Holiday Shopping: Gift Tips and Online Shopping Sites for Wish List Fulfillment
Whether you’re trying to make Santa look good with the best Christmas presents, collecting eight nights worth of Hanukkah gifts or searching for the perfect token to commemorate the Winter Solstice, the holiday shopping frenzy may put a damper on your gift giving cheer. Fortunately, you have access to numerous Web sites that can expedite your holiday shopping experience. Visit sites that can help you choose the perfect gift (and return the less-than-perfect ones), try out alternative gift options, gather tips for surviving Black Friday and get the low-down on shopping online.
Expand All Guide SectionsOnline Gift Shopping
For online gift shopping advice, and general gift-giving information and resources, visit the findingDulcinea Gift Giving Web Guide ... read more »
Easy Holiday Shopping
If you’ve ever been in a mall on the day after Thanksgiving, you probably think the name ... read more »
Returning Gifts
You may be good at pretending to like that sweater your great aunt gave you, but are you good at convincing the salesperson to let you exchange it for one that you might actually wear in public? Returning gifts can be tricky, but whether you’re the giver or the receiver, the sites below can help you find ways to make smooth exchanges that leave everyone (including the retailer) satisfied.
Insights for Returning Gifts
- When shopping online, you must read the fine print. That’s where you’ll locate the information you really need regarding gift returns, such as whether there’s a hidden restocking fee.
- Make sure to note how many days a store allows for returning gifts. If you purchase a gift in advance of an event, it may be unreturnable by the time it’s unwrapped.
Top Sites for Returning Gifts
Bankrate
explains that while purchasing gifts online is significantly easier than bricks-and-mortar shopping, the returns can be a bit trickier. The remedy: “6 tips for returning e-gifts.” Investigate the pitfalls you might encounter and the solutions to employ when gift shopping online.
The Boston Globe
offers “Tips on ensuring many happy returns,” courtesy of Edgar Dworksy, founder of Consumerworld.org. He emphasizes the importance of a receipt when you return an item, even if it’s a gift. To facilitate easy returns, include a gift receipt in the box. He also demystifies a few stores’ return policies, and warns about the possibility of restocking fees.
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