Return Those Gifts! (and anything else you bought by mistake)
I spent all evening digging Christmas gifts from the hidden spaces. Along the way, I discovered:
- a hose nozzle that didn't fit
- 4 cans of spray paint in the wrong shade
- a gift sweater that makes me look pregnant
- a Toys R Us store credit I thought I lost
Pretty sloppy, huh? I set the items out with an intent to return, but they never made it to my car.
The week after Christmas, some stores loosen their exchange policies. Go ahead--right now--and designate a box for returns. Start adding to it immediately, and continue to throw in any gifts which don't quite work. My mom even tapes the receipt for convenience.
I take a practical approach to gift returns. My house doesn't have space for clutter. If a gift doesn't fit/look good/or is duplicate, I don't see anything wrong with exchanging it for something we will love and use.
Returning my own shopping mistakes at the same time is an added incentive to stand in line.
Do you return gifts, re-gift, or keep them tucked in a closet forever? Do your family members get hurt feelings if you don't put that ceramic Santa Claus statue on display?
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13 Responses to “Return Those Gifts! (and anything else you bought by mistake)”
December 21st, 2009 at 10:11 am
This is especially a good idea since some of the stores limit how many “returns without receipt” that you can do in the course of a year. So doing as many as possible in one trip leaves you some room.
Also, if you’re giving store bought gifts, put a “gift receipt” in that package in case someone needs to return it. That way if they get duplicates, or it has a flaw, or whatever, it can be exchanged with few problems.
December 21st, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Definitely take back anything that won’t “work” in whatever way (fit, style, space, etc)! I used to keep things because I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but then I figured what they really wanted was for me to have something I liked and could use, so now I don’t hesitate to exchange or return for a refund or credit.
December 21st, 2009 at 1:29 pm
We bought shades for this house five years ago, but we never ended up using them. They got stacked out of sight in the back of the garage. This last month we came across them again and figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. We took them back and got full credit, even though the receipt was long gone. That was awesome!
December 21st, 2009 at 11:25 pm
We live so far away from all the stores (at least 45 minutes) that this can become a real problem for me. Sometimes I am tempted to just skip returning some items because it is so much hassle, but I rarely give in to that temptation. Sometimes I will do what Meredith does and go through and gather up every single little thing that I can that needs returned, and then spend a day doing returns. I am always amazed at the money I get back, even when I didn’t think that I had too much invested in things that were being returned. Plus, I think it’s a good idea to practice good stewardship and make sure we’re not wasting the abundance God gives to us. It’s worth the effort!
December 22nd, 2009 at 12:18 am
we keep a return bucket here and gather excess home improvement items, defective items and general returns in it and take everything back in just a few trips a year vs. several times a month (be sure to read the retun policy on the receipt). As far as Christmas presents go I beleive most people want you to have a gift you will use and enjoy- otherwise they should probably skip the gift giving because they are missing the point. I don’t have a problem taking back items and we have taught our children the same. It isn’t about saying you don’t appreciate the gift, but rather it might simply be saying it doesn’t fit, i already have one, it isn’t my style. If you are goning to stuff it in a closet or sell it in a garage sale you might as well and exchange it and get some enjoyment out of it.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:24 am
I never thought of that, returning other things in the house that need to be returned at the same time. Great idea. thanks!
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:39 am
Great reminder! I try to return things that I don’t like/want/need, but sometimes things fall through the cracks and get shoved in the back of the closet for months or years. I’m not above regifting either, though I try to do it discretely.
Not using/displaying gifts offends my family, especially my in-laws, but like you said, my home doesn’t have space for clutter.
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:41 am
We have a family “rule” that anything given to you is for your pleasure, so we don’t ask/expect to see it again. The receiver is free to do whatever they want to with it. (That includes selling it in a garage sale.)
We do regift, and sometimes check to see if another family member can use it to regift (so as to get it farther away from the gift giver).
December 24th, 2009 at 10:27 am
I was a re-gifter before there was a name for it and I am also a returner. I just don’t need things cluttering my house that I don’t love or aren’t useful.
December 27th, 2009 at 3:20 am
Of course, always get your money back! Better than wasted goods
, but it’s easy for me to say that. I have forgotten to take lots of things back in the past and it eventually gets too late…
Also I work online for my job and purchase e-products a few times a year. Sometimes they are just really not worth the cash but most people don’t bother returning them…. The people who create these over-hyped products often bank on this!
December 31st, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I do return gifts, if possible – or eBay them, if it makes more sense. I also – GASP – save it to regift if I know someone it will work for.
January 1st, 2010 at 11:38 am
Yeah, i agree with Brandi that it might very simply by saying gift doesn’t fit, i already have one, it isn’t my style. If you are going to stuff it in a closet or sell it in a garage sale you might as well and exchange it and get some enjoyment out of it.
January 7th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
I could not agree more, in fact I had a box year round in the back of my van for this very thing.
Last week money was extremely tight so I went thru the house and since I had one return to Walmart I checked to see if I had a few others stored away. All the tiny hose nozzle type added up to $28.98 I added $20.00 I had made in babysitting money and we managed to get groceries for yet one more week. If the economy does not let up, next week I might have to go to the food pantry. Which I hear does not offer fruits and veggies so I hope we can get some money in soon. In the mean time I praise God for what he does provide.
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