Shoppers navigate post-Christmas holiday returns rush

As Christmas presents are being opened, some of you may not be so thrilled with what you got and are looking to make a return.

Thursday marks the start of the returns rush this year.

“I wanted to get it off the shelf right now. I didn’t want it clogging up the house," Stephanie, from Vernon, said.

Stephanie made her way to the Shops at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor the day after Christmas. She wanted to return some clothes she got for the holiday that didn’t quite fit, and found no hassle doing so.

“There were no problems. Everybody was nice. There was no inconvenience at all. They were just great,” she said.

The same went for Angela Williams, of Hartford, who wanted something different.

“Just went in there. Told them I wanted to return something, and it was OK,” she said.

It’s the now the season of returns for all those gifts that people might not really want or need, including clothes.

“It don’t fit or something like that. Somebody might buy a pair of boots or something that just don’t fit right,” Daniel Noone, of East Windsor, said.

The amount and ease of returns is no surprise for customers this season.

The National Retail Federation projects nearly $900 billion worth of goods will be returned this year and 68% of retailers surveyed say they are prioritizing upgrading their returns capabilities, which the federation says improves customer experience.

It’s an experience Stephanie said she’s giving a thumbs up for.

“Don’t have any hesitation. People were very kind. There was no impediment,” she said.

But if returns aren’t in the cards, there’s always the option of regifting those unwanted presents.

“I’d probably just give it to someone else and say, ‘I thought of you this Christmas season. Here you go. Have at it. Go nuts,'” Noone said.