What you need to know about making returns this holiday season

Retail stores brace for holiday gift returns

If you're planning on returning a gift you received this holiday season, you probably aren't alone. FOX 5's Ayesha Khan shares how retail stores are prepping for holiday return season.

Christmas has come and gone, but the holiday shopping season is far from over as stores get ready for some of the biggest return days of the year.

Many stores will have a stricter return policy this holiday season. Retailers say that's because they have experienced return fraud in the past year.

More than half have cited returns of used, non-defective merchandise, also known as wardrobing, while others have cited the return of shoplifted or stolen merchandise.

Consumer expert Martine Paris says this year, you’ll probably see more people returning at the stores because a lot of retailers are no longer doing free online returns anymore.

"They are anticipating a lot of returns this year and what they are anticipating is people who shop online who like to bundle on their purchases especially clothing, like if you buy a number of items, you’re not going to keep everything and returns cost the retailers a lot of money, so they are trying to raise the fees online," says Paris.

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Many retailers are widening the window for shoppers to make a return. So, if you bought things between early November through Christmas Eve, you may have until the end of January to return or exchange them.