You’ve taken stock of your holiday gifts and found some to be lacking. Instead of letting them collect dust until they become regifts, you can likely return them and use the store credit to get something you like.
In fact, many retailers extend their return deadlines after the holidays so that recipients of unwanted gifts have plenty of time to return them. You may not even need a gift receipt. While each retailer will have its own policies, keep these general guidelines in mind.
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You probably have more time to return gifts than you think. A 30-day return deadline is pretty standard — for most of the year. Around the holidays, though, many major retailers extend their return deadlines through January for gifts purchased in November and December. So, even if the person who gave you the dinosaur onesie bought it on Cyber Monday, you may still be able to return it in January, more than a month later.
Here are some of the 2017-2018 holiday season return deadlines for major retailers:
— Amazon: Jan. 31 for orders shipped between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31.
— Best Buy: Jan. 14 for orders placed between Oct. 29 and Dec. 30.
— Gap: Jan. 15 for orders placed between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24.
— Kmart: Jan. 31 for orders placed between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24.
— Kohl’s: No deadline for most merchandise. (Jan. 31 for certain electronics purchased between Nov. 1 and Dec. 25.)
— Macy’s: Jan. 31 for orders placed between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31.
— Overstock.com: Jan. 3 for orders placed between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24. (Jan. 25 for orders placed between Nov. 1 and Dec. 25.)
— Toys R Us: Jan. 28 for orders placed between Sept. 1 and Jan. 28.
— Walmart: Jan. 25 for most orders placed between Nov. 1 and Dec. 25. (Jan. 10 for select electronics.)
You may not need a gift receipt or packing slip. If you lost the gift receipt or packing slip for the giant teddy bear (or the giver believed you’d treasure it forever and therefore didn’t include a gift receipt), hope is not lost. Some major retailers won’t require a receipt when you return an item. For example:
— Amazon allows you to call its customer service line (1-888-280-4331) and provide information such as the sender’s name and shipping address to locate the order. With the order number retrieved, you can process your return via Amazon’s online returns center, print a shipping label and, once your return is processed, receive an Amazon gift card to your account. Some Amazon sellers, however, may require you to return your order with original packaging and accessories and will deduct value from your refund if any aren’t included.
— Bed Bath & Beyond will accept returns without a gift receipt if you can provide the credit card or debit card number used for the purchase or the order number. If you don’t want to ask Grandma for her credit card number or can’t find the order number, Bed Bath & Beyond may offer you an in-store merchandise credit for the current selling price of your item, minus 20 percent.
— Target will allow you to return a gift without a gift receipt. However, instead of a Target gift card (the usual form your refund will take), you’ll receive your refund in the form of a merchandise-return card. This is less flexible than a gift card, as it can be used only in store, not online.
— Walmart can process a return at its customer service desk, even if you don’t bring a gift receipt or original packing slip. Provide other information about the order, such as the order number or the sender’s email address.
You probably won’t get cash back. Retailers will generally process your refund in the form of store credit or a store gift card, so you won’t walk out with cash for your returned item. REI has a particularly convoluted returns process that issues refunds as mailed checks.
The only way to possibly get cash back for your item is to provide the original receipt, not the gift receipt. However, even if you’re willing to have that awkward conversation with whoever gave you the unwanted lace placemats, some stores will still process the refund only to the original method of payment — your aunt’s credit card, in other words, not cash in your pocket.
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Returns aren’t always accepted by mail. Prefer to ship the item back instead of waiting in line at the customer service desk the day after Christmas? You may have to brave the lines, as some retailers won’t accept gift returns via mail — even if that crystal elephant sculpture was ordered online. For example:
— Target designates some items as returnable only in store. If you received such an item, it will be labeled as such on the packing slip.
— Walmart does not do refunds or exchanges for gifts by mail, period. You’ll have to go to the store.
Also note that some retailers won’t cover return shipping, meaning you’d be footing the bill to send the item back. So, to get the full value of the gift as a return, you’ll need to get in line at the store with everyone else who got faux fur throw pillows for Christmas.
Companies and products mentioned in this article may be promoted on www.offers.com.
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Your Guide to Returning Holiday Gifts originally appeared on usnews.com
