If You’re Returning Gifts, Know the Rules

As Christmas winds down, your family may be setting some gifts aside to be returned. It happens to us all. And some stores prep by stacking up 12-packs of Coke and making a maze, anticipating an onslaught of returns. They want to keep the lines orderly as we stand there waiting to exchange a bad sweater.

If you have items to return, it's important to know the rules. Some stores have tightened their return policies.

At Target, the return window for electronics is now 30 days instead of 45. So if someone bought you the gift on November 30th, the window is almost closed. You'll have to have it returned by Sunday.

The Today Show says Sears has a 15 dollar restocking fee if an item has been used or has missing parts.

Many stores won't accept a return without a receipt. By the same token, if you have the receipt, it can make the return simple and painless.

Some companies will take online purchases back at the stores. Others like Oldnavy.com, Gap.com, and BananaRepublic.com say you have to mail the item back.

We hope you enjoy all of your gifts and don't have to bother with returns, but we thought we'd offer a few helpful tips just in case that gift from Grandma wasn't exactly what you had in mind.

We're betting Broadway Square Mall and all the big stores will be packed again the day after Christmas. Does the holiday shopping season ever really end?