Holiday Series: Last Minute Gift Ideas

Written by: Dr. Jo Turner, Professor, Family and Consumer Economics

Are you worn out with Christmas shopping and still can't think of a thing to get someone on your list? Don't despair. Listed below are a number of last minute gift ideas that are sure to please family and friends alike.

Since none of these gifts come from a department store, you won't have to fight the crowds of shoppers. Some of the gifts don't require any shopping at all.

You can give:

Promissory notes: Give IOUs promising to do something for the recipient in the coming months, such as raking leaves, weeding the garden, trimming the hedges, washing the car, cutting the grass, baby-sitting, baking, walking the dog, watering plants, washing windows, polishing shoes or altering clothes.

Share-a-skill gift: Promise to teach someone a skill you've already acquired. Some possibilities might include: auto repair, bread making, carpentry, gourmet cookery, driving lessons, home canning, needlework, photography, picture framing, quilting, skiing, sailing, or tatting.

Magazine or newspaper subscriptions: Send off for a subscription in the name of the person on your list. On Christmas Day, give a rolled-up copy of the latest issue along with a card that tells when the subscription begins.

Bake or make a gift: Give a cake, bread, cookies, or a box of candy that you have made. You may want to include the recipe so that the recipient can continue to enjoy the gift all year. Other gifts might be those that you make especially for the recipient such as a pillow, scarf, gloves, hat rack or birdhouse.

Money gifts: Instead of simply writing a check, give your gift of money with a festive look. Consider filling a see-through container or a clear-glass piggy bank with shinny half-dollar coins. Or make a money tree by clipping individual bills to the branches.

Gifts from the post office: Send a distant friend or relative a book of stamps, bundle of pre-stamped envelopes or post cards. Or give a collection of decorative stamps issued by the post office.

Tickets as gifts: Give two tickets to a special event (such as a bowl game, a concert, movie, play, lecture, a ballet, or a dinner theater.)

Gifts from the hardware store: Put together a set of nails, screws, nuts and bolts for the lady or gentlemen do-it-yourselfer. If you can afford a more generous gift, a set of basic tools including a hammer, screwdriver and saw could be appropriate for some one on your list.

Auto supply store: Give a set of jumper cables along with windshield scraper, flashlight, flares and road maps for emergencies on the highway.

Fabric shops: Make an emergency sewing kit complete with scissors, needles, safety pins and several spools of thread.

Home filing system: For the college student, first-time employee, or newlywed prepare a file box with files appropriately labeled to set up a home filing system.

For other ideas on last-minute gifts and how to set up a home filing system contact your local county Extension office.

Holiday Series: Shoplifting

Dr. Jo Turner, Professor, Family and Consumer Economics

You may have heard remarks like: "I deserve this. I should have it. Prices are too high and retail stores make lots of money, so I will go ahead and take this. No one will ever know or be hurt." This is a typical statement made by a shoplifter or a friend of a shoplifter. In either case the statement doesn't justify shoplifting.

According to the Better Business Bureau shoplifting is one of the most costly crimes a business faces. During the Christmas season shoplifting is expected to increase. Retail stores have also increased their surveillance.

Everyone pays for shoplifting. Prices in stores must be raised to cover the cost of shoplifting. Estimates vary, but some retailers are forced to raise prices as much as 15 percent to cover these losses. An item that would cost $100 may be priced at $115 simply to cover the cost of shoplifting. According to one study, each family in the United States pays as much as $2000 extra in retail stores each year because of shoplifting.

Still another cost of shoplifting has been store guards and security devices, closed circuit television cameras and public relations personnel. Unfortunately, only about 10 percent of shoplifters think that the cost of shoplifting is passed on to consumers.

Who are the shoplifters? Studies show that teenagers are responsible for about half of the retail loss due to shoplifting. Young people see things that they want and cannot resist the temptation. The old, the rich and the poor join the ranks of shoplifters. Housewives account for about 25 percent of shoplifters.

Merchants deal with three kinds of losses from consumers. The first is shoplifting, the taking of merchandise without paying for it. The second is from consumers who destroy or damage merchandise by careless behavior or return merchandise to the wrong store. A third kind of loss is pilferage from employees themselves. These three losses cost nearly $26 billion a year according to a University of Florida report.

In any case, we the consumers pay for the loss. If you are thinking about shoplifting, don’t. It is not the thrill many people have led themselves to believe. Something that you want so badly to pick up without paying for it can get you a permanent criminal record. On an average day 5,400 people are detained for shoplifting. (That is 162,000 per month.) It can affect your whole life. A criminal record and loss of voting privileges is no thrill. Shoplifting is stealing and is a crime.

During this holiday season help stop shoplifting by reporting to an authority at the store anyone you see taking merchandise. Remember, we all pay for shoplifting.

Holiday Shopping Series: Compare Warranties

Dr. Jo Turner, Professor, Family and Consumer Economics

When shopping for Christmas gifts consumers usually compare prices to save money. Yet another equally important factor to consider is the product warranty.

A warranty is a promise by the manufacturer or seller to stand behind the product. It may be written, implied, or verbal.

The law gives consumers the right to read the written warranty before purchase if the product cost is more than $15. The warranty must be easy to read and understand, with all terms and conditions spelled out.

Not all products have written warranties. If you buy a product "as is," that means the seller is not responsible for any problem or repairs.

There are two types of written warranties: full and limited.

Full Warranty

The full warranty will include the word FULL on the warranty. This means that a defective product will be repaired or replaced in a reasonable time after you complain. It also means that you will not have to do anything unreasonable to get this service, such as packing and shipping the product to some remote location for repairs. A full warranty is good for anyone who owns the product during the warranty period. That is, if you give the product s a gift or later sell the product, the unexpired portion of the warranty is transferred.

Check any full warranty to see exactly what is covered. The full warranty may cover only a part of the product. An example of this would be a full warranty on the picture tube of your new television. If the sound goes bad, in this example, you would pay for repairs.

Limited Warranty

Limited warranties differ from full warranties. Limited means something is missing. A limited warranty may cover parts but not labor. It may offer a prorated refund, not a full refund. It might be limited to the first purchaser only and the customer may be charged for returning the product to a service center for repairs.

Implied Warranties

Implied warranties are rights created by state law. The most common implied warranty is the warranty of merchantability. This means that the seller promises the product will do what it is designed to do, that is the toaster will make toast, a reclining chair will recline. The seller can usually get out of an implied warranty by stating in writing, that no warranty is provided. Beware of purchasing products, which have written statements of "no warranty given." Yet, implied warranties may give you some protection that written warranties don't.

Similar to implied warranties are spoken promises or advertising claims. These are considered to be warranties. You have a legal right to get what the company promises.

One of the last things to check when comparing warranties is the policy covering consequential damages. That is, if you buy a freezer, the freezer goes out and $500 in food spoils before something can be done about the freezer, will the warranty cover the repair only, or repair or replacement of the freezer and the food?

Once you have made your purchase, keep the warranty and the sales receipt in a safe place. You will need the receipt to show date of purchase and price paid for the product if you need to file a warranty claim.

For more information on warranties or the place to store warranties and other important papers contact your local county Extension office.

Holiday Series: Mail Order: Your Rights & Responsibilities

Dr. Jo Turner, Professor, Family and Consumer Economics

Even though mail order shopping has advantages complaints about mail order shopping are common. Complaints include failure of companies to deliver, long delivery times, unsatisfactory merchandise, failure to make merchandise exchanges or refunds and failure to respond to consumer questions.

The consumer has rights and responsibilities when ordering by mail.

Your Responsibilities

Before placing an order:

• Read the advertisement carefully. Is all needed information provided?
• Find and review the refund and exchange policy of the company. Do they say "Satisfaction Guaranteed," "Unconditional Guarantee" or "You may return an item for prompt refund if you are not completely satisfied?" It is important for you to know that merchandise can be exchanged or returned for a refund.
• Consider the purchase carefully. Do you need and want this item? Could you purchase the same or similar item locally?
• Find out if there is any type of buying plan involved before you decide to place the order. Are you committed to join some kind of buying club, such as a book, record, food, or cosmetic club?

If you have considered all of the above and decided to order by mail:

• Complete the order form according to directions.
• Recheck order form to ensure that you have correctly filled it in. Have you clearly identified merchandise ordered, correct size, color, etc?
• Double-check your address. Is it correct and readable?
• Make a copy of your completed order form and of the advertisement being answered.
• Make a note of the address to which the order is sent.
• Make payments by personal check, cashier's check, money order or credit card. Don't send cash.

Your Rights

You have certain rights when you order by mail. According to a Federal Trade Commission ruling on mail order:

• Merchandise must be shipped within 30 days of receipt of the order or within the time disclosed in the advertisement, or within 50 days if you are applying for credit. If the company cannot deliver merchandise within this period, the company must write you and tell you the expected delivery time and offer to refund your money if you don't want to wait until delivery can be made.
• If merchandise cannot be delivered within the new delivery time the order is automatically cancelled and your money refunded unless you notify the company in writing that you are willing to wait longer.
• If your cancelled order was charged to a credit card, the company has one billing cycle to make the adjustments to your account. If the order was paid with a check or money order, the company has only seven days in which to refund the money. You do not have to accept a refund in the form of "credit" to be used for other merchandise from the company.

Not all mail order purchases are covered by this ruling. Some that are not covered are magazines, seeds, plants, and photo finishing.

If you have not received your order within a reasonable time (over 30 days or the time specified in the advertisement), find out if your check has been cashed. If you don't have the cancelled check, contact the bank to find out if it has been paid. If it has not been paid you may want to place a stop payment on the check and cancel the order. To cancel, write the company telling them that since your check was not cashed the company did not accept the order and that you have stopped payment on your check and canceled the order.

If the check has been cashed, decide whether or not you want the merchandise sent or the money returned. Then write a letter to the company stating your request. If you do not receive the merchandise or a refund within a proper time, file a complaint with the Direct Marketing Association.

DMA Mail Order Action Line
1101 12^th Street North West
Washington, D.C. 20036

Or

Division of Consumer Services
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
407 S. Calhoun Street
Mayo Building
Tallahassee, FL 32399

Or you may file a complaint on line at www.800helpfla.com.

If the mail order problem appears to be fraudulent, contact a postal inspector directly or through your local postmaster. Provide the inspector with all related evidence including a copy of the order, all correspondence, advertisement and even envelopes.

For more information on your rights and responsibilities when ordering by mail contact your local county Extension office.