Right, as others have said, it's not a one-size-fits-all situation.
Many places have a policy that returns can't be put back on the floor for X amount of time. Now, whether that policy is always followed is a separate question. Sometimes the shoe goes right back out. As KC said, if it's new inventory, it may have to be scanned into the system before it can be re-sold. And, sometimes when there's stuff behind the counter, it just means it's ineligible for purchase for one of these reasons... often off limits to employees too. Hell, there are cases when an outlet gets a small amount of highly desired product and they flat out disallow employees from purchasing them, period. So, in some cases they actually get DISADVANTAGED when compared to the public.
Also, it gets a little tiresome to hear people complain about the benefits and the conspiracy theories of the employees - they get this and that, they do such and such. ...They make dam near minimum wage. Feel free to quit your job so you can work at a Nike outlet, make less than a living wage, but maybe get the inside track and a few bucks off some ghastly Foamposites that get returned twice a month.
No offense to anybody who works at a Nike outlet. But, for anybody with an actual career, I'm sure they'd gladly trade places with you professionally.
