash back option, so I'm not really surprised.

I didn't get cash back at all when I returned something with a gift receipt in March. I was given store credit. I had the original packing slip and was still given credit. Which was fine - I just got some other things from my registry.

Not surprised. typically stores prefer to only give refunds back to the original purchaser via the same payment method, usually a credit card. almost all do store credits now.

FSIL told me to register with BB&B so if I got duplicates, I could return them for cash just as she did. She went in with a car load of returns and a copy of her registry (but no receipts) and they handed her cash. One thing she took back was a mini fridge of all things.

Perhaps they got smart and realized what brides were doing. They are a business, and if it was hurting their business...

It was very much known around here that you register at BB&B because they gave cash back without receipts. I guess they wised up last year. I had no idea.

I can't believe that they ever gave cash back without a receipt. That is crazy.

Our local Lowe's was like that too! They would give cash back for stuff that was bought from Menard's or Home Depot - they just rang it and took people at their word and gave back cash until 3 years ago.

Its a very easy way to get scammed when you are giving back cash. Why is this such a surprise to you? I think the last time I got cash back at any store was over ten years ago.

The only store I'm aware of that still gives cash back is Target.

Hrm. well that's good to know

I worked in retail throughout high school and college and not one of them would give cash back without a receipt

It must have been a regional thing - 10 years ago you could go pretty much to any retail store or grocery and make returns without receipts (where I live). Wal-Mart, Kohl's, Target, K-Mart, Marsh - they all just accepted any return. I do know for a fact they take back anything at Lowe's.

I am not surprised. I honestly didn't know there were companies out there that gave cash back on a return with no receipt...Then again I never tried returning something with no receipt and expecting cash back...

Hey GrayCat, I work in software, and major retailers are our customers. You're right that cash back was common - but especially after the crash of '08, a lot of retailers, especially discount retailers, stopped giving cash back for a couple reasons.

One reason is that a policy of cash back without a receipt incentivized shoplifting... People steal items, then return them for cash. Also, as margins got thinner due to increased fuel costs for transportation, increased cost for benefits and pay, and increased energy costs to run the stores, it was logical that if you give merchandise credit, the money stays on your books, instead of going out the door. There are more aspects, but the bottom line is that it's just too damn expensive for the companies to 'give away' that money anymore.

Yes they will.

You just have to ask. BBB's thing is customer service above and beyond anything else. If you ask, they will give it to you. You may have to ask twice, or put up a little bit of a fuss, but they will do it. If for some reason the store you're at won't, just go to another one.

Trust me on this one. ;-)

Mrs Compton, have you ever worked in retail…?

My whole life ;-)