We’ve all received a gift that wasn’t quite suitable for us. Perhaps it was faulty, didn’t fit us, or we felt it just wasn’t our style. Before you drop it off at a charity shop or leave it gathering dust in your wardrobe, see if you can return or swap it for something you genuinely love and will use.
In this article, we explain:
- Do I always have to have a receipt to return goods?
- Can I always change something if I have a receipt?
- What are the Christmas returns policies for major retailers?
- What are my rights for returning faulty goods?
- Can I return a gift bought online?
- Are there any gifts that you can’t return?
Read more: Consumer rights: How to get your money back
Do you have a gift receipt?
Without proof of purchase, you may not be able to secure a refund as return rights only apply to the person who actually paid for the item.
A receipt can be used for proof of purchase, so check to see if a gift receipt has been included with your present. This is the same as a normal receipt but without the price displayed on it.
If you are the gift giver, remember to get a gift receipt and include it in the present, especially if it is for clothing that may not fit properly.
If there is no gift receipt then ask the gift giver. There are many reasons why you might want to take a gift back – that it was faulty, it didn’t fit or you already have it.
If you simply don’t like it, feel free to use any of those excuses when asking the person who gave you the present for the normal receipt.
Can I always get a return with a receipt?
There is no legal obligation for a store to accept returns of goods unless:
- They are faulty
- Not as described
- Not fit for purpose
- Bought online within a certain time frame (see below)
Most retailers however operate a “goodwill” policy for other returns – as long as you take them back within a certain time, normally 28-30 days.
This is not a legal requirement but if they do operate a returns policy – usually displayed on receipts, in store or online – they must stick to it.
Bear in mind, though, that if you were looking for a refund for an unwanted present, it would go back on the credit or debit card of the person who bought the gift, not yours.
So unless they are with you, you’re most likely to be offered a voucher, credit note or exchange instead.
It helps to have the returns policy to hand just in case. Save a screenshot on your phone or print one off.
However, don’t buy someone clothes assuming that they can always change the size if they don’t fit.
Some shops will make an allowance but they don’t have to – unless they have a published returns policy clearly defining it and therefore a contractual obligation.
Christmas returns policies
The good news is that, after Christmas, many major retailers extend their goodwill policies, allowing more time for people to return unwanted gifts in January.
This goodwill varies between stores. Sometimes you will need to fill out a form before returning the product with proof of purchase for a full refund or an exchange.
Some stores’ policies even run until the end of January however it is likely there will be Ts&Cs attached. In general, items must be:
- Undamaged
- Unused
- Complete with all their original packaging and labels
Stores may insist you must have proof of purchase or you won’t be able to get a refund.
Returning something that’s faulty
If your gift is faulty, you do have comprehensive rights under the Consumer Rights Act.
By law, you can return it within 30 days and receive a full refund.
It is not essential to provide a receipt but you will need some proof of purchase, such as a bank statement that lists the transaction.
Alternatively, if you don’t return the goods in the first 30 days, but find a fault within the first six months, you have to give the retailer a chance to replace it or organise a repair.
If that’s unsuccessful, you are entitled to a full or partial refund.
However, this rule only applies to the person who bought the item. So you may need to ask them to return it for you.
After six months, it’s up to you to prove that the faulty good had that problem at the time you received the product.
Returning a gift bought online
It might surprise you to learn that you have more rights with items bought online than you do if bought in store.
This is because of the Consumer Contracts Regulations, which online purchases fall under.
You have a legal right of 14 days in which to cancel the order after receiving it. You also have a further 14 days to send items back to get a full refund. And that can be for any reason.
Tips on returning items
Keep evidence of transactions, and communications with the company.
Use social media channels like Twitter. Companies put a lot more resources now into social media than phone lines, so you may find you get a quicker response that way.
Stay polite, firm and know the outcome that you want.
If you are still struggling, you could talk to a consumer lawyer or go through a small claims court.
But you have to ask yourself if it is worth it. If you do have a bad experience and a company doesn’t do the right thing, then make sure you leave a review so other people know.
Gifts you can’t return
Many shops will accept returns of non-faulty items, but there are exceptions:
- Perishable goods – such as food and flowers
- If something has been worn. This could be ear-rings, make-up, toiletries, underwear or swimwear
- Package unsealed. Refunds for DVDs, music and computer software that aren’t damaged are at the store’s discretion. And most have rules on opened or damaged packaging
- Personalised gifts that are made-to-measure or marked with your name, initials, dates or images
While legally you don’t have rights to a refund or exchange for the items above, you may find that the retailer has a generous policy. It’s always worth asking.
How to return gifts if the store has gone bust
If a retailer goes bust – or you’ve been given faulty goods – and you’re struggling to secure a refund or exchange, then there is still some protection as long as the gift was bought on a credit card or debit card.
A mechanism called chargeback allows the transaction to be reversed on both types of card.
Meanwhile under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, if you pay for something costing between £100 and £30,000 on a credit card, the card provider is also liable if something goes wrong.
This way, your friend can try to claim the value back from the card firm rather than the retailer.
If, despite your best efforts, you are still stuck with the gift, you could try selling it online or give it to charity. You could even ‘regift’ it next Christmas – just make sure you don’t give it back to the person who gave it to you.
Important information
Some of the products promoted are from our affiliate partners from whom we receive compensation. While we aim to feature some of the best products available, we cannot review every product on the market.
