For Release: Nov. 25, 2008
Contact: David Clementson
Email: dclementson@oag.state.va.us
Phone: 804-786-2071
McDonnell Gives Holiday Shopping Tips to Virginia Consumers
Offers Specific Advice about Gift Card Sales
RICHMOND – With the traditional start of holiday shopping season set for this Friday, Attorney General Bob McDonnell issued the following tips for Virginia consumers, including specific recommendations regarding gift cards, charitable solicitations and online shopping.
General Consumer Tips:
- Read sale ads carefully. Some will say “quantities limited” or “not available at all stores.” Call ahead to find out if the retailer has the item you want in stock.
- Look for “price matching” policies. Some retailers will match and/or beat competitor’s prices under certain circumstances.
- Ask about any sale adjustments. For instance, if you buy an item at regular price, and it goes on sale next week, can you get a credit or refund?
- Ask about refund and return policies. These may be different for sale items.
- Ask for a gift receipt, in case the recipient wants to return the gift.
Gift Card Advice
According to the National Retail Federation’s 2008 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, gift cards will be the most requested gift this holiday season. With this in mind the Attorney General advises Virginians to:
- Buy only from reputable retailers. Gift cards purchased from online auction sites are more likely to be counterfeit or obtained through fraudulent means.
- Read the fine print. Ask about the retailer’s policies, such as transaction, balance inquiry or inactivity fees, and expiration dates.
- Keep your original receipt.
Virginia’s Gift Certificate Disclosures statute provides protections to consumers with gift cards. This law requires that certain gift certificates issued by merchants in the Commonwealth have certain information clearly and permanently imprinted on the certificate or card. Certificates that have an expiration date must include either a statement of the expiration date or a telephone number or Internet address where the holder of the certificate can obtain such information. Certificates that have a value that diminishes over time must include a telephone number or Internet address where the certificate holder can obtain information regarding the diminution in value. (A violation of the Gift Certificate Disclosures law is a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, which the Office of the Attorney General enforces and prosecutes.)
Charitable Solicitations
The holiday season is the most active period of the year for charitable donations. Nearly half of all giving takes place during the period between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. Attorney General McDonnell reminds consumers:
- Do not respond to unsolicited e-mail solicitations for charitable giving. These could be fraudulent.
- Ask for written information. Verify the charity’s registration with the Office of Consumer Affairs: toll-free outside Richmond at (800) 552-9963, or in Richmond at (804) 786-2042.
- Ask how much of the donation will go to the charity you want to support and how much will go to administrative or fundraising expenses, such as those paid to a professional solicitor.
Online Shopping
More and more shoppers are using the Internet to beat long lines at the stores and handle their holiday shopping from the comfort of their homes. Some simple tips:
- Know who you are dealing with. Confirm the online seller’s address and phone number in case you need to get in touch with them.
- Look for indicators that the site is secure, e.g., a lock icon on browser’s status bar, or a URL for a Web site that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for secure).
- Pay by charge or credit card. If you pay by charge or credit card online, your transaction will be protected by the federal Fair Credit Billing Act, which gives you the right to dispute charges under particular circumstances.
- Check out the terms of the deal, such as refund policies and delivery dates. If you have to return, who pays for the shipping costs? Are there any restocking fees?
- Keep a paper trail of the transaction. Print and save records of the transaction, e.g., product description, price, online receipt, shipping records.
