Not all holiday gifts are winners.
Many spent plenty of time shopping for the perfect holiday gifts, but what happens if what you give or get, isn’t quite right?
NBC 5 Responds has tips to navigate those post-holiday returns, refunds and exchanges.
Don’t feel bad if the gift you give or receive isn’t perfect. Forty percent of people say they’ll be returning at least one gift this holiday.
To save your loved ones time and future frustration, it is important to check the return policy before you buy.
“Every retailer has their own policy, but many extend the window through the end of January, effectively giving recipients a month to return or exchange once they've gotten their gift,” said Samantha Gordon with Consumer Reports.
Here's a look at the deadlines for major retails this holiday season:
Local
Walmart
Walmart is allowing most items purchased between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 to be returned until Jan. 31.
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Target
Over at Target, you’ll have through Jan. 24 to return electronics and entertainment items.
Best Buy
At Best Buy, make sure your returns are processed by Jan. 13.
Amazon
Holiday gifts purchased from Amazon will need to be returned by Jan. 31.
A few more tips?
“If you’re not sure you’ll keep a gift, don’t remove tags or rip the box! You might incur a restocking fee, which could be up to 15 percent of what you paid if the packaging isn’t intact – that’s especially common for electronics,” said Gordon.
And for items purchased online, some stores allow you to make your return in-person at their physical store. You can avoid shipping and restocking fees by doing this.
And don’t lose that gift receipt. Of course, if you don't have one, you can still ask for a refund, or even store credit.
