As the holiday shopping season moves into high gear, Attorney General Philip McLaughlin wishes to remind New Hampshire consumers and businesses about certain purchasing activities where questions and problems might arise.

A popular consumer purchase during the holidays is a gift certificate. New Hampshire law prohibits a merchant from including an expiration date on a gift certificate issued with a value of under $100. Gift certificates under $100 cannot expire, and must be honored by the issuing merchant. If the gift certificate is $100.00 or more, and is not used within five years, the money accepted by the business for the certificate must be turned over the State. Consumers should be aware that this law does not apply to such items as season passes or donated gift certificates.

Another area that may cause some confusion is return policies. Attorney General McLaughlin advises holiday buyers to be vigilant in determining what a particular business's refund, return, and exchange policies are prior to making a purchase. While it is good business practice for the merchant to post a clear notice of the policy near the register or point of sale, it is not specifically required by New Hampshire law. Consumers should ask the salesperson to explain the policies, and should also be certain to examine both the front and back of the sales slip prior to leaving the store. Whether shopping in the store, by telephone, by mail or online, consumers should track all their purchases, by keeping records and all receipts. When purchasing a gift, it is a good idea for consumers to ask for gift receipts to include with any gift.

M. Kristin Spath, Chief of the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, encourages consumers and businesses who have any questions about gift certificates or refund return policies to contact the Consumer Protection Bureau at 603-271-3641 or visit the Bureau's Web site. She also notes that additional tips for holiday shoppers will be published throughout the holiday season.