Do you think you will be returning any gifts this holiday season? Over 75 percent of consumers plan to return some of their gifts this season. Nearly 20 percent expect to return more than half, according to a survey by Oracle.
Dan Rice, Professor of Marketing at LSU, says what this trend means is that shoppers are now looking for stores with good return policies.
"It seems to be a trend," Rice said. "You don't have to hide it quite as much anymore, and I think people, just in general got that mindset that we try to do our best when we are choosing for others but it may not work out."
Rice says it is particularly hard when you are buying items online, for example clothing to have it on hand in person and then realize it wasn't what you though it was when it gets here.
"Part of the reason that retailers are starting to adjust to this is that it takes some of the stress of buying gifts for others and adds a benefit if they have a more flexible return policy, because you know that if a person doesn't like it, they have more flexibility in returning it, and that might be part of what's leading to this trend," Rice said. "You ultimately want the person to be happy with the gift that you get them, but if they are not you'd like them to be happy with whatever they choose to get."