Many happy returns: can you bring back unwanted pressies?
January 4, 2024
Christmas is behind us for another year, but you may be left with presents you don’t want. But do you have any consumer rights when it comes to returning unwanted items received at Christmas, or other times? Let’s take a look.
Gifts bought instore
Businesses are under no legal obligation to take back a Christmas gift you don’t want to keep. Your consumer rights are there to protect you if something goes wrong. These kick in where an item turns out to be faulty, fails to match its description and/or is unfit for purpose. You don’t get to return an unwanted item just because you don’t like it or didn’t want it in the first place!
The good news is that it’s worth checking with the individual business who sold it. It depends on their returns policy and many will allow returns as a gesture of goodwill. Because many stores agree to exchanges, consumers tend to believe that all stores automatically do so and that it is a legal right. This is far from the reality. Even where you have the receipt for the present, it is entirely at the store’s discretion.
Some businesses may offer you a refund in the form of a credit note or gift voucher, rather than giving you your money back. In this case you should carefully read the terms and conditions of the credit note as they may expire.
What if your present was bought online?
You do have wriggle room if that gift you’re dissatisfied with was bought online. You have stronger consumer rights lasting for a limited time only. There is a right to cancel and get a full refund for up to 14 days. This applies 14 days from when your gift was bought, not from when you were gifted it. You are also allowed a further 14 days in which to return the item. This is different from the rules for buying in person to allow you to try on the item or physically test it out yourself.
When returning a gift that was bought online, your rights are the same as the person who made the purchase. Businesses cannot treat you differently because you did not buy it yourself. It’s worth noting though, that the business will usually require proof of purchase.
Learn more about your online shopping rights.
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