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Washington--Nearly 70 percent of holiday shoppers say they provide a gift receipt most or some of the time, according to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2011 Holiday Returns Survey, marking the highest percentage in the survey’s history.

“Gift givers would rather their loved ones enjoy and make the most out of their gift than feel guilty for returning it, and providing a gift receipt guarantees a seamless and efficient return process,” Matthew Shay, NRF president and CEO, said.

More people are also paying attention to and agreeing with retailers’ return policies, as 90 percent of Americans say they find them fair, up from 88 percent in 2010.

“As shoppers flood the stores the week after Christmas, retailers will make sure to provide extra staff and consumer service to ensure their holiday shopping experience is one that will bring them back again and again,” Shay added.
 
While gift receipts are increasing in popularity, buyers seem to be hitting their mark. The survey showed that 65 percent of shoppers didn’t return a single gift last holiday season.

“For the past several holiday seasons, gift givers have focused primarily on recipients’ needs, and it appears those practical gift ideas hit just the right note, keeping the majority of shoppers out of the return line after Christmas last year,” Pam Goodfellow, director of consumer insights at BIGresearch, the company who conducted the survey for NRF, said.

The NRF 2011 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, polled 8,502 consumers from Nov. 1-8.