The holiday season is often accompanied by the exchanging of gifts, but what happens when those well-intentioned presents don’t quite hit the mark?

Post-holiday returns can be a daunting task, with long lines, confusing return policies, and the potential for undue stress and disappointment.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at a few tricks and tips to navigate the process of returning those holiday gifts with the hope of making the experience run smoothly:

Have patience and arrive early

The holidays (and the aftermath) are a stressful time for both shoppers and those working in the retail sector, with high volumes of both sales and returns. In many cases, retailers can be understaffed and associates may be new or undertrained on store policies.

Fostering a positive and productive environment between yourself and your customer service agent can help ensure the process is a smooth and productive one for both you and the associate assisting you. Their job may be customer service but helping them help you can create an easy path for all.

The easiest returns are often completed during non-peak hours. Finding times when a particular store is least busy can be an ideal time to complete a return transaction.

Check your store’s return policies, including deadlines.

Many retailers have a 90-day return policy, which means those holiday returns could draw out to as late as the end of January, or even later depending on when an item was purchased. However, several electronics stores and retailers are known to have tighter restrictions on the timeliness of returns. Apple, for example, limits a return to 14 calendar days, meaning items purchased on Christmas Eve will be past their final return date on Jan 7.

Some stores require original tags and packaging to complete a return. As you will come to find out (later in this guide), it will, at the very least, streamline the return process.

Check your specific retailer to read the specifics of a store’s return policies. Most are posted on the retailers’ respective websites.

Be prepared for potential restocking fees

As online orders become more prevalent, many retailers are beginning to charge or already charge additional restocking fees. This is yet another reason to read a retailer’s return policy carefully.

Restocking fees are most often associated with high-value ticket items which help companies protect their bottom line. It’s an important consideration before making a large appliance or electronics purchase.

In some cases, fees can be avoided by returning to a brick-and-mortar location of a retailer to avoid shipping fees. Some retailers, such as Macy’s, also waive fees for members. For online orders, the retailer charges a fee for shoppers who are not part of their Star Rewards program. However, the program is free to join.

Sometimes, a simple conversation can be enough for a retailer to consider waiving a fee. It’s another reason to keep the return process amicable from the start, as previously explained.

Bring receipts, original packaging, and your ID.

A receipt or gift receipt can ensure you will receive the fair purchase value of any items being returned. If the items have the original packaging, they can be easily looked up in a store’s inventory along with a corresponding fair return value in the point-of-sale system.

If you don’t have an original receipt or gift receipt, be prepared to receive store credit per the return policies of most major retailers.

Why do retail outlets ask for your ID? Retail establishments commonly request the presentation of your driver’s license or another government-issued identification when processing returns. By asking for identification, companies’ loss prevention departments can detect and analyze patterns associated with return fraud or misuse. With retail thefts rising throughout the country, this is one way businesses can protect their bottom line.

Take advantage of non-traditional return methods

In the modern-day landscape of online shopping with doorstep delivery, sometimes returning holiday gifts to a brick-and-mortar store isn’t possible or convenient. Many retailers are becoming aware of that, offering return shipping labels for their products. Again, check with your retailer regarding individual policies. Amazon also offers a variety of options including package lockers or returns accepted at select Whole Foods or Kohl’s locations. Additionally, services like Happy Returns or UPS 360 can help make online returns easier.