Avoiding the pitfalls of shopping this holiday season (reading return policy)

Have you compiled your list?
Do you know what stores you will be camping outside Friday morning?

Before you make any purchase in-store or online, make sure you have read up on retailer’s return policy.
Yes. Many well known retailers want to make certain that the sales remain with the company. This means that returns are going to be harder and most importantly they will cost YOU money.

As a consumer you should pay particular attention to the following points within retailers’ return policies. I would suggest even asking to see the fine print of the return policies before handing over the credit card or cash. Here are just of the few things you will want to check for:

• Restocking fees (particularly on electronics or special-order items, which may range from 10%-40%)
• Limited time frame for returns
• Store credit-only on merchandise that was originally paid for with cash or credit card
• Shipping cost for returning items purchased online
• Layaway item return or cancellation fees

Make certain you save your original receipts, and if you are gift-giving, include gift receipts highlighting the expiration date for returning the items.