Unwanted Holiday Gifts And Many Happy Returns!

The trend: The gifts have all been opened, and despite the best of intentions you find yourself with items that don't fit, don't work or you simply don't like. The week after Christmas is one of the busiest weeks of the retail year as 58.6% of consumers will return or exchange unwanted gifts after the holidays according to the National Retail Foundation. And returns and exchanges can be a hassle for everyone-customers and merchants, alike.

Stacy DeBroff, President and Founder of Mom Central and www.momcentral.com, offers her best tips for returning or exchanging those unwanted or damaged gifts:

SAVE EVERY RECEIPT: CREATE A HOLIDAY FILE

Always print your online receipts. If you cannot find the receipt, check your email for the confirmation sent to you at the time of purchase.

Keep all gift receipts on items from others ~ For online returns, keep the packing slip and the original box the gift came in (as it will best fit it's unique shape).

Watch when opening presents: gift receipts often get thrown out in the pile-up of wrapping paper and boxes.

MAKE BACKUP COPIES OF RETURN FORMS & RECEIPTS

Make a copy of the return form and receipt so you have a copy if something goes awry

DON'T BREAK THE SEAL ON ELECTRONICS OR GADGETS YOU DON'T WANT

For electronics, computer items toys, gadgets, or DVDs you know you don't want, keep the manufacturer's seal intact for easier returns ~ Many merchants charge a hefty restocking fee for opened items. Many online merchants now charge a restocking fee for returned merchandise. Fees as high as 15 to 20% of the purchase price used to be common when returning opened items, but now many online retailers charge fees from 10 to 15% even for unopened items.

RETURN ONLINE GIFTS TO BRICK & MORTER STORES

Many online retailers accept returns in their physical stores, so you can save on the hassle of return shipping and also have the ability to shop around to pick out an exchange item

EXPENSIVE ITEM OR KEY LEAVE BEHINDS BY VISITING GUESTS?

Nothing like returning a $300 electronic item or a wallet left behind by a relative and worrying about it making it to its destination ~ Send valuables via a service such as FedEx so that you can track them and ensure that they arrive safely at their destination

LIMITED TIME ON RETURNS

Be sure to check to see if there's a limited time on returns- it's often 30 days, but may run from the date of purchase!

Electronics in particular may have an even shorter returns window ~ Some stores limit returns to only seven days after the holidays!

WHO PAYS FOR ONLINE RETURNS: YOU OR THE ONLINE RETAILER?

The retailer should always pay if an item arrives broken or damaged ~ Check the returns policy, as many retailers will cover the cost of exchanges but not returns

UNWANTED GIFT CARD? SWAP!

Tons of sites online like swapagift.com enable swapping for gift cards at other retailers ~ But be aware of gift cards expiration dates and any exchange fees!

Beware of sale adjustments

If a gift item bought at regular price goes on sale after the holidays, make sure you get a credit or refund for the purchase amount

TOO MANY RETURNS CAN and WILL be held against you

You can get blacklisted by retailers for too many returns. If you make repeated returns or exchanges to a participating merchant, often just three in a given month, the retailer can refuse the return as potentially fraudulent.

More than a dozen leading retailers use an outside tracking system, The Retail Exchange, to keep tabs on the frequency and dollar amount of your returns, along with whether you have a receipt. The system is able to send an alert to the cashier that will reject your return. So you may have the terrible surprise, and then hassle, of having to get yourself off the list.

USE ONLINE RETURNS FORMS

Take the packing slip that came with your gift and enter the order number online with return and exchange details.

Usually found on a merchant's online site, these detail return policies and instructions on how to ship it back to the online store

TOO MUCH OF A HASSLE OR CANNOT TO RETURN SOMETHING?

Gift arrives with no gift receipt? Many online sites have restrictive return policies that require receipts, or that issue deeply-discounted store credit for items returned without a proof of purchase. Some alternatives: add them to your gift closet (nothing like re-gifting!), consider selling them on ebay, or donate them to a local charity and pay your gift forward.