Brits issued warning over returning Christmas gifts

With Christmas now done for another year many of us will now be rejoicing in our haul for the year.

But others may be facing something of a dilemma as they consider how they are going to return a Christmas gift that they either don't need, or don't want.

It could be that you accidentally received duplicates of the same present, so don't need one.

Or maybe you want an exchange for a different colour.

Then, unfortunately, there are the gifts which you simply do not want anything to do with, and have to sneakily return.

Martin Lewis' MoneySavingExpert has issued some advice over what the rules are when it comes to returning gifts.

And there are a number of conditions which you must meet if you plan on joining the throng to take back your gift.

The first rule is very simple, and that is that legally you do not have any right to a refund or an exchange if an item was bought in a store and it isn't defective in some way.

Karwai Tang/WireImage

So, this is entirely at the discretion of the store if they will issue you a refund or an exchange.

The exception to this is if your gift is faulty or doesn't work, in which case you are due a refund.

But if you simply can't stand the gift then neither you nor the person or bought has any legal right to claim a refund or exchange. Them's the rules.

However, it is worth noting that many places do offer a returns policy where they will accept returns for items in good condition around one month after purchase.

Be warned however, you may have to have an exchange or store credit.

If the gift was bought online, then you do have a right to a refund.

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This lasts for 14 days after the buyer receives the order, with another 14 days to return the item.

Though that might result in awkward conversations with whoever bought the gift.

Finally, while many stores will have a standard of around one month for returns, this could be different over Christmas.

This means that you may have a bit more time over the festive period to return your gift, but it does vary from store to store.

John Lewis for example has given shoppers the chance to return any items bought between 27 September and 24 December by 23 January 2024.

But remember this will depend on the outlet where the gift was bought, so you should check the store's policy before trying to return anything.

Topics: Christmas, News, Shopping, Money, Martin Lewis

Kit Roberts

Kit joined LADbible Group in 2023 as a community journalist. They previously worked for StokeonTrentLive, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Star.