I've worked in retail for nealy 10 years, and seen my share of both incompetent employees and scheming customers. As far as I know, all stores are required by law to post their return policies in plain sight in the store. It is the customer's responsibility to ask about the policy, and the employee's responsibilty to explain it in full. And I think most retailers do their best to ensure their guests leave happy. Understand, however, that your laziness or inability to make a decision is not my or my store's fault. Thirty days means thirty days. Gift receipt? Still THIRTY DAYS. Its just a receipt without a price-- not a magic wand! (Even if you complain, John.) The agreements my company has with the credit card companies prohibit us from applying a credit to a card not used in the original purchase. If the store did not receive cash for your item, you're not getting cash back. Are employees sometimes rude? Certainly, and there's really no excuse for that. But it is ultimately the customer's responsibility to understand the store's return policy PRIOR to making a purchase.