The days after Christmas lend themselves to people making returns or exchanges on gifts.


But before people head to mail their items back, there's a few things to keep in mind.

According to Christopher Fanzini, the store manager for the UPS store on Peach Street, "January is usually pretty busy. It's the second busiest month after December, so it is going to be busy no matter you go. Because I know usually Amazon, their returns are cut off usually at the end of January, so usually we will get that rush at the end of January, so the sooner you can return the better. Because I think the people that wait until the last minute, that January 30 range, we get slammed and the waits are a little longer."


Each vendor or retailer as their own policies when it comes to returns and exchanges, so experts say to make sure people pay attention before they head to their shipping center.


As Fanzini explained, "Just make sure you are reading the instructions and following what it says. A lot of people look over the instructions and not read it and get a little bit confused, so just make sure you read the instructions and you can always ask the vendor questions, so you are all prepared when you come in."


The time frame when someone can make a return also varies across businesses, so experts stress it's best to make returns early and not wait until the last minute.


 According to Caitlin Driscoll, the Public Relations Specialist with the Better Business Bureau for Western Pennsylvania, "Return policies vary from retailer to retailer, so it's not a once size fits all situation and especially during the holidays, time frames may vary significantly. So if somebody purchased something earlier in the year it may not be covered in that return time frame."