Not every gift is a winner, and once the holidays wind down, return lines start to fill up. Whether it's a sweater two sizes too big or tech gear they already own, many Americans are spending the new year trading in their misfires.
To understand how shoppers are handling unwanted gifts this season, CouponFollow surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults. The results reveal what's being returned, who's doing the returning, and which retailers make the process easiest.
Americans have returned an average of 2 gifts from this past holiday season so far.
The average value of post-holiday gift returns is $143.
22% of Americans have already returned unwanted holiday gifts, and 10% are planning to.
Clothing and accessories top the list of the most returned gift categories, followed by electronics and gadgets.
Gen Z is the most likely generation to keep an unwanted item just to avoid the hassle of returning it (82%).
45% of consumers said Amazon has the best return policy, followed by Target (20%) and Walmart (17%).
The holidays may be over, but the decision-making isn't. As shoppers sift through their hauls, some gifts just aren't making the cut. Preferences, practicality, and plain old mismatch are sending items straight back to the store.
Americans have returned an average of 2 gifts from this past holiday season, for an average value of $143.
More than 1 in 5 Americans (22%) have already returned unwanted holiday gifts.
1 in 10 are planning to return unwanted holiday gifts.
The most commonly returned items by category are clothing/accessories, electronics/gadgets, and toys/games.
Gen Z is the most likely generation to keep an unwanted item just to avoid the hassle of returning it (82%).
Some stores make returns painless, while others make you work for it. With convenience top of mind, shoppers are gravitating toward retailers with flexible policies and easy processes, and it's clear who's leading the pack.
45% of consumers say Amazon has the best return policy.
57% have regifted an unwanted gift instead of returning it.
1 in 3 say the retailer's return policy is very important when deciding where to buy holiday gifts.
Returning holiday gifts may not be fun, but it's become part of the modern shopping cycle. Whether you're swapping out a miss or regifting with purpose, there's no shame in making the most of what you've got. As return policies continue to shape where and how people shop, knowing the easiest paths to refunds or store credit is just another way to shop smarter.
We surveyed 1,000 Americans to explore their holiday gift return habits. Of the respondents, 20% were Gen Z, 47% were millennials, 23% were Gen X, and 11% were baby boomers. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding or not all answers being shown. The survey was conducted on January 15, 2026.
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