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How to return unwanted gifts

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Are you scratching your head about what to do with that sinister-looking garden gnome you got from a friend at Christmas?

Or perhaps there’s nothing wrong with the gift you got – you just don’t like it.

There’s no need for it to go to waste. In fact, there are a number of things you can do with it, such as returning it, selling it, re-gifting it or simply giving it away.

RETURNS AND THE LAW

When it comes to returning unwanted gifts to the store, the law is not really on your side.

You’ll have to rely on the goodwill of the store to give you a refund, store voucher or exchange the item.

“Under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), there are only three ways you are legally entitled to return goods: within six months when there is a quality problem; if you bought something through direct marketing, as there’s a five-day cooling-off period; or if there was a supplier error – such as you got the wrong items – in which case you have 10 business days to return them.

"When it comes to buyer’s remorse or gifts you don’t like, you’d have to find out what the store’s returns policy is,” says Rosalind Lake, director of global law firm Norton Rose.

The good news is that there are stores that do accept returns, usually with a proof of purchase.

The CPA doesn’t specify that you must have a slip, but the high levels of crime in South Africa and the fact that the CPA’s implied warranty is only for six months are reasons for requesting one when exchanging an item, highlights the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud’s website.

Phone ahead to find out what the returns policy of the store in question is, as they may want the item to be in its original packaging too before they accept returns.

If the gift giver has lost the slip, there are other ways to prove the item was bought at a specific store.

“Proof of purchase can be other than a receipt in terms of the common law – for example, a credit card slip or an affidavit,” says Advocate Neville Melville, Consumer Goods and Services Ombudsman.

SELL IT

There are a number of websites, such as Gumtree, OLX or the app Let Go, that allow you to list the unwanted item (in many cases for free) and sell it.

There are Facebook groups that also allow you to advertise goods that you want to sell.

Some are area-specific, so you are more likely to sell the item to someone in your neighbourhood, which could cut out delivery fees. Once you get the cash for the unwanted item, either save it or buy something you really desire.

RE-GIFTING

Re-gifting is a good idea as it saves you from buying a present for someone. So, scroll through your calendar for the birthday dates of your friends or relatives.

Think about who would like the gift the most so that they don’t have to go through the trouble of returning, selling or re-gifting it.

GIVE IT AWAY

If it’s too much effort to sell or re-gift, there are plenty of charities that are crying out for donations that they can sell to raise money for their causes.

Alternatively, instead of throwing it away, get the item recycled.

BE SURE OF YOUR PURCHASE

If you are going to buy a gift for someone, think about their likes and dislikes.

While it’s the thought that counts, it’s usually best to avoid making your friend or relative jump through hoops trying to get rid of something they don’t really appreciate.

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