YONKERS, NY – Returning that unwanted gift may be more difficult this season as some store return policies have become stricter. Many retailers have become more persnickety about receipts.  Some charge fees for restocking and open boxes or missing packaging.  And those addicted to returning, especially without a receipt, may be stuck with their gift.  That’s because some retailers including Kmart, Lowe’s, and Wal-Mart, now use computer systems to monitor how often a customer return items without a sales slip and may stop accepting those returns. 

The January issue of Consumer Reports offers the following tips to ensure a happy return this season:

1. Check the policy.  Some stores have more generous return policies for goods purchased at holiday time.  Checking the store’s Web site, calling its customer service line or visiting the local store directly are the best ways to determine if a gift can be returned or not.

2. Handle with care.  Retailers are less likely to take back items that are damaged or have missing tags or packaging.  Amazon.com will not accept returns of items that are missing the serial number or UPC square on the box.  Best Buy and Circuit City charge a 15 percent restocking fee on some electronic items if the box has been opened; however, consumers should not have to pay that fee if the item was defective when it was unwrapped.

3. Bring the receipt.  Having the receipt will likely ensure that a consumer receives credit for the item’s full value.  Without a receipt, a retailer may only credit a consumer with the lowest recent price or simply deny the return altogether.

4. Go to the right place.  Some stores will take back items that were purchased online or over the phone.  Consumers opting to return items via mail should make sure they have the correct address specified by the retailer.

5. Set the record straight.  Some retailers monitor returns.  If a consumer’s return is inexplicably denied, it may have been incorrectly flagged by a store’s computer as “return fraud.”  Consumers might be able to resolve the matter by e-mailing the Return Exchange, a company that monitors returns for retailers, at returnactivityreport@thereturnexchange.com.

The full report is available in the January 2008 issue of Consumer Reports, which is available wherever magazines are sold.  Portions of the story are available for free online at https://www.ConsumerReports.org.