Yes, it’s that time of year again, when people whine about how many people in our lives are important enough to us that we are obligated to give them gifts. Plenty of gift items seem like neutral gifts that just about anybody would like. They are not. Before you choose any of these default gifts, stop and think about what you’re doing, and whether the person will really like it. [More]
holiday gifts
Should I Test My Kid’s PS4 Before Gift-Wrapping It? Yes.
By 11.22.13
Reader J. was upset to read our post about a reader whose new PlayStation 4 was dead on arrival, and to learn that he wasn’t the only one. She ordered one from Amazon for her kid for Christmas, and had planned to leave it sealed up and hidden away until December 25th. “What if it’s one of the duds?” she wrote. “Should I open it and test it now? I really didn’t want to give him an opened box…” [More]
Best Buy Screws Up Gift Return, Causes Family Awkwardness
By 1.3.12
Whenever we post a Best Buy story, commenters scold the tipster: don’t they read the site? They should have known better than to shop at Best Buy in the first place! It’s impossible (I hope) to blame Todd, though–his mother-in-law bought him a gadget gift there. A car dock for the wrong type of smartphone, along with a gift receipt. This should have been a smooth and simple transaction, right? Of course not. [More]
Watch Out For Stricter Post-Holiday Return Policies This Year
By 12.22.09
If part of your plans this week involve trading in some of your holiday gifts for sweet, sweet cash, you may need to plan ahead. According to the National Retail Federation, 17% of stores have tightened their return policies since the end of last year. What should you know before you try to bring back that magenta scarf or duplicate toy? [More]
