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Post-Holiday Returns Overview
If you received gifts during the holidays that you do not require, you need to be aware of the return policies for major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Macy’s. This is critical if you’re considering making any returns after the festivities.
Katie Conner, a CNET writer with expertise in Social Security and taxes, focuses on delivering informative how-to guides. Aside from writing, Katie enjoys participating in golf scrambles, practicing yoga, and spending time by the lake.
Navigating Returns After the Holidays
With the holiday season concluded, it’s likely that you have completed your shopping for the year. However, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the return policies of prominent retailers, especially if you have gifts that you or the intended recipient don’t wish to keep. Find out the return windows and specific details for making returns at retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Macy’s. To enhance your shopping experience, check out these tips on how to decrease shipping costs with these retailers.
To make sure you’re getting the best deal while shopping, compare prices, as discounts can vary greatly between retailers. CNET’s Chrome Shopping extension can assist you in discovering the most outstanding discounts and promotional codes.
Amazon’s Return Policy
When you buy items on Amazon, including from Amazon Warehouse, you usually have a 30-day return window. It’s a good idea to immediately check that the items meet your expectations and contain all the necessary parts. If it’s not the right fit, you can box it up and return it promptly.
Even if you hold onto a gift for more than 30 days, the recipient can still receive up to 80% of the item’s price on an Amazon gift card or opt for an exchange. Note that individual Amazon sellers may have different return policies.
Walmart’s Return Policy
Walmart’s standard return policy allows you a 90-day period for returns, whether the item was purchased online or in-store. They also provide an extended holiday return window for items bought from October 1 to December 31, giving you until January 31, 2024, to make returns, which is perfect if you’ve snagged any good holiday sales.
Target’s Return Policy
At Target, you generally have 90 days for returns, extended to 120 days for RedCard holders. For Target brand purchases or registry items, you enjoy a generous one-year return policy.
Different rules apply for electronics, Apple products, and mobile phones bought during the holiday season, with specific time frames established for beginning the return process after December 26.
Best Buy’s Return Policy
You have a 15-day window to return items to Best Buy, while activatable devices must be returned within 14 days. My Best Buy Plus and Total members benefit from a 60-day return period (excluding activatable devices). Gift returns can be made for store credit, and if last year’s policy is any indication, holiday purchases might have a return deadline of January 14.
Macy’s Return Policy
Macy’s generally requires returns within 30 days of purchase, with an exception for registry gifts, which have a 90-day return window. If Macy’s continues its previous holiday policy, items bought from October 3 onwards could be returned within a 90-day period, ending January 31, 2024.
For additional savings, explore our guide on improving your Target shopping trips and discover nine not-to-be-missed Amazon Prime perks.