No-Hassle Holiday Gift Returns

Kiplinger has some suggestions on no-hassle holiday gift returns including the following:

• Keep the receipt. No receipt? You may only get a merchandise credit -- and then only for the lowest price at which the item was sold in the past 30 days.

• Don't delay. You usually have from 30 to 90 days to return unwanted gifts. But you should act quickly, especially where apparel is concerned.

• Don't want it? Don't open it. A growing number of retailers will charge you a percentage of the purchase price (generally 15%) for restocking.

• Habitual returners be aware: You may be blacklisted. An increasing number of chains are monitoring returns. Each time you bring back an item, your driver's license may be swiped, especially if you return without a receipt. If you exceed a store's set limit for returns, you're out of luck.

• Returning online purchases could get confusing. The good news is that online retailers are making it easier for customers to return items, says Convergys's Ayers. Many of the big chain stores will let you return online purchases to their brick-and-mortar stores. Ayers says more online retailers are also including prepaid shipping labels for returns with your orders. But there are caveats.

• You could swap that gift card. Although you cannot return gift cards to the store for cash, you're not entirely out of luck if you get one that doesn't suit your taste. At Swapagift.com, you can sell or trade your card for someone else's.

My takes on these:

1. It's ok to give a gift receipt. We don't usually, but we ALWAYS keep all our receipts for items we've purchased in case our kids hate something, it breaks, etc.

2. We usually handle returns within a couple of weeks.

3. 15%? Yikes! Not worth opening it. If you think you may not want it, don't open it!

4. This is a disturbing trend. Yes, I understand that some people rip stuff off and then return it, but if I have a receipt and a store asks for my driver's license to return something, I'm shopping elsewhere (without a receipt, it's my fault anyway, so I probably wouldn't return it.) Anyone heard of ID theft? Do you really want to turn your personal info over to a clerk at Barnes & Noble, Express, Home Depot, KB Toys, Sports Authority and Staples? Not me.

5. I did almost all of my shopping online this year, but returns is something that always bugs me with online shopping. It's such a hassle. That's why I 1) buy stuff online that I'm REALLY SURE I'll want and 2) buy from sites that let you return to the stores (though I did do a lot of shopping at Amazon this year.)

6. We use all our gift cards. I've never received one to a place I couldn't find something I liked.

Comments

[annab]

At the store where I worked, we asked to see a DL -- not to write down the number, but to check to see if the name given was the actual name on the return. So places that ask for ID may be all right w/any picture ID.

[That One Caveman]

If I'm asked for an ID for a return with a receipt, you can be assured I will raise a stink and escalate the issue as high as it has to go. There's a difference between a retailer defending itself from shoplifters and a retailer trying to make returns as difficult as possible. If they're going to make a hassle of it, I will, too!

[GLM]

wow #3 - perhaps my lucky try !

[GLM]

sorry- above post intended for the budget program give away

[Nick Marsh]

Merry Christmas everyone.