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Here’s the Deal: Last-minute gifts and returns
So, with four days to go until Christmas, are you excited or panicked?
According to a report this week by CNN, as of Tuesday, Dec. 16, 41 million shoppers had yet to even start their holiday spending.
If you are among those who haven’t gotten all (or much) of your shopping done, have no fear. We have compiled a list of quality, last-minute gift ideas that can help you cross those last names off of your Christmas list and give you more time to enjoy that holiday cheer.
And, for help at the end of the week with gifts you received, we have looked into some return policies.
One good idea can go a long way
At this point in the shopping season, you don’t have time to spend hours searching stores for that great idea, but you do have time to think for a few minutes.
Consider what the people on your list like to do. If many of them share interests (as they have you in common), you may be able to buy that same quality gift for many people.
Great books (maybe one of your favorites), framed photographs, novelty items, Christmas ornaments — anything you like that you think others might like as well can be your theme.
An example of this can be seen in the movie “The Family Stone,” when the main character played by Sarah Jessica Parker has an old picture of the family’s mother enlarged and framed for each member of the family.
If it is a good present, it might be nice to share it with many loved ones.
Magazine subscriptions
This is one is great in that it can be purchased as late as Christmas Day if need be, since all you have to wrap is a magazine.
It is inexpensive and accessible, and can be of great value to your recipient.
But just as you have the opportunity to give joy throughout the year, if you choose a magazine that is of little interest to that person, it can serve as a reminder of that blunder as well.
Plant a tree
Be quick and green with this hip idea.
As suggested on About.com, “You could go and plant a tree for a loved one, taking a picture of the event and explaining to them with a small note card why your gift is such an important one.”
Or, you can pay a company like The Conservation Fund (www.conservationfund.org) to do it for you.
Movies/music
The best part about buying DVDs and CDs is that they can be found at multiple locations — including Meijer, Target and Walmart — and are therefore also easy to return.
If you are unsure of your recipient’s taste, buying DVDs is a little safer than buying CDs since movies have more widely accepted approval ratings.
However, if you know you have a music lover on your hands and they own an iPod, giving an iTunes gift card is a good way to go as well.
Gift cards/cash
By now, most of us have heard about the danger of buying gift cards in our shaky economy. But, if done wisely, they can still be good options.
If you decide to go this route, consider purchasing gift cards from larger, more solvent companies, chain restaurants or as prepaid credit cards that can be used anywhere a debit credit card is accepted.
If all else fails, find a nice card and put in some cash. It gets a bad rap for not being a more personal gift, but it brings a smile to most, and is not likely to be returned.
Returns
In case you have an item you want to return, here are some guidelines to help make the process easier.
Procure your receipt.
As noted by the Web site Consumerworld.org, “To improve your chances of getting a full refund, provide a sales slip or gift receipt, and return the item in new condition, unopened, and with all original packaging material.”
Returns without a receipt are still possible at most stores, but are then subject to the retailer’s posted return policy. And the vast majority of stores will at most give a store credit or gift card for returns without a receipt.
Macy’s at the Dayton Mall will only exchange for clothes that have tags, or “tickets,” on them.
The store also, like its mall-mates Sears and Elder-Beerman, prices any item without a receipt at the lowest price that item has ever been offered at the store.
JCPenney will give you credit for the lowest price on that item in the last 30 days.
If you don’t have your receipt for a gift purchased at Kohl’s, you will be offered an even exchange or a store credit. But bring your driver’s license — you will need to show it if you don’t have a receipt.
If you are returning something you purchased on your Kohl’s credit card but don’t have a receipt, the store can credit that back to your card.
Walmart requires receipts and tags for some items — such as apparel, shoes and accessories — while returns without a receipt are possible for other items, including books, movies and video games. Check with the store or Web site for specifics.
Target, Toys R Us and Best Buy are among stores that require a receipt for all returns. The stores recommend getting a gift receipt when you purchase items there.
The true keys to all of these exchanges, however, are patience and knowledge.
The weeks around Christmas are the busiest in the retail world, and it always helps to remember that the stress can run high on both sides of the counter.
Tip of the Week: Price adjustments
Price adjustments are nothing new, but the don’t seem to be as well-known as other return policies.
Price adjustment policies allow shoppers to receive refunds for an item previously purchased at the store that then goes on sale one or two weeks after they’ve purchased it.
With price adjustments, you can still get the difference in cost even if the product has already been opened or worn, as long as you have your original receipt. Some items may be excluded, so it is good to check with the store or Web site before making your purchase.
Some stores will even give you a price adjustment if you buy an item at their store and then find an ad from another store that offers that item for less money.
Last week’s shopper of the week Andrea Deckard reports that she bought “Rock Band” for the Wii video game system at Walmart recently and then her friend saw an ad that had it on sale for $10 less. “So, I’m going back to Walmart to price match it,” she said.
This is also a great trick of the trade if you want to get the bargains but avoid the crowds at next year’s Black Friday.
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