Amazon won't let you return these 12 items

The holidays aren't just a time for shopping — they're also a time for people to return gifts they received but don't want.  According to CivicScience data, 28 percent of 

U.S. adults who received holiday gifts  in 2023 said they planned to make a return or exchange, up from 19 percent in 2022.  If you are among the millions of people who do their holiday

shopping on Amazon.com, you’ll want to check the site's return policy before filling up your cart. Not everything is returnable, including these items. 1. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS If you get

or give a gift that has hazardous materials, including flammable liquids or gases, don’t expect to return it. These products, including lighters and some nail polishes, will not display a

“free returns” message on the product detail page.  Your only recourse, according to Amazon, is to contact the manufacturer directly. 2. DIGITAL DOWNLOADS Digital downloads of books, games,

music, movies and software make great gifts but they are not returnable. Amazon may give you a break, however, if a book or song was accidentally purchased. You have seven days to request a

return or refund. If a book was partially read, you may not be able to return it. For a music song or album purchased by mistake, Amazon says to contact customer service within seven days

of the accidental download. 3. GIFT CARDS You can purchase gift cards from a slew of vendors, but make sure you’re getting the right one. Amazon will not let you return gift cards or

prepaid game cards. 4. FOOD AND SPIRITS Groceries, including those from Amazon Fresh, can’t be returned but may be refunded or replaced. The same goes for beer, wine and spirits. 5. 

CUSTOMIZED HANDMADE GIFTS From candles to jewelry, if you buy from Amazon’s handmade marketplace it's easy to return the items unless you personalize them. Items purchased with

customization options other than size and color can’t be returned. If there is a misspelling or error in the configuration, inscription or design due to a mistake by the third-party seller,

you are protected by Amazon’s guarantee. 6.  LIVE INSECTS For the bug lovers in your life, a live ant farm or bag of ladybugs may be the perfect gift. Amazon will sell you both and other

live insects, but they aren’t taking them back. You may be able to get a refund or replacement.