Say You Saw It In “The Shopping News” - Wednesday, December 18, 2019 - 3
Keep These Things In Mind When Making Gift Returns This Holiday Season Many of the gifts bought this holiday season will end up becoming returns. But not all of those returns or exchanges will be easy. Stores have return policies to protect themselves from fraud and financial loss. The wise consumer knows what to expect. The public is no longer living in the 30-day-moneyback-guarantee world. Stores are tightening their belts on returns and that’s important information to know when the holiday season has ended. Shorter Deadlines Many of the items in stores have finite “expiration” dates. Clothing styles are always evolving and technological advancements can make one product the latest and greatest one day and obsolete the next. That means stores have to be stringent on their return deadlines to ensure they’re not restocking “old” merchandise no one else will buy. Some stores will allow 2 to 3 weeks for returns. Retailers may count purchases made during the holiday season as
if they took place on December 24. That means the clock starts ticking from Christmas onward for returns. Restocking Fees Stores may charge a restocking fee of anywhere from 10 to 20 percent to take back items that have been opened. This is particularly true with electronics or appliances.
Whenever possible, if the item received will not be used, do not open the packaging. Opened items that are truly inoperable should be returnable without a restocking fee. Exchange or Store Credit Keep those gift receipts in a safe place. Gone are the days when stores will take back just about anything. Today, many retailers want
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may be exchanged for store credit, and that credit will usually reflect the current “sale” price of the item. Generally this price is lower than the purchaser paid a few weeks earlier. Having the receipt handy means the greatest dollar value can be given on the returned item. Return Database A consumer’s return history could be tracked at particular stores. Retailers often have a computerized system that tracks returns made, frequency and whether a receipt was used. Individuals who are frequent returners may find more difficulty returning items, especially those without a receipt. If the cashier asks to see a to see the receipt, even if the driver’s license or other tags are in place. If a receipt identification when items are is not available, the item taken back to the store, that’s
a likely sign a shopper’s return history is being recorded. Mail-Back Only Some retailers that operate both online and with brickand-mortar stores will allow items bought via the Internet to be returned at a physical store. Others will not. Be sure to know the return policy of online merchants to facilitate the process. Remember, oftentimes returning items through the mail requires that postage be paid by the person doing the returning.
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