The holiday season has just passed. You are sitting in your living room sipping coffee looking at the heaps of glossy wrapped boxes and packages, which reminds you of another heap of similar packages already stored in your bed trunk. And you wonder what to do with the gifts that repeat themselves or don’t necessarily require a place in your lifestyle.
Gifts, no matter how good they make you feel at the moment you receive them, sometimes turn into an accumulation of goods you won’t need shortly. The boxes of floating candles that seem to spiral their number every Christmas or those oversized turtleneck sweaters that you are never going to wear; all these gifts that you don’t require for some of the other reason. The moment you come to know this precisely is the first best moment you decide to return these gifts. But before you do, remember this.
Avoid Taking Out The Packaging Labels or Tags
If you are unsure of whether you would be keeping the gift with you or not, it’s a good idea to avoid unwrapping it. Be it a box of borosilicate glasses you’re not going to use or a pack of socks you’re not going to wear; it’s wiser to let the labels and tags stick around so as not to add doubt in the minds of the shopkeepers. Especially in case of items like music CDs, DVDs, remote control gadgets etc., these are usually non-returnable once opened. Of course, if the item has been opened and found to be defective or damaged, it can always be exchanged for a fitter version. Or, if you’re lucky, you might even get money back. In that case, it’s totally cool to treat yourself or maybe even take some time to find the perfect gift for your loved one.
Arrange The Receipt
If the receipt is already included in the gift, well and good. However, if it is not along with the package, don’t hesitate to ask the gift giver about it. Many traders, including most brands and big marketplaces, don’t allow returning gifts without official receipts. This is to prevent fraudulent shoppers. Therefore, before you approach the merchant to exchange or return your holiday gifts, you do carry the receipt of the same. If the gift has been purchased online or shipped from some other country, you might also require communicating via email with your identity proof documents.
Now, if you are planning to exchange or return gifts only to the gift giver or a person in your circle, any time convenient to you is a perfect time. However, if the gifts are to be returned to the market or shop, time does matter too — a lot.
Check The Guidelines in Return Policy
Nearly every gift product comes with a return or exchange policy. If you can’t see that within your gift pack, you might want to check with the gift giver or the merchant itself. Once you have the guidelines, check out the period within which you can cast out a gift return. This is precisely the easiest of ways you can determine the best time to return your Christmas gift.
Return As Soon As Possible
Perhaps the moment you decide that you don’t want to keep the gift, you should contact the shopkeeper immediately via phone. Although most gifting portals have a return deadline extended till the holiday season, many companies do end theirs early on, maybe at the end of December or mid-January. Top retailers usually have a clear return timeline which you can verify during the holidays as well.
