The Holiday Shopping Season officially started the Friday after Thanksgiving. Shopping for gifts can be great fun or incredibly frustrating. To make the experience a little less stressful, I offer a few tips:

Gift Cards

Gift cards are becoming a preferred present, especially for kids. Gift cards give the recipient control over what they get for the holidays and are easy to wrap! This year, stores have a much larger selection to choose from. But it is important to remember that many cards come with fees and expiration dates. Arizona law requires any gift card subject to an expiration date or fee to have a printed disclosure available to the consumer before the purchase. Terms and fees may be printed on the back of the card. Other times, the store may have this information on a sign at checkout or refer buyers to a Web site. Make sure you understand all the conditions before purchasing.

If the gift card conditions are not clear, you should ask about:

• Service fees: Some stores will charge a fee to purchase the gift card and deduct it from the gift total.
• Expiration dates: Some cards expire a year or less after purchase.
• Dormancy fees: These fees typically kick in if the card is not used within a set time - usually between six months and a year. The fee can be as high as $2 per month.
• Balance/maintenance fee: Like the dormancy fee, this charge applies if the card is used but not exhausted. Typically, the charges kick in every month after a set time when the balance is not used, deducting a percentage of the remaining balance each month.

NOTE: Keep in mind where the gift card can be used. Some companies offer gift cards that can be used at all stores in a particular shopping mall. Other gift cards have major credit card logos on them and are accepted in numerous stores across the country. If the gift card is store-specific, remember to ask whether it can be used for online purchases or in store only.

Accurate Pricing

There are few things more frustrating than discovering that you paid more for an item than you expected. Too many times, the price charged at the register is not the sale price advertised or the price posted on the shelf. Watch carefully when you are checking out at the register. Studies have shown that scanners often ring up the wrong prices.

Please keep these pricing tips in mind:

• Watch the cash register to be sure the scanned price matches the posted or advertised price.
• Check your receipt before leaving the store.
• Bring ads with you to the stores.
• Ask for a refund if you have been overcharged.
• Ask to see the store's pricing error policy, which retailers are required to have in writing.

Restocking Fees

One last tip before you head out to the stores. Some stores will charge you a percentage of the price for “restocking” an item that you return for refund or credit. These fees are normally applied to larger purchases like furniture, electronic equipment or appliances. While most restocking fees are nominal, we have found some in excess of 25%.

A couple of restocking fee pointers:

• Ask at the time of purchase if the store charges a restocking fee (and if so, how much).
• Shop around. Some stores don’t charge a restocking fee.
• If a restocking fee is charged when you return an item, ask to see the restocking policy in writing.

I hope your holiday shopping this year is more fun and less frustrating. Happy Holidays!

Terry Goddard