''Oh, Look - Another Electric Sock Warmer...''; MasterCard Offers Consumers Tips for How To Make Gift Returns Easier This Holiday Shopping Season.

PURCHASE, N.Y. -- With the holiday shopping season at hand, consumers around the world will be making their lists and checking them twice to ensure that they're buying the perfect gift for their loved-ones and friends. In fact, a recent survey conducted by MasterCard found that 72 percent of consumers feel that it's important to find the "perfect gift" for those who matter most to them.

But even with the most careful planning, some gifts will be returned. The key to making returns easier is to plan ahead for the possibility that you - or others - may end up in the "Returns" line. MasterCard offers the following tips to help ensure a more pleasant gift-buying experience:

1. Avoid Returns: Do your shopping early to ensure that you find
       that perfect gift when retail inventories are high, as opposed
       to high-pressure, last-minute shopping when inventories are
       low and that perfect gift is harder to find.

    2. Protect Your Purchases: Check with your card issuer in advance
       to know what type of "purchase protection" benefits your
       credit card offers. For example, if you use a Gold, Platinum
       or World MasterCard card, most of your purchases will be
       automatically covered by retail purchase protection services
       such as MasterCard's Purchase Assurance and extended warranty
       coverage.

    3. Understand Store Policies: Check the refund and return policy
       of the store before you purchase any items - some may charge
       restocking fees or impose time limits on when you can return
       items.

    4. Remember Receipts: Ask for a gift receipt (most stores provide
       them) and be sure to include it in the card with the gift.

    5. Shop Smart Online: Print out all the information for online
       transactions, including the product description, delivery
       information, privacy policy, warranties and any confirmation
       notices that the seller sends you.

"Taking these extra steps while shopping can save you time and ensure easy gift return or exchange for those you care about," said Bonnie McEneaney, senior vice president, Cardholder Services, MasterCard Advisors. "These proactive measures will help ensure a pleasant shopping experience throughout the holidays and beyond."

Survey Methodology

Harris Interactive(R) conducted the survey on behalf of MasterCard International between September 28 and 30, 2004 via its QuickQuery(SM) online omnibus among a nationwide cross section of 2,266 U.S. adults (aged 18 and over) who are online, and of whom 1,089 men and 1,177 women and 2,131 have shopped online at some point in their lives. The data was weighted to be representative of the total online U.S. adult population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income and race/ethnicity. In theory, with probability samples of this size one can say with 95% certainty that the results for the overall sample and for the U.S. adults who have shopped online at some point in their lives sample have a sampling error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points. This online sample was not a probability sample.

About MasterCard Advisors

MasterCard Advisors, LLC, an affiliate of MasterCard International, is a global professional services organization, offering consulting, information products and services, outsourcing, and research. Through a worldwide network of consultants, MasterCard Advisors offers a wide-ranging depth and breadth of services, delivering highly focused expertise and customized solutions to help each client maximize profitability. MasterCard Advisors provides access to consulting experts across cardholder services, customer relationship management, information solutions, information technology, marketing, payments strategy, operations, research, rewards programs, and risk management. For more information about MasterCard Advisors, go to www.mastercardadvisors.com.

About MasterCard International

MasterCard International is a leading global payments solutions company that provides a broad variety of innovative services in support of our global members' credit, deposit access, electronic cash, business-to-business and related payment programs. MasterCard International manages a family of well-known, widely accepted payment card brands including MasterCard(R), Maestro(R) and Cirrus(R) and serves financial institutions, consumers and businesses in over 210 countries and territories. The MasterCard award-winning Priceless(R) advertising campaign is now seen in 97 countries and in 47 languages, giving the MasterCard brand a truly global reach and scope. For more information go to www.mastercardinternational.com.