Store Return Policies: Return Windows at 35 Major Retailers

Every retailer writes its own return policy, and the differences matter: a TV bought at Costco can go back for 90 days, the same TV at Best Buy for 15. Click a store name for our full guide, or search below.

Return windows at 35 stores

Stores with the longest return windows

• Costco and Sam’s Club: no set limit on most items for members (electronics and major appliances: 90 days).
• Nordstrom: no fixed time limit; returns are handled case by case.
• IKEA: 365 days for new, unopened items; 180 days once opened.
• REI: 1 year for Co-op members (90 days for everyone else).
• Home Depot: 365 days on most items bought with a Home Depot consumer or Pro Xtra credit card.
• Target: 1 year on Target Owned Brands with a receipt; 120 days on most items bought with a Target Circle Card.
• Kohl’s: 120 days for purchases made with a Kohl’s Card.

Stores with the shortest return windows

• Apple: 14 days from the day you receive the product.
• Best Buy: 15 days standard (60 days for My Best Buy Plus and Total members).
• GameStop: 15 days for new items and 7 days for pre-owned (longer for Pro members).
• Staples: 14 days for technology, small appliances, and furniture.
• Home Depot and Lowe’s: 48 hours for major appliances.

Exceptions that trip people up

Electronics and phones. Even at 90-day stores, electronics usually have 30 days or less: Walmart (most electronics 30 days, wireless phones 14), Target (electronics 30 days; Apple, Beats, and mobile phones 14), Kohl’s (premium electronics and watches 30 days), JCPenney (electronics 30 days).

Major appliances. Home Depot and Lowe’s give you just 48 hours on refrigerators, washers, dryers, and other major appliances, so report delivery damage right away. Costco allows 90 days.

Outdoor power equipment. At Home Depot, gas-powered trimmers, blowers, chainsaws, and mowers have 30 days. At Lowe’s, most outdoor power equipment has 30 days, and portable generators have 48 hours.

Restocking fees. Best Buy charges $45 on opened activatable devices (phones, cellular tablets, hotspots) and 15% on opened drones, cameras, and some other categories. Target may charge up to $35 on mobile phones.

Final sale. Commonly non-returnable: gift cards, personalized items, digital downloads, opened software and video games, trading cards, and some health and hygiene products.

How return policies work

A return policy is a retailer’s own rules, not a legal requirement. Most cover the same six things:

Policy term	What to check
Return window	How many days you have, and whether it counts from purchase, shipment, or delivery
Condition	Unused, unworn, tags on, original packaging, all accessories included
Proof of purchase	Receipt, order number, or a lookup by card, phone number, or account
Refund method	Original payment method, store credit, or exchange only
Exceptions	Shorter windows or final-sale categories
Fees	Restocking fees or return shipping deducted from the refund

When the clock starts. In store, the window usually starts on the purchase date. Online, most retailers count from delivery. If you buy a gift weeks early, the recipient’s window may be shorter than you think. A gift receipt helps.

Online vs in-store. Online orders can usually be returned by mail with a prepaid label, and often to a store as well. Mail returns take longer to refund because the item has to reach a warehouse and be inspected. Keep the drop-off receipt until the refund arrives.

Holiday extensions. Many large retailers extend return windows for purchases made in the fall holiday season, typically until late January. The exact dates change each year and are announced by each store, so check the store’s policy page or your receipt.

Before you buy anything expensive, check the exceptions for that category, note the last day you can return it, and keep the receipt or order email somewhere you’ll find it. Our return deadline calculator works out the exact date.

Are stores required to take returns?

Not in general. A retailer’s return policy is voluntary, and stores can limit or refuse returns that fall outside it. Two important exceptions:

• Posting laws. Some states require stores to display their refund policy. In California and New York, if a store fails to post it, you can return unused items within 30 days. See how state posting laws work.
• Defective products are covered by warranties, including implied warranties under state law, regardless of the return window. See our warranty claim checklist.

More return guides

• How to return something without a receipt
• Proof of purchase: what counts
• Refund taking too long? What to do
• The complete return and refund process, step by step