What Happens When an Item Isn’t Accepted

If an item doesn't meet our quality standards, we'll email you with options based on our team's review. All quality review decisions are final. A quick self-check before you ship helps — see What are Croissant's quality standards?.

Your options

Depending on the item, you'll see:

Reduced buyback — if the flaw is minor and the item is still sellable, we may offer a lower buyback amount. Accept it, or have the item returned.
Return — have the item sent back to you.
Donate — we'll donate it to a local organization on your behalf.

An item that can't be resold will offer donation or return only.

Your exact options — and any details for each — appear in the app when your item's review is complete, so check there for the most current choices.

You have 72 hours to decide

We'll send email reminders during the window. If you don't act in time, the item defaults automatically:

If a reduced buyback was offered → it defaults to accepting the reduced buyback.
If only donation or return is available → it defaults to being returned to you (at your cost).

Once you confirm an option — or it defaults — it can't be undone, so choose carefully. Keep notifications on so you don't miss the window — see Set up your notifications.

Where to find items that need action

Each flagged item shows the reason it didn't pass, along with a warehouse photo, so you can see exactly why. There are two ways to get there.

From a notification

Tap the bell icon at the top right of your Home tab, then open the alert to jump straight to the item and make your choice.

From your Sales

Tap the Menu icon (top right) and select Sales.
Open the Action Needed tab (next to Shipments and Completed).
On each item, choose Confirm Payout (accept a reduced buyback) or Confirm Return (send it back).

Making your choice

Open a flagged item and you'll see everything you need to decide:

The decide-by date — a scheduled payout or return date — and the reason it didn't pass.
A photo to review the issue.
The action to confirm: Confirm Payout (accept the reduced buyback) or Confirm Return.
The alternative: Return (if a payout was offered) or Donate (if it's a return).

[Image: the Action Needed screens — the list of items needing action (① Confirm Payout, ② Confirm Return), and each item's detail showing ① the decide-by date and reason, ② a photo to review the issue, ③ the confirm action, and ④ the alternative option. Alt: "Croissant Action Needed screens: the Confirm Payout and Confirm Return list, and an item's detail with the decide-by date, reason, a review photo, and the confirm and alternative options."]

Matching sets

Each piece is reviewed on its own. If a set was bought as separate pieces and both are in your Collection, they're evaluated individually — if one passes and the other doesn't, you're paid for the accepted piece and given options for the other. Once a piece is accepted it can't be returned, so inspect each one before shipping. Sets aren't guaranteed to be accepted or paid out together.

Missing an accessory?

If an item arrives without one of its original accessories — a belt, strap, removable insert, and so on — it automatically fails inspection, and you can't send the accessory separately afterward to change the result. Once an item's evaluation is complete, it can't be resubmitted. (This is different from forgetting a whole item you meant to sell — that item is simply marked "not received" and returned to your Collection. See Forgot to include an item in your shipment.)

Return timeline

Items you choose to return go into our return queue; processing and USPS pickup usually take 3–5 business days. Track it any time in your Shipments tab.