The holidays are just around the corner, but there are some things you should keep in mind when purchasing presents.
GIFT CARDS
Gift cards are a great gift idea during the holidays, but there are a few things to be aware of:
Retail gift cards sold in Alberta can not have an expiry date and you can’t be charged maintenance or in-activity fees if you don’t use them right away.
The same provincial regulations cover gift certificates, vouchers, or reloadable electronic cards.
However, prepaid cards issued by a financial institution or credit card companies are not covered by the law.
MasterCard, Visa and even shopping mall gift cards have no restriction because they are federally regulated.
Some have a fee to activate them, and if you don’t use them after six months, a maintenance fee is deducted from the value.
Some of these prepaid cards, mostly ones from credit card companies, may not be accepted by some businesses due to a merchant transaction fee that they charge.
REFUNDS
There are no consumer laws in Alberta forcing stores to take something back.
Most do it as a service to customers, but retails set their own policies
Many big box chains issue refunds no questions asked, but other retailers will only exchange items or give you an in-store credit.
Most often, there are time limits for returns and they generally always require the bill or a receipt.
Some stores post their return policies at the entrance, the cash register or print it on the receipt.
Others may not post anything at all, so you should always ask before you pay and get it in writing.
You may also be charged re-stocking fees for big ticket items like electronics, which have to be checked and repackaged before they’re resold
If you put a deposit on an item or put it on lay away it is considered a sale, and some stores may not let you change your mind or give your money back.
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