The perfect gift is in the eye of the beholder. 

That's why, though you may be sure the gift you've found is an ideal match for its recipient, you should also consider the store's return policy. The retailer may not be as generous as you might hope. (Recently,  we judged Walmart's policy to be pretty good—if difficult to locate online—and Target's return policy better than it had been in the past, but still not stellar.)

Tightwad Tod has his own take, at right, on checking out return policies at the same time you buy. Consumer Reports Money Adviser offers timely and useful advice on hassle-free returns. And to make your holiday shopping easier, Consumer Reports provides updated information on major retailers' return policies.