Holiday Return Policies 2018: How Long Do You Have To Return Your Gifts?

The gift-giving season has wrapped up for the holidays, and you might have a few items that you want to return for something a little more your style. While return policies vary by store location, knowing the rules that each retailer has in 2018 can make it easier to give back those gifts that you don’t want in exchange for something that will make your holidays even brighter.

Target

It is pretty easy to return a new and unopened item to Target as the retailer gives you 90 days to receive a full refund of the product. If you paid with your REDcard, you get 120 days for a return. Target-branded products can be returned in a year’s time.

For the holidays, Target has also amped up its return policy by allowing 30 days from Wednesday to return electronics and entertainment items. Apple products can be returned 15 days from Wednesday. Target also allows returns by mail for online and in-store purchases.

Kohl’s

Kohl’s has a generous return policy as it offers no hassle returns of the gifts you don’t want. It will give you merchandise credit at the lowest price for the item in a 13-week sale period without a receipt. With a receipt, you will get a full refund or an exchange of the item, no questions asked.

The company does not list a time frame for most returns on its website but does say that premium electronics need to be returned by Jan. 31 with a valid receipt and must be in the original packaging. Kohl’s also accepts returns by mail for online and in-store purchases.

Best Buy

Best Buy allows returns from holiday purchases up until Jan. 12. Cell phones and other activated devices must be returned with 14 days from the purchase date. Best Buy Elite members have an extended return policy of Jan. 27 while Elite Plus members have until Feb. 11 to return unwanted items.

Some items from Best Buy do carry a restocking fee such as cell phones or other activated devices. Best Buy also allows returns by mail for both in-store and online purchases.

Walmart

Walmart will also refund those unwanted gifts even if you don’t have a receipt. You can take your items to the customer service desk, where they will look up the item purchased and give you the priced value of the item back.

Walmart does allow for app returns as well as returns by mail for online purchases. The retailer makes it relatively easy to return the items you no longer want with or without a receipt as it does not list a specific timeframe for holiday returns on its website.

Macy’s

At Macy’s you can easily return the gifts that you don’t want within the next 180 days. The retailer does have some exceptions to the 180-day return policy, including Last Act items that need to be returned in 30 days. Apple smartphone must be returned in 14 days, and all other Apple products need to be returned in 30 days.

If you have the original purchase receipt or gift receipt, you will receive a full refund. Without a receipt, you will receive in-store credit for the lowest sale price of the item.

JCPenney

At JCPenney, you’ll find that you can return your unwanted gifts for a full refund with a receipt or gift receipt. Items without a receipt can be returned for in-store credit at the lowest sale price given in the last 45 days.

Electronic products are subject to a 15 percent restocking fee with other items have specific return policies, including body jewelry, which all sales are final. Some items can be picked up by JCPenney for a return fee of $85 fee. JCPenney will not allow customers to return gift cards, monogrammed items, personalized items, altered items, perishable foods, and services.