The most unwanted Christmas presents, from toilet seats to burial plots
The giddy excitement of Christmas Day has now passed, and after the haze of wrapping paper and bows, Britons are now busy enjoying their presents - unless you were on the receiving end of some of the nation’s worst Christmas gifts.
According to research from Which?, one in five Brits have received an unwanted or unsuitable present at Christmas, with some real shockers making the list that clearly was not checked twice by Santa.
The consumer champion surveyed more than 2,000 people and found that just three in 10 (28%) of respondents said they kept the unwanted gift from last Christmas and will use it, while 16% said they kept it but would not use it.
The survey also found that, rather than returning or exchanging the present, Britons would rather get rid of it by giving it to a charity shop (12%), giving it to a friend of family member (10%), or selling it on an online marketplace (5%).
A very small number of people would give the unwanted gift back to the person who gifted it (3%) or throw it away (1%).
Here are the top five worst presents ever received by respondents to the Which? survey:
An offer for a burial plot
A toilet seat
A second-hand tumble dryer (gifted to a 19-year-old respondent from her boyfriend)
Roast beef (gifted to a vegetarian respondent)
Shower gel (regifted from the previous year)
Lisa Webb, consumer law expert, said: "It’s hard to think of a less appropriate Christmas gift than a burial plot or a toilet seat, but anyone can struggle to get it right when buying for friends and family. Our research shows a fifth of us have been left wondering what to do with a disappointing Christmas gift.
"It’s always worth getting a gift receipt so your loved one has the option to return their gift if needed.
"Sometimes, for online orders, only the buyer can request a refund or exchange. But if the item was marked as a gift when ordered, the retailer’s returns policy may enable a recipient to return or exchange it."
Of those who did opt to return or exchange their unwanted presents, the majority said they experienced a problem when they tried to do so.
The most common issues they ran into included wanting to exchange the item but finding there was no replacement available (26%), having problems getting ahold of customer service (14%), and the shop not accepting the item at all (13%).
Which? advises that you may be able to get a refund or exchange the unwanted gift for another item or voucher as many retailers extend their return policy during the festive period.
However, you should carefully consider whether to accept vouchers. If the retailer closes down, the vouchers can become worthless and often come with an expiry date.
In order to return an item, you will also usually need to provide proof of purchase, such as a receipt. Some retailers do not allow refunds to credit or debit cards unless the original card holder is present, but may allow customers to exchange the item for a gift card, voucher or credit note as long as the item was marked as a gift at the time of purchase.
Read more about Christmas:
Five ways to manage Christmas bloating this year (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
What to do in the 'Twixmas' period between Christmas and the new year (Red, 5-min read)
The hidden Christmas health hazards we all need to be aware of - with one type of serious injury more than doubling this time of year (Manchester Evening News, 6-min read)
