Holiday season means extended time for product returns

Reporter: Andrea Guerrero
Published: Updated:
FILE – Black Friday shoppers wearing face masks wait in line to enter a store at the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, Calif., Friday, Nov. 27, 2020. Retailers are expected to usher in the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, with bigger crowds than last year in a closer step toward normalcy. But the fallout from the pandemic continues to weigh on businesses and shoppers’ minds. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, File)

Shopping for Christmas gifts early this season probably saved you a lot of money and stress, and your loved ones heartache this holiday season. But returning some of those items might prove difficult.

Some stores’ return policies can change around the holiday season. We haven’t even opened our gifts yet but some of us already know the gift we’re going to take back. You know the one.

But can you, and is it worth it?

Whether it’s the gift you give or the one you get, dealnews.com recommends bringing everything you can with you

Tags, the item, the actual or gift receipt, and if you can, the original payment method.

Some stores offer extended holiday returns for things purchased October through December or even January.

Consumer analyst with dealnews.com, Julie Ramhold, said, take a look at the store’s normal return policy. Some rules may change depending on the item. “Especially when it comes to things like electronics, the return window tends to be shorter. So if you just bought a new tablet, or a new smartphone, or a new TV, or something like that, and you think you may end up needing to return it, it’s really important to know how much time you’ve got to do so because very often it’s like two weeks”

The store employees are getting a lot of returns this time of year.

Just being nice could be the difference between getting your money back or store credit.

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