sale or return

Synonym discussion

Sense: idiom/1

'Sale or return', 'consignment', and 'on approval' are three retail arrangements that share the idea of returning goods when they are not sold or wanted, but they differ in who the parties are and when payment is due. 'Sale or return' is a specific type of consignment used between a supplier and a retailer: the retailer receives goods, tries to sell them, and sends back whatever is left after a fixed period, paying only for what was sold. 'Consignment' is the broader category — the supplier retains legal ownership of the goods until they are sold by the retailer, who takes a commission. 'On approval' is different: it usually applies between a seller and an individual customer, who receives a product, can test it at home, and returns it within a set window if not satisfied. For example, a publisher supplies magazines to a newsagent on a sale or return basis; a craftsperson leaves her pots with a gallery on consignment; and a furniture store lets you take a sofa home on approval for a week.

Etymology

This fixed phrase emerged in British retail during the 19th century, especially in the book and newspaper trades. Publishers would supply copies to shops with the understanding that unsold stock could be returned for credit. The phrase combines the two possible outcomes for each item — it is either sold (sale) or sent back (return) — and became a standard mercantile term still used in modern distribution agreements.