Return Policies Differ Depending On Store

DENVER (CBS4) - Department stores like Nordstrom and Macy's have a standard return policy. Bring in your receipt or a tag from the item and you'll be refunded your money. There's no time limit for returning your purchases.

Almost everything looks pretty in Pink's Boutique in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood, but if you make a mistake when buying, you might be seeing red if you don't familiarize yourself with the return policy.

Owner Roberta Lipshutz says as a small retailer she has to be strict.

"We do exchanges or store credit for ten days, we don't do refunds. The reason is we are constantly changing our merchandise."

Accessories can never be returned or exchanged because she found customers were buying, then wearing the merchandise and trying to return it for cash.

At the White Black Store on Clayton Lane In Cherry Creek North, the return policy is black and white. All returns must be made within sixty days and for a full price refund you need your receipt.

The upscale Andrisen Morton store has the most lenient return policy in the city. Anything goes and anything can be brought back.

Manager John Jaster explains, "If someone brings something in our store and is disappointed, or it's not the right size we just take it back."

Almost everyone has a gift horror story, something well-meant but poorly matched.

Customer Nellie Hayes laughs, "Sometimes my mother will try to shop for shirts for me and they're not exactly my style."

A gift tip for you: at many stores if your item goes on sale and you still have the receipt, you can get a credit for the difference. That's a real holiday present for the buyer.