Expert Reviews

Everything You Need to Know About Kohl’s Return Policy

Rebecca Choi

November 11, 2021

1 comment

As far as return policies go, Kohl’s return policy is a good one. The policy is fairly lenient when it comes to things like how long you have to make returns after purchasing and what you need to make a return.

Kohl’s return process is (generally) hassle-free and the customer service is friendly and accommodating, even when you don’t have your receipts.

And with over 1,000 Kohl’s in the United States, there are plenty of stores for you to shop at, unless you prefer to do your Kohl’s shopping online from the comfort of your home. Rest assured, knowing that you make returns whether you purchase your merchandise online or in person.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Kohl’s return policy. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about returns at Kohl’s, including:

• a step-by-step guide for returning items to kohls
• frequently asked questions about Kohl’s return policy
• the nitty-gritty details of Kohl’s return policy that most people don’t know
• helpful tips and tricks for getting the most out of returns at Kohl’s

Is There a Time Limit on Returns to Kohl’s?

You don’t have forever to return your items to Kohl’s, but you do have 6 months–which in the return-world is nearly forever! Kohl’s return policy allows most merchandise to be returned within 180 days for both online and in-store purchases.

Kohl’s Premium Electronics Return Policy

There is one major exception to this 180-day rule you should know about: premium electronics.

Merchandise from big brand names in electronics is considered premium. That includes items manufactured by:

• Acer
• Apple
• Beats
• Canon
• Dell
• Google
• Fitbit
• Lifeproof
• Microsoft
• Otterbox
• Panasonic
• Polaroid
• Samsung
• Sony

Find a full list of Kohl’s premium electronic brands here. 

You have only 30 days to return premium electronics–but there’s another exception to that rule, known as the Special Holiday Return Policy.

If you buy premium electronics between November 1 and December 25, you can return them any time before January 31 (which extends the return window to a potential 60 days). To return electronics on this contingency, they must:

• be in their original packaging 
• have a valid receipt or customer account attached to the purchase

Kohl’s Beauty Purchases Return Policy

Sadly, there is another restriction to the 180-day return window: beauty purchases, which include Sephora and Wellness Market purchases.

You have up to 60 days to return beauty products at Kohl’s. The good news is that Kohl’s will accept these items in “gently used condition.” For beauty returns, you will also need your receipt or an account associated with the purchase

Can You Return Items to Kohl’s Without a Receipt?

You can return items to Kohl’s without a receipt, but the process gets complicated. If you used a Kohl’s card to purchase your items or used a Kohl’s account upon check out, a store associate can usually look up your purchase at the Customer Service Desk.

You can make the process easier if you have:

• Shipping invoices or order confirmations
• Credit card statements
• Personal account information
• The SKU numbers or prices of the items you want to return

In some cases where you don’t have a receipt, Kohl’s will give you a “Merchandise Credit or corporate-issued refund.” In short, you’ll either get store credit or need to go through a one to two-week process where Kohl’s investigates your purchase before giving you a full refund if you don’t have any proof of your purchase.

The reason Kohl’s does these “corporate-issued refunds” is to prevent return fraud. So, if the item you want to return costs over $100, expect there to be a small investigation just to make sure your return is legit.

Can You Return Items That Have Been Worn or Washed?

Although Kohl’s doesn’t include anything about worn clothes on their official return policy page, word on the street is that you can return lightly worn (and even washed) clothes to Kohl’s.

Kohl’s generally won’t ask questions when you return worn items, including clothes without tags and even lightly worn shoes without the box. However, you should know that Kohl’s always reserves the right to refuse returns–especially if your items are damaged.

If you realize after the fact that a new purchase isn’t right for you, then you can return it to Kohl’s. But it’s important to know that this practice is called wardrobing and even return abuse. So, try not to make it a habit.

Can You Return Things Bought With Kohl’s Cash?

You can return items to Kohl’s that you bought with Kohl’s Cash to receive a full refund of your Kohl’s Cash, whether your original Kohl’s Cash coupon is expired or not.

For returns where your Kohl’s Cash coupon is still valid, Kohl’s will refund the full amount to your original coupon. However, if the coupon is expired, Kohl’s will issue a new Kohl’s Cash coupon to you for the full original amount.

If you’re not familiar with Kohl’s Cash, it’s Kohl’s rewards dollars. Typically you get $10 for spending $50 during a Kohl’s Cash event. The rewards are gifted to you via coupons.

Returning Items After Earning Kohl’s Cash

There are two scenarios where Kohl’s Cash can impact your return at Kohl’s if you earned Kohl’s Cash on items you later returned.

First, if you didn’t spend the Kohl’s Cash yet, Kohl’s will adjust the amount of Kohl’s Cash your coupon is valid for. So, let’s say you spent $100 and earned $20 in Kohl’s Cash. Then, you returned a $25 item which put you under the threshold for earning some of the Kohl’s Cash. After the return, you only “spent” $75, which means you would have only earned $10 in Kohl’s Cash.

In this case (where you didn’t already redeem your Kohl’s Cash), Kohl’s will reduce your Kohl’s Cash coupon value. Simple, right?

Now, let’s look at the second scenario where you made the same return, but you already spent $20 in Kohl’s Cash on another purchase. In this case, Kohl’s will reduce the amount of money you receive in your return by the amount of invalid Kohl’s cash.

Instead of receiving the full $25 back from your purchase, you’d only receive $15 (since you spent $10 of Kohl’s Cash you wouldn’t have earned without that purchase).

If you’d like to read more about Kohl’s return policy for Kohl’s Cash purchases, you can do that here. 

Returning Items Purchased with a Gift Card to Kohl’s

You can’t return a gift card to Kohl’s, but you can return items that you bought with a gift card. But, if you’re looking for cash, you’re not in luck.

For items that were bought with a gift card, Kohl’s will refund the original card, as long as you still have it.

If you lost the gift card, Kohl’s will give you store credit instead.

Returns When You Have a Gift Receipt

There are times when a friend buys you a nice gift, but it’s just not right for you. If you have a Kohl’s gift receipt, you can return your item for store credit or you exchange it for a better size, color, or style.

Or, if we’re being honest, you can get an entirely different gift for yourself! Sadly, you can’t return gifted items from Kohl’s for cash value.

There is one catch that many people who try to return gifted items face. If the returned item is no longer on sale, then the shopper cannot make a straight exchange.

That means they have to return the item for store credit where they only receive the on-sale price that was originally paid. Then, if they want the same item, they need to pay more for an exchange of the same item. Bummer!

So, if you want to exchange a gift, our advice is to not procrastinate. Try that birthday sweater on tonight!

The Step-by-Step Guide for Returning Items to Kohl’s (In-Store)

Now, here’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for–the step-by-step guide for returning your items to Kohl’s (along with some helpful tips).

1. Decide which store you want to return your items to.

Now, you can return orders by mail if you ordered them online. But if you’re a savvy shopper, you don’t want to do that. And here’s why.

Kohl’s will issue you a full refund of your online purchase, but you pay for the shipping costs to return your items via mail. On top of that, you’ll receive your refund faster, and you’ll have the opportunity to make exchanges.

So, if there’s a brick-and-mortar Kohl’s near you, you should visit in person to do your returns.

Find your nearest Kohl’s here. 

2. Locate your invoice, receipt, or Kohl’s Card information.

If you ordered online, you can find your order invoice by logging into your Kohls.com shopping account and navigating to “Order History.” You can pull up a digital copy or print it off to aid in the return process.

If you bought your items in-store, try to find the receipt. Pro tip? Take a photo of your receipt when you purchase at Kohl’s. Finding a lost photo in your recent album is much easier to locate than finding a lost receipt crumpled somewhere around the house.

If you can’t find your invoice or your receipt, an in-store associate can still help you. If you used a Kohl’s Card or an associated Kohl’s account when you made your purchase, the helpful people at the customer service desk can look up your purchase.

Now, if you can’t do any of that, you’re still in luck–but it will be a bit more of a hassle for you and Kohl’s customer service team. 

3. Visit Kohl’s customer service desk.

Once you’ve gathered your necessary resources and decided which store you want to return your items to, bring your documents and merchandise to a Kohl’s customer service desk, and wait in line.

It’s that easy to return things to Kohl’s!

How to Return Online Purchases via Mail

Now, if you don’t want to return your merchandise in-store, or you simply can’t, shipping your returns is a convenient way to receive a refund. Here’s how.

1. Print your invoice.

Log in to Kohls.com, and print your order invoice from the “Order History” menu.

2. Complete the return form.

While you’re at it, print the Kohl’s return form, too. You’ll need to fill out this form which indicates:

• your order number (which you can find on your invoice)
• which items in the order are being returned
• why they are being returned
• where the order was originally shipped to

3. Pack your items.

Pack your items, along with your invoice and the completed return form, carefully in a box. If you still have it, I recommend returning your items in the original packaging you received them in.

When sending returns via mail, Kohl’s requires that you include tags for all items and that your items are in new condition–as in never worn or used.

4. Ship your returns.

Next, label your returns to be sent to this address (which you can also find on the return form):

Kohl’s Return Center

3500 Salzman Road

Middletown Ohio

45044-9401

Then, take your package to the post office or the closest UPS store and pay for shipping. Bear in mind that Kohl’s will not cover your shipping costs–so it’s best not to expedite it.

5. Wait for your refund.

Finally, you wait for your refund to arrive. It usually takes about 7-10 business days after Kohl’s gets your package. So, if you live far from Ohio, you’ll be waiting a bit longer.

Kohls will post your refund to the original credit card that you used when you bought the item, so keep an eye on your bank account.

Online Orders and Return Policy Details

There are a few catches with Kohl’s return policy that you should know. Here’s the insider information.

Large items delivered by freight are not eligible for in-store returns. To return these big items, you’ll have to follow the unique instructions at the bottom of your invoice. If you decide to return them, you’ll have to pay all shipping costs and surcharges, plus a 15% restocking fee.

Oh, and you can’t get any exchanges by mail–so if you want exchanges, make your returns in-store.

Kohl’s Return Policy FAQs

Final Thoughts: Kohl’s Return Policy

If you want to get the most out of every purchase you make at Kohl’s, you need to know the ins and outs of Kohl’s return policy.

Compared to most other retailers’ return policies, Kohl’s favors the customer heavily. Here’s a summary of what you need to know:

• You have 180 days (about 6 months) to return most items to Kohl’s.
• You only have 60 days to return most beauty products and 30 days to return most electronics.
• You don’t need a receipt, but things will be easier if you do.
• Only online purchases can be returned by mail (but online orders can be returned in-store).
• Kohl’s doesn’t cover the cost of postage for returning items by mail.
• In-store returns are faster and easier than mail-in returns.
• Returns are generally issued within one week.
• You can return tagless, worn, and washed items to Kohl’s (but it is not recommended).
• You can return items that were bought to Kohl’s Cash to receive a full Kohl’s Cash refund.

Have you had a positive or negative experience with Kohl’s return policy? Share your opinions, tips, or warnings below!