Flood of holiday gift returns starts today Returns continued on A5

Tips to navigate the hassle of exchanging or seeking a refund.

As many of you already know — sadly — not every holiday gift can be the perfect gift.

And today marks the start of the post-holiday season in which millions of American consumers start returning those imperfect gifts in exchange for more perfect ones — or for cash or store credit. Last year, the National Retail Federation estimated that $72 billion worth of holiday merchandise would be returned, or slightly more than 10 percent of retailers’ total holiday sales.

This holiday season, a whopping 77 percent of consumers surveyed earlier this year said they plan to return at least some of their gifts, according to a release from the database-software company Oracle. About 20 percent of respondents said they expect to return more than half of their presents.

While nearly one-third of the 15,800 consumers surveyed indicated they plan to send back their unwanted gifts via mail, about two-thirds intend to return presents to a bricks-and-mortar store, Oracle officials said.

Either way t he g ifts are returned, consumers will confront a dizzying array of policies set by retailers and shipping companies, some intended to make returns easier and inspire consumer loyalty, others designed to protect businesses from fraud.

Many retailers adjust their normal return policies this time of year to make them more lenient, or to at least extend the time

period during which returns will be accepted after the sale. This allows gifts purchased in November to be returned until mid- to late-January, well beyond the normal return deadline in some cases, according to Consumer World. So even if you think you have missed a return deadline, it never hurts to ask.

In its 16th annual survey of return policies, ConsumerWorld.org also found that retail stores continue to “slice and dice” their policies, creating complicated rules for different categories of items. Electronic items may be subject to shorter return periods than other items, such as clothing, ConsumerWorld. org officials said.

That’s certainly the case at Kohl’s, which allows customers to return gifts and merchandise within a rather generous window of about six months (180 days) from the date of purchase — with the exception of premium electronics, which must be returned within 30 days from the date of purchase with original packaging and a receipt, according to the company’s web site.

At Best Buy, most purchases made between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 have an extended return period through Jan. 14, 2020. But that extended window does not apply to cell phones and cell tablet devices, which have a 14-day return window, nor does it apply to major appliances, which have a 15-day return window, according to Best Buy’s web site.

And chances are, you had a gift or 10 delivered via Amazon this year without knowing precisely what its return policies are. In general, most items shipped via Amazon between Nov. 2 and Dec. 31 can be returned through Jan. 31. Certain return packages are eligible to be dropped off at an Amazon Hub Locker, several of which are located throughout the Miami Valley, including the Amazon-owned Whole Foods store on State Route 725 in Washington Twp.

If the hub-locker option is available, customers will see the option on Amazon’s Online Returns Center (www. amazon.com/returns) when they type in the order number for the item. Customers will choose a locker location and receive a Locker dropoff code via e-mail they can use to return the item at the locker hub for pickup.

Shoppers might be better off waiting a day or two beyond today to return gifts, ConsumerWorld.org officials suggest.

“Don’t fight the crowds on the return lines the day after Christmas; grab some of the advertised bargains instead,” the organization said in a release.

“Go back a day or two later.”