Joy of Christmas

From the CD you can’t stand to the sweater that’s three sizes too small, all sorts of unwanted presents are headed back to the stores this week.

The refund counter at the Kearny Mesa Wal Mart was bustling today with people returning almost everything you can think of.

As the returns pile up, store employees are noticing some trends.

“A lot of electronics, a lot of toys,” one employee said.

Manager Dawn Ginn says house wares in particular are high on the list of unwanted gifts this year.

“Some of the appliances, toaster ovens, blenders,” she said.

But shopper Richard Peterson thinks he knows the most returned item of all.

“I’d have to say clothes,” he said. “People buy for people and it’s not the right size or it’s not their style.”

And he’s absolutely right. According to a leading retail research firm, apparel accounts for about 65 percent of the items returned after the holidays. Electronics are a distant second at seven percent, followed by house wares at five percent.

Overall, Americans are returning much less than we used to. Ten years ago, nearly 40 percent of holiday presents got taken back. This year, it’s expected to be just 14 percent. It’s the result of stricter return policies, and the booming popularity of gift cards that ensure you’ll never give an unwanted present.

Even so, the folks at Wal Mart have their work cut out for them as they process mountains of gifts that didn’t quite work out.

“Hopefully we’ll have it all back on the shelves by New Year’s,” Ginn said.

Retail analysts say gift cards account for about 15 percent of all holiday spending. The average card has a value of $35.

Comments are closed.