The Perils of Returning Gifts Made Easy

Now that the holidays are wrapping up, it’s time to redeem all those gift cards and burn through the new cash. But what do you do about all those reindeer sweaters and gold-toed tube socks? Should you return them or shove them unused in the back of your drawer, only to be pulled out when the grandmother or aunt shows up for the next family gathering?

Returning gifts can be a tricky path to navigate. But in my experience, despite any trepidation about hurt feelings, it’s always better to just return the item.

First and foremost, the person got you a gift because he/she was thinking of you. They didn’t deliberately give you something you wouldn’t like. So my policy is firm—always return for something I will enjoy.

Therefore, the tact doesn’t lie in whether to return or not. Rather, it lies in how you respond when the giver excitedly asks where the offending sweater is. For clothes, saying it didn’t quite fit right is always a great out. For other items, I like to pull the “I already have something so similar” excuse. Chances are the person knows you’re fibbing, but you get what you really want and the person’s feelings are left intact.

Secondly, if you do choose to keep the gift, it’s just going to go to waste. Keeping something hanging in your closet to collect dust is not what the person had in mind. I’m sure they would be much more upset to find their money and efforts gone to waste than finding out you returned the gift.

There is one snag, though, that “returners” commonly run into. Depending on the item and the store, you might only be able to redeem store credit rather than straight cash. This is fine in and of itself, but you often get credit in the amount of the current worth of the item. Since many things go on sale directly after the holidays, you probably won’t get the full value the person paid. Either wait until the item is back to full price or take the credit while everything else is on sale!

While returning can feel like dangerous ground sometimes, try to put yourself in the giver’s shoes. Would you really be that offended if somebody returned your gift?

by Liz Herrin