Holiday Gift Returns: Tips On Return Policies, Refunds
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The average consumer will spend more than $600 this year on holiday gifts, but there is very high likelihood that some of these gifts will be returned.
Out of all of the gifts purchased this holiday season, there's a good chance some of those presents will get returned because of some who don't want to get stuck with something we can't or won't use. Some stores make it simple, while others, not so much.
According to experts, there are certain things to look for before you shop to avoid any hassles later.
Janice Lieberman with Deal News says there's an easy way to prevent that from happening.
"There's nothing more frustrating than either getting a gift from somebody and not being able to return it or giving a gift to someone and they tell you they can't return it. You want to shop at stores that offer you the most leeway in getting a refund and that means a really generous time limit. It means if you don't have your receipt, they could possibly look it up with your credit card," says Lieberman.
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She also says that there are stores that are ideal shopping places when it comes to return policies and refunds.
"There are some winners when it comes to refund policies so we love them because they basically have no time limit or a year, they'll give you cash or credit back on your credit card and you don't have to take a store credit. We love Kohl's for that reason, Nordstrom's, Ikea gives you 365 days. Bed, Bath and Beyond, they're great when it comes to returns -- hassle-free, no aggravation."
Amazon and Forever 21 are among stores that give you 30 days to return an item. Though you'll need to check with other online sites and look for answers to certain questions such as; do you have to pay for shipping for the refunds or can you go to their brick and mortar store and return?
But not all stores offer the same length of a refund period. Some stores only give you at most two weeks such as Apple and Barnes and Nobles.
Be extra cautious when you're buying any big-ticket electronics. Carefully read those refund policies because many stores charge a restocking fee when those items are returned.
