Media Contact: Janet C. Hart, APR, CFEE (704) 927-617 office
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – It happens every year, you get or
give one or more gifts that just aren’t quite right. You can either re-gift the present or you can
return or exchange it for something more appropriate. A survey by The National
Retail Federation showed that more than one in three consumers (37.6 percent) are
expected to return at least some portion of their holiday gifts.
The same survey indicated that nearly three in ten
(29 percent) consumers don’t carefully read return and exchange policies when
making a purchase in a store or online. “Not every retailer has the same return
policy and some establishments even implement separate policies around special
sales and holidays,” said BBB President Tom Bartholomy. “We encourage you to
carefully read and make sure you understand any and all policies that come with
your purchases.”
The
BBB has the following advice for holiday shoppers about returns and exchanges:
- Make sure you keep receipts. If you are giving the
purchase as a gift, ask for a gift receipt and enclose it with the present.
- Read the retailer’s return policy before you
purchase products. Make sure you understand whether you, or the recipient of
your gift, can get a refund, exchange or store credit for unwanted merchandise.
Also, if returns are permitted, ask what procedures and timeframe need to be
followed.
- Understand what the return policies are for on-sale
and clearance items, which may be different than merchandise sold at full
price.
- Don’t remove electronics or similar products from
their boxes before wrapping because the original packaging may be required for
a return.
- Some merchants charge a restocking or "open
box" fee for returns of electronics products or large-ticket items. Make
sure you know if the store has such a charge.
- Be sure to look for return policies when buying
online or from catalogs. Sometimes merchandise can be returned to a store or
you may be charged a shipping fee to return or exchange an item.
For
more information, please visit www.bbb.org or
call the BBB at (704) 927-8617 or toll-free in N.C. and S.C. at
1-877-317-7236.
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