Here are some tips for returning or getting rid of that tacky gift that has no place in your house, the tasteless joke present that you’d be embarassed for your children to see, or any otherwise unwanted present.
Marshall Loeb from MarketWatch suggests these tips:
- Try to return the item to the store as soon after the holidays as possible.
- Check for fees and restrictions.
- Bring the receipt and creit card and make sure tags are affixed to clothing.
- Be nice to the sales representative.
- Lump your returns into one or two transactions.
- Don’t tell the giver you’ve returned the item unless they ask.
- Make sure the item has not been damaged.
- Look out for any incentives with the return designed to enourage future patronage.
Additions from Ask Andy About Clothes:
- Keep the original box in which you received the item.
- Dress nicely and wear symbols of authority (tie and jacket for example) if you expect a hassle.
Any other tips?
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Please note, some retailers have stopped accepting returns on the day after Christmas. They’ve learned that many people show up to spend their recently aquired gift cards and would rather free up all their sales associates to sell more junk.
Thanks for the addition, derek51!
Don’t be too shocked if the item is not from the store indicated by the gift box. If that’s the case, and you don’t have a receipt or store tags, you’ll need to do some research to find a store that carries the item and will let you exchange it for something else. If you don’t have a gift receipt and they do let you return the item, you’ll be given credit at the lowest price it’s been sold for during the holiday season.