Duplicate/Unwanted Xmas gifts...

Jorumian

Facilitator
Sep 1, 2008
347
3
0
Birkenhead
I'm sure over the years we have all received a gift at one time or another that someone else has already given us, or we've purchased for ourselves, or a gift that is so unutterably dreadful that we cannot wait for the shops to open again on Boxing day to try and change it for something less embarassing, such as the "Best of Des O'Connor CD".

However often the gifts we receive that we don't need or want do not come with any proof of purchase and because we didn't buy them, we can't prove on our credit card statement that we did. Plus it is a little embarrassing to ask the person who got it for you if they still have the receipt.

I was wondering, if there is any law applicable in this area as regards the return and replacement of gifts?

I have had to return gifts several times to shops when I have no evidence that I bought it there and I have always been able to exchange the item for something else from the shop, either of equivalent value or more expensive and I've made up the difference out of my own pocket.

I am no expert on the legal side of things as regards this but there are a few simple measures you can take that, I have found, ensure that any unwanted gifts can be exchanged with the minimum of fuss.

- Always keep the item in it's original wrapping. This is especially key for DVD's, CD's, Computer Games etc. which must not be opened to be returned. Every item I have returned has been unopened, which means the cellophane covering is intact, price tags are still on (if still there) and all tags etc are still attached to clothing. I know it is somewhat stating the obvious but because my dear daughter opened both her copies of Cooking Mama on the DS last year, she was unable to swap it for a game she didn't have.

- If you don't know where the item came from, look around. Last year I received a book I already had from a relative. I had no idea where they bought it from for me so I took it into WH Smiths. The book there however was on offer in the post Xmas sales and I was only able to exchange it for half of it's original cost. Whereas if I'd gone to Waterstones I'd have been able to exchange it for items at it's rrp. What irked even more is that when I spoke to my relative a few months later about the book, she informed me she'd got it from Waterstones! The post Xmas sales can affect the price of what you get for exchanging so sometimes it is worth looking around if you genuinely don't know where an item came from. If you do know where an item came from, via a price tag or label then obviously you should take it there. Shops can and will refuse to take back goods that have clearly not been sold there.

- Dont be tempted to mess with them. The item needs to be in pristine condition. grubby fingermarks, half a litre of turkey gravy and a cigarette burn in that white jumper will mean that you are not going to have any luck swapping it.

- If I can I always take the item back to the shop using a carrier bag from the shop if I have one. There is no reason for this, but it just makes it look much more like a legitimate return.

- Try and do it when the shop is not incredibly busy. An assistant will be liable to help you out much more if they do not have a queue snaking around the shop.

- Don't expect your money back. If you don't have a receipt or proof of purchase then the best you can hope for is to exchange it for something from the shop. Even if you do have a receipt it can be problematic if the person has paid using a debit or credit card as some places refund the money back to the card, and if you have not bought the item, you will not have the card with you! If you really can't find anything in the shop to exchange it for, then ask if you can have a gift card or voucher for the shop to the equivalent value of the item so you can keep it to spend when they do have something you want.

- Be honest. When I've changed some items that I have no idea where they have come from, I have said precisely that to the shop assistant. I usually say something along the line sof "I was given this as a gift by my relative... I already have it but I have no idea where she got it from. I think it was here but I am not sure, could I possibly exchange it for something else?" I've never been refused yet even when the shop wasn't certain they'd sold the item.

I've only really posted this with it being near Xmas and the likelihood of duplicates does increase markedly this time of the year. I also know some people feel embarrassed about returning items to the shop. My wife is a prime example, indeed many of the items I have returned have been hers, however there is no great dilemma here. I've found shops very helpful in dealing with genuine gift returns.