Whatever Happened To Free Holiday Gift Wrapping?
How much time do you spend wrapping holiday gifts?
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“Wrapping has become a profit center during the holidays,” says retail expert Jack Abelson of Jack Abelson & Associates in Leawood, Kan. “It was a time-honored perk that used to be done for free, and was part of a combination of services we called value. But like so many other things, merchants have gotten away from it and are nickel-and-diming customers.”
To get a handle on the latest trends, Consumer Reports reached out to brick-and-mortar stores—including Kohl’s, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, and Williams-Sonoma—and their online counterparts. (We selected the physical stores to call at random; so policies listed here might differ from the location where you shop.)
We also got in touch with retailers’ media contacts, engaged customer-service reps, and participated in live chats to gather details.
The results: Most department and specialty stores offer gift wrapping for the holidays, but the service can be pricey. Charges ranged from $2 to $25, depending on the bells and whistles and package size.
Discounters such as Target and Walmart offer wrapping on select online purchases, also for a fee.
A few free gift wrappers are still out there, including Von Mauer, a family-owned department-store chain known for outstanding customer service. This Midwest retailer offers year-round complimentary wrapping (and shipping).
Below you’ll find a rundown of the basics. Retailers are listed in alphabetical order.
Retailer |
Stores |
Online |
| Amazon | Does not operate retail stores. | Wrapped box or gift bag, decorative ribbon and card available for most items fulfilled by Amazon. Price depends on the size and shape of item. The price was $3.49 for a bestseller picked out. |
| Barnes & Noble | Free year-round. | $3.99 per item. |
| Bed Bath & Beyond | Free, do-it-yourself wrapping station with paper, ribbons, and other supplies. | $2.99 per order and includes multiple boxes for multiple items, if necessary. |
| Best Buy | No | Free gift bag, but no wrap. |
| Dillard’s | Starts at $4 for a small box. Includes paper, ribbon, bow, and card. | $6 per box. No wrapping paper. |
| Jared. The Galleria of Jewelry | Free box, paper, ribbon, message card. | Free shipping on deliveries to home address. |
| JCPenney | Not available in Paramus, N.J. In Nyack, N.Y., store offered box or gift bag at $4. | Different prices for different items. Fee for a sweater was $4 and includes a box, silver paper, bow, and personalized gift tag. Wrapping is limited to items weighing less than 5 pounds. |
| Kohl’s | No | $5.95 per box. “We’ll make sure your gift is ready for giving. Tucked inside a clean white box or wrapped in high-quality paper with a coordinating solid satin ribbon.” |
| Lands’ End | No wrapping available at the standalone outlets — called “Inlet” stores — that we called. | $6 for a box with ribbon. No wrapping paper. |
| L.L.Bean | No wrapping available though the store offered us a box for free. | $6 for a box with a ribbon. No wrapping paper. |
| Lord & Taylor | “It’s offered, but it’s not free,” barked a representative at the chain’s flagship New York City store. Prices range from $6.98 to $25. | $6.95 for a gift box. |
| Macy’s | Boxes are free at the chain’s famous Herald Square New York store. But paper and decorations range from $5.95 to $15.95. | $6 for a box with a ribbon. |
| Nordstrom | Free wrapping in complimentary signature silver box with bow. | Three options: A Nordstrom gift box that includes tissue paper, bow and gift card with personalized message, $5; a gift box kit ($2) consisting of an easy-to-assemble gift box with tissue paper, a bow, and blank card; or free eight to 12 word gift message. |
| Sears | Not available at most stores. | $5 per box for eligible items, and includes paper, ribbon, and card. |
| Target | No | Gift-wrapping available at $5.99 for eligible items. |
| Von Mauer | Free wrapping year-round. No minimum purchase. | Free wrapping year-round. No minimum purchase. |
| Walmart | No | $3.88, but complimentary for some items such as jewelry. “Items typically arrive in a classic blue gift box tied with a white ribbon.” |
| Williams-Sonoma | Free box, bow, and ribbon, “just don’t go crazy,” a rep joked. | $6 per box. |
