As stores shrink windows for sending back items, these retailers have the best returns policies

Generous returns policies at stores can engender customer loyalty and quell holiday shoppers' concerns of wasting money on unwanted gifts. 

This holiday season especially, with many consumers making their gift purchases early, lengthy returns windows that extend into the new year are one way for retailers to try to capture Americans' spending. 

On the flip side, a strict returns policy can turn off consumers and deter them from patronizing a particular business.