Just a few more days and it's Christmas. This special occasion is often celebrated with gift-giving to family and friends. Buying presents always involves an element of risk. Hence, it is advisable to take a number of precautions to avoid problems and get the best deal.

First and foremost, always keep the receipts of whatever you purchase, just in case there is a problem with the goods and they need to be returned. If possible, it is even better to ask for a gift receipt, so whoever receives the gift can easily exchange it.

It should be kept in mind that there is no legal right to a refund or replacement if an item is the wrong size, colour or style, or simply an unwanted gift. However, if the seller agrees to exchange the product, even if this is not defective, then he/she should adhere to what was promised.

In fact, many shops have good customer care policies that allow clients to exchange, get a credit note or a refund, even though goods are not faulty. Hence, prior to purchase, it is always useful to ask the shop if it has these customer-friendly policies.

In case of faulty goods, the shop owner is legally obliged to provide consumers with a remedy or compensation. In such a situation, consumers are not obliged to accept a credit note/voucher, but can insist on free-of-charge repair, replacement or money refund.

While shopping, consumers should be wary of too-good-to-be-true offers. Common sense should be used and questions asked before committing to a particular offer.

Whenever a problem crops up, the first person to speak to is the seller, and complaints should be made with proof of purchase in hand.

If consumers are unsatisfied with the way their complaint is dealt with, one should then contact the Consumer and Competition Division on Freephone 8007 4400 for more information and assistance.

Ms Vella is senior information officer, Consumer and Competition Division.