What to Do with Birthday Returns?

I'm soooo going w/ giving them to homeless shelters or hospitals or daycare centers....try lambsfold which is a womans shelter! or, i don't see any problem w/ re-gifting, as if someone else would get enjoyment out of it, why not??? if you really want money for them, try selling it on consigment @ a consignment shop??

First of all do you know what stores they came from? Second many stores will not take back items without tags or receipts. Third instead of returning the items have you considered just donating the toys to a charity and taking the tax deduction on your taxes.
What I am about to say please take with a grain of salt because it is just my option. But an option I feel very strongly about. When a child gets a gift from a friend or loved one, that person is giving the gift they have picked out with love and the thought, I know this child will love this toy, this shirt, this bear. If they did not provide a gift receipt they did not what you to return it for the money. They wanted your child to have that gift. A child's birthday party should not be given to see how much the child will get, how much $$ will we be ahead when the day is done. It should be thrown to celebrate a glorious event, the day you were blessed with one of the greatest gifts the Lord could give you, your son.
I know many will disagree with me but it is how I feel and just wanted to share my thoughts.
God Bless,

buy buy baby and walmart are great about taking items back with no receipts.

You can either call the person that gave you the gift and tell them you got duplicates of the gift and would like to exchange it for something else....ask them where they got it or if they have the reciept...

If you don't feel comfortable doing that, then go see if Walmart carries that toy and take it back there. They allow so many returns without a reciept per driver's license. I had a bunch of stuff to return after my son was born because he was so big at birth he couldn't wear newborn clothes.

Walmart took back everything but then told me that if I needed to return anything else for the rest of the year I would have to have a reciept. They were very good about it.

Don't even think about doing that at Target though. They won't take back things over $25 even with a reciept at times. They have an extremely ridiculous return policy and make it nearly impossible to return things regardless of the circumstances.

donate the gifts to a childrens hospital or a homeless shelter were there are children.

Find your local food pantry and donate the "alike" or surplus toys there...most use them for birthday gifts for thier clients.

Walmart has a pretty easy return policy. If they sell it, they'll usually take it as a return unless there is an obvious tag from another store. If all else fails, save them as future presents or things to pull out for your first road trip with your little guy.

I'm totally against asking for specific gifts. Tried that once and it did NOT go over well. It comes off sounding greedy and many people get PO'd.

If there is a tag and you know where it came from you can return it without the receipt and you will either get store credit or sometimes (Walmart) they'll even give you the cash price. Occasionally you'll only get a sale price and might give you the option to exchange for something at the same price. When you do bring it back, be honest and let them know it was a gift you got multiples of and you don't have the receipt. They are much more receptive to helping you out.

If there is no tag I would try Walmart as that's probably where it came from anyway. If none of these work and you have friends or family with similar aged children, save it for regifting. If they say anything like "oh, didn't grandma give you that...?" You can say, "yes, Joey plays with it so often I just knew that Jimmy would like one, too."

If you are unable to return the item, perhaps you can either re-gift it to another one-year old at an upcoming party (just make sure the original donor is not there!). Or donate it to a children's charity at the holidays. Here in Oak Park we have Hephzibah Children's Association, which has a shelter as well as many foster families that would LOVE to have donated toys at the holidays (or anytime!) Or, the Infant Welfare Society. Or a local children's hospital, clinic or infant-care program that is a not-for-profit. (Then, get a receipt for a tax deduction.)

Toys R Us is great for returns without a receipt if they carry the toy in their stock. They will give you a merchandise credit and not cash, but its not like you won't shop there again! If nothing else, you can but diapers! :)

If it is clothes, if you know where they came from, I take them to the store and just exchange for a larger size for the next year. That way the $$ is not going to waste, and you will already have 24 mo/2T clothes. I did that for my DD and when she outgrew her 18 month stuff, I had a full wardrobe for her 2nd year already! Some stores that are really good at the exchange for the size up are Gymboree and Children's Place.

For things that he has the same of you can often return them to Walmart. If it's something they have in their computer then they will usually give you a store credit without a reciept. At 1 our kids didn't play with hardly anything. I'd hold onto things for a while and pull them out later. My daughter recieved a sand/water table when she was 1. She didn't start really using it until this last year.

I think you are out of luck if the gifts do not have tags or receipts with them. I would either bring them to a resale ship such as Once Upon a Child or "regift" them to other children as presents. Just make sure that you do not give them back to the owner.

I would take the extra gifts, place a post-it note on them noting who gave it to you, and keep them for later "use". I personally would never re-gift something I rec'd as an adult but I think it's OK to re-gift inexpensive kid gifts and I think most moms would agree. You don't want to be too obvious about it but I 'm sure over the next several years you will have occasion to use these gifts. If you are uncomfortable with that, I would save them for holiday grab-bags, school fundraisers and charity giving. If someone asks you for a receipt for one of these gifts just say: "oh, that was an extra gift from a grab-bag so I don't have the receipt."

I returned stuff to Target recently and had no problem without a reciept. The total was $43 store credit. They did not tell me I had a $ limit when I asked about returning without a receipt. I think it depends on the store and the service rep.

If it is sold at walmart or Kohls they will give you store credit without the receipt.Trus won't return anything without a gift receipt.

Try returning them to somewhere other then a toy store. You can use the store credit for things you need like cleaners, paper towels, clothes etc... and take waht ever amount it is and put it into an accont for you child. It's pretty much just buying the store credit form your child.

Return them to Target, K-mart or one of those stores and they will give you a store credit. Keep in mind, some of these stores have a "no-receipt policy" where they only allow you to make returns, once a year, without gift receipts/store receipts and you must show your license. So... if you did the same thing around the holidays (6 months later....) - under your name at these stores, you can't return them.

Just as a suggestion, I would probably next time state that on the invites then if that's what you are really hoping for. Since my first kids birthday, if they are having a party, I will state on the bottom of the invites....(if you would like to purchase a gift please consider books) or (if you would like to purchase a gift please consider gift cards) ( if you would like to purchase a gift please consider cars).....these are just examples that I have done & I just did it for my kids birthday the other day & put gift cards. I do that for that reason of not wanting a lot of toys, the same stuff or clutter. I am trying to get my kids to really think about the stuff they purchase & be smart about it. It helps them with learning to manage their '$' and they love going & shopping with their gift. I know that's not what your question was, but thought I would just share this tip for you. My hubby had a problem w/it when I started doing that 11 years ago, but it has worked out since that is not "traditional". When they are younger, I always ask for books. Also, I put "if you would like to" because there have been times that a few of my kids friends didn't show up to a party because they couldn't afford a present. When I found out about that, I was hurt & felt bad that happened, because for us it's not about the presents, but about the memories they are having w/my kids. I don't ever want someone to feel & I am trying to teach my kids that it is not about the gifts but the friends. I also ask them, if someone couldn't come to their party because they couldn't buy a gift for them, how would that make them feel & what to them is most important. Don't get me wrong, I love presents, but I don't want that to be the emphasis or the determining factor of a kid not enjoying time w/others because of that.

As far as taking back, you would probably just have to go & see what stores they may have been purchased & just get an in-store credit if they allow.