Post-Christmas Gift Returns May Come With Strict Policies

Maybe one of those present you opened Christmas morning wasn't exactly what you wanted. 

Ugly holiday sweaters, the wrong toy and yet another boring tie. It's no wonder that two-thirds of people return at least one holiday gift. Before you head out to the store or post office to make those exchanges, you should know that return policies vary dramatically, depending on the retailer.

GoBankingRates ranked 50 retailers and said that the best ones offer generous return windows of 90 days; accept returns without receipts; and provide satisfaction guarantees. The top three were: Nordstrom, Costco and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Many of the big ones have return policies that apply to certain items. Kohl's added a deadline of January 31st for "premium electronics"; Toys"R"Us imposes a 30-day return period for computer hardware. 

Target, Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us now have new, short return periods of two weeks to 30 days for drones. 

For the online behemoth Amazon, you have until January 31 for most items shipped the last two months of the year, but there are no refunds on downloads.

Overstock also gives you until Jan 31 for most items purchased Nov. 1 or later - fees apply if opened, used, or late.