Refunds, Returns, Repairs Likely for Many Retailers on Post-Christmas Purchases

Nov. 29, 2009 - PRLog -- Retailers may be alarmed by higher than usual levels of customers returning products requesting a refund, replacement or a repair in the post-Christmas sales, according to an astrologer.

Astrologer Elizabeth Ball of It's In The Stars at http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com says retailers may notice more customers than usual returning faulty or not-quite-right goods after Christmas thanks to a regular planetary phenomenon called Mercury retrograde.

Mercury goes backwards three times a year for about three weeks each time and this year will go retrograde on 26 December and will not go direct until 15 January 2010.

"Mercury rules communications which covers everything from iPods and Blackberries to laptops, printers and gaming units, and these are the items most likely to be affected if purchased in the post-Christmas sales, while internet retailers could experience problems in processing payments or with customers accidentally ordering the wrong items," Elizabeth Ball said.

"Customers who buy electronics may complain that components are missing, something is faulty, or they are incompatible with their existing items, while online shoppers may want to return items as they've bought the wrong size, colour or entered some other piece of information incorrectly," she said.

Elizabeth advises customers triple-check their arrangements, receipts, quotes, contracts, and bookings during this time.

"Since Mercury retrograde is a poor time to start anything new, this is the worst time to hire new employees. Make sure all of your staff are on-board before Christmas, or wait until the third week of January to begin hiring again. If you hire under a Mercury retrograde period, your new staff may quit earlier than expected or they won't work out, as your company - or they - are not the right fit," Elizabeth Ball said.

But it's not all bad news under a Mercury retrograde period.

"Use the Mercury retrograde period for research, contact old clients or colleagues for coffee or a meal, gather information, go through your filing, recheck your work on existing projects – in other words, do all the “re” words – revise, rethink, research, redo etc," Elizabeth Ball said.

It's In The Stars at http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com produces personalised astrology gift reports designed for couples and parents, ideal for anniversaries, birthdays, christenings, Christmas, engagements, Mothers Day, new babies, Valentines Day and weddings.

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http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com has been producing beautifully designed personalized hardcover astrology reports for couples and parents for anniversaries, birthdays, Christmas, christenings, engagements, new babies, weddings, and Valentines Day since 2005.