If you love shopping at Walmart, you might just love it even more after learning about their generous return policy. Unlike many other stores, they have a long window of opportunity to return items, and making a return online or in-store is simple.
Whether you want to ship items back or head back to the store, we’ve got all the hints and tricks to make returns at Walmart a cinch.
How Long Do You Have to Return Items at Walmart?
Overall, Walmart has a generous return policy. They give you 90 days (3 months) to exchange or return an item. Of course, like most return policies, there are some exceptions. We’ll cover them below.
You have options when returning an item too. Whether you head back to the store, ship it back, or schedule a pickup, Walmart makes it easy (and free) to return items you don’t like. They take the risk out of trying something new when you buy it at Walmart.
To return an item you will need your Walmart receipt or Walmart.com order number. You’ll receive the purchase price plus taxes and fees back in the form you paid for the item.
What are the Exceptions to the 90-Day Walmart Return Policy?
As we said, there are exceptions to every rule and Walmart’s return policy is no exception. The following items must be returned sooner than 90 days.
Items that must be returned within 14 Days
To receive a refund for prepaid wireless cell phones or contract cell phones, you must return them within 14 days, undamaged, and with the original receipt. You can only return postpaid phones to the store you purchased them from and any opened or used cell phones won’t receive a refund, but you can exchange them within 14 days.
*The only exception to the rule is Verizon contract phones, which fall under the 30-day return window.
Items that must be returned within 30 Days
Most electronics purchased at Walmart must be returned undamaged and with a receipt within 30 days of purchase. This includes digital cameras, laptops, computers, GPS units, drones, e-readers, tablets, and more.
You also have 30 days to return Walmart Protection Plans or Applecare+ bought with electronics from Walmart.
Items that must be returned within 60 Days
Walmart allows a 60-day return window for prescription glasses, prescription contacts and hearing aids with a receipt.
Does Walmart Offer a Freshness or Satisfaction Guarantee?
Yes, Walmart offers a Freshness Guarantee on most of its grocery and floral items. They fall within the 90-day return window, which is quite extensive for ‘fresh’ items, but you can return the items if they aren’t fresh and get your money back as long as you have your receipt. You can start the return online or in the app and most of the time you don’t have to bring the product back.
Walmart also offers a satisfaction guarantee on their private label products. You don’t need the receipt, just the package of the item you weren’t satisfied with and you’ll receive a full refund within 90 days.
How do you Return Items Bought from Walmart.com?
If you bought an item on Walmart.com and aren’t happy with it or just don’t want it anymore, Walmart gives you three simple ways to return it.
Returns Using the Walmart App In-Store
If you have a Walmart near you (who doesn’t), you can bring the item right back to Walmart. Before you go, though, start the return in the Walmart app. It takes only a few seconds as long as your receipt is already in the app. When you get to the store, you present the QR code to the customer service specialist, give them the item and you’re all set.
Returns In-Store not Using the Walmart App
If you don’t want to use the app or don’t have access to it, you can return items bought online in-store with a receipt or email address for the customer service specialist to look up the order. Bring the item to the customer service desk, provide your receipt or information and you’ll receive a full refund. If you don’t have a receipt and they can’t find your order, you’ll get the most current sales price of the item.
Return by Mail
Walmart.com offers free returns by mail which means you don’t even have to leave your house if you want to return an item. Package the item back up in its original packing. Next, go online to Walmart.com and log into your account. Click on ‘purchase history and select the item(s) you’d like to send back. Print out the prepaid label they provide and mail the item back free of charge.
Can you Return Marketplace Items to Walmart?
Walmart sells not only its products, but they have a marketplace that third-party sellers can use to sell their products. This gives consumers more access to affordable items Walmart might not sell and gives vendors a chance to leverage Walmart’s large audience.
Just like items purchased directly from Walmart, you can return items online or in-store. The original receipt and packaging must accompany the return, but Walmart does not charge any restocking fees or service charges for the returns.
Do you Need a Walmart Account to Make Returns?
A Walmart.com account isn’t necessary to make returns at Walmart, but it makes it a lot more convenient. It’s easy (and free) to sign up for an account by clicking here.
Here’s how a Walmart account makes returns easy:
- Upload your receipt to your Walmart.com account so it’s on record
- When you have a return, select the desired item
- Select ‘return to store’
- Make sure all information is correct
- Submit for a refund
Walmart will email you a confirmation email that you bring to the store with you. This makes the return process in-store take only a few seconds because you did the work at home.
If you don’t have a Walmart.com account, you can still make returns in-store with these steps:
- Get your receipt or order number
- Click here to start the return
- Choose between an in-store or online return
- Enter your receipt number and follow the prompts
When completed successfully, Walmart will email you a confirmation email that you bring to the store with you to complete the return.
Can you Return Items at Walmart without a Receipt?
Whether you can return items at Walmart without a receipt depends on the store’s policy. Each store has different requirements, but in general, you can return items at Walmart without a receipt if the refund verification process Walmart uses accepts it. To process the refund, you must provide a valid government-issued ID.
The refund verification process will give you a few options when returning an item without a receipt.
- If it’s under $10, you can receive a cash refund
- If it’s over $10, you can receive a Walmart gift card for the amount
- You can exchange the item and not receive cash
Walmart Return Policy FAQs
What items cannot be returned to Walmart?
While Walmart has a generous return policy, there are certain things you cannot return at any time. Gift cards, cell phone cards, firearms, ammunition, medications, open CDs or DVDs, sanitary products, and gas-powered items cannot be returned at any time.
Can I return something to Walmart if I opened it?
To go along with their generous return policy, yes Walmart accepts opened items. To make sure your item is accepted, make sure you don’t damage the original packaging and you have your receipt. The exception to this rule is any open CDs, DVDs, or used mattresses.
Can Walmart deny my return?
Walmart has the right to decline a return and they do sometimes. This happens mostly in-store rather than online and varies by location. Even if you have the receipt, they can deny the request, however, if the product is in good condition, in its original box, and you have a valid reason for the return, you shouldn’t have too much trouble.
Does Walmart let customers keep their returns?
Sometimes, yes there are items that Walmart knows they cannot resell, so they refund you the money but tell you to keep the product. This happens more often with online returns since the cost of shipping isn’t worth it for Walmart if they cannot resell the product.
Final Thoughts – Walmart’s Return Policy
Overall, Walmart has a generous return policy. With a few exceptions to the 90-day window and a few products they won’t accept at all, they make it fairly easy to process returns.
Since you can process most of the return from your computer or phone, you won’t spend a long time in line unless you have to head to the post office to ship an item back to Walmart.
