What to know before returning gifts this holiday season
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - It's the day after Christmas, and if anyone is stuck with a gift they'd rather return for cash, credit or something else, it all depends very much on what and where the item was purchased to see how easy that return will be.
Julie Ramhold, a consumer analyst with DealNews.com, said the biggest challenge with returning gifts after the holidays is navigating all the different return policies.
First, it's best to have a gift voucher or proof of purchase from a particular store. A credit card statement might also suffice, and some retailers will recognize their products and give store credit.
"You're probably definitely going to see more store credit, especially if you don't have a gift receipt or if you didn't make the purchase," said Ramhold.
"If you did make the purchase and you are returning it within that extended window, you should be fine as long as you have the original payment method, and you can show an invoice or a receipt. There's a good chance you can get a refund, right back to the original payment method. But if it's a gift you're returning, odds are probably going to see some store credit."
Second, if you know you will return an item, don't cut open the plastic box it's in or remove any tags. Some retailers won't take those back or may charge a re-stocking fee.
"If you open a product, then you may find that you have no choice but to get store credit, and that may be if you're lucky. A lot of these return policies state that the items to be in sellable condition, so for some things, if you open it, you may not be able to return it at all," Ramhold added.
Products ordered online can be returned via the mail, but watch out for shipping costs. It's possible to save money by returning the product in person, if available.
"There's a good chance shipping fees may be deducted from your refund," Ramhold said.
The biggest difference among retailers is how long each will allow you to return those holiday items. Wal-Mart, for example, gives you until Jan. 31 to return anything purchased after Oct. 1. However, some stores give you only two weeks for returns, especially electronics.
For example, gifts from Apple must be returned by Jan. 8.
"The easiest things to return are usually things like clothing or books or, to some degree, beauty and personal products as long as those are unopened, but some things just naturally come with a few more hoops to jump through to make that return," Ramhold said.
For an easy way to check out the return policies of most major retailers, check out this link.
