How to Ensure that Christmas Gifts can be Exchanged or Returned

At the end of Christmas, when all is said and done, the one thing we realize that we may have neglected to do is make sure that the gifts we purchased can be exchanged or returned. Although Christmas shoppers try hard to please, there is always the possibility that something we purchased is the wrong size or not to someone's taste. In order to make Christmas a more pleasant experience for both the gift giver and the recipient, knowing what to do or how to go about making sure that gifts are returnable or exchangeable will make the entire shopping experience much more enjoyable.

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Here are some things to consider when purchasing Christmas gifts so that you can rest assured that your gifts can be exchanged or returned.

*Beware of sales -

Deeply discounted sale merchandise is frequently sold as is, meaning you cannot return or exchange it. Unless you are absolutely certain that the person for whom you are buying something will like and want it, beware of the potential non-return policy.

*Going out of business sales -

If you buy things at a going out of business sale, unless you are buying merchandise that may have a manufacturers warranty, you may find that because the store is going out of business, that they won't be willing to repair the product, return it to the manufacturer or refund your money.

*Satisfaction guarantees and product warranties -

If you a product for which there is a "satisfaction guaranteed" clause of some type of "product warranty," make sure that you read the fine print so that you know what any disclaimer or exception might be. It's generally a good idea to operate under the assumption that anything that sounds too good to be true probably is.

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*Shop at national chains -

If you are purchasing a gift for someone who lives in another city or state, it would be wise to purchase a gift from a place that has multiple stores, and one that is within a reasonable distance to where the recipient lives. National chains usually have a return policy that allows a person to exchange or return a gift within a certain amount of time. The length of time may vary, but the typical is 30 to 60 days.

*Enclose a gift receipt in the box -

When you purchase a gift from a store, regardless of whether you intend to have the gift sent or take it yourself, ask the sales clerk to put a gift receipt in the box. They will typically tape the gift receipt to the lid so that the recipient sees it as soon as they open the box. The gift receipt should have all of the essential information about the product return on it.

*Be clear about Internet returns -

Some Internet retailers are excellent about exchanges and returns. Other stores may have a return policy, but the manner in which they execute that policy leaves a lot to be desired. These businesses make the return process difficult and unpleasant and leave potential future shoppers feeling certain that they don't want to do business there.

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Good companies include Amazon.com (and they will replace lost merchandise,) whose customer service representatives respond to communications very quickly and politely. Zappos is another excellent company. They have a return policy that allows a customer or gift recipient to return merchandise at the company's expense. They enclose a form for return authorization and a prepaid return shipping sticker.

Overstock.com is not so good about returns. Whereas other companies will send out replacement merchandise right away, Overstock requires that you return the merchandise before they will replace it.

You will have to go through a long process of communicating with customer service in order to get to the point where you can return the merchandise. Be aware that there is a no-return policy on a significant amount of Overstock's merchandise - principally electronics.

*Purchase gift certificates or gift cards -

One way by which to avoid having to worry about whether or not your gift will be liked or wanted is to purchase a gift card or gift certificate to a store near the recipient's home. You are able to control the amount of money you spend on a gift card or gift certificate. If you don't know what store the person for whom you are purchasing the gift would want to shop at, you can always purchase a Visa, Master Card or American Express gift card that works just like a prepaid credit or debit card.

By taking the time to ensure that the gifts you purchase can be returned or exchanged, or that the products have a suitable warranty, you can make the Christmas gift giving process much more pleasant for yourself and the people for whom you buy gifts. Don't assume that policies are as consumer-friendly as they used to be. Beware, too, of non-return policies on sale merchandise. Remember, if you don't want to have to worry about if or how well a gift is liked, you can always purchase a gift card.