Amazon is continually increasing its reach and making it more convenient for customers to get the products they need fast and even return products that didn’t meet their approval. Before, the only way to make an Amazon return was to ship it back to Amazon and wait for your refund.
Today, you can make Amazon returns just about anywhere, including Whole Foods. It sounds crazy to use Whole Foods for Amazon returns, but we’ve provided everything you must know about the process in this guide.
How to do Whole Foods Amazon Returns
Amazon makes it easy to return products. They don’t ask a lot of questions or give you many problems. They accept returns for most reasons with a few exceptions. Here’s how to initiate a return.
1. Start the return online
To make an Amazon return, you must first process the return online. Sign in to your account and click on ‘orders.’ Select the product you want to return and select ‘return’ from the drop-down menu. From there follow the prompts, answering the questions Amazon asks about the reason for the return.
2. Choose your dropoff location
If you have an eligible Whole Foods near you, it will show up as an option in your drop-down box. Amazon has 500 Whole Foods throughout the country that accept Amazon returns.
3. Follow the prompts and get your QR code
When you complete the return in your account, Amazon will email you a QR code. You’ll use this code when you head to Whole Foods to make your Amazon return. The email will also state when the QR code is good through. Make sure you pay attention to the date so you don’t miss your opportunity to make the return.
4. Go to your local Whole Foods
Take your product to your local Whole Foods – make sure it matches the one you chose in the return process. You don’t need a box or label to make the return. You just need the product and your QR code.
5. Go to the customer service desk
Take your return to the Whole Foods customer service desk and tell them you’re making an Amazon return. They’ll scan your QR code and take the product – it’s that simple!
How Long do you Get to Make an Amazon Return?
Amazon allows a 30-day window to return products you don’t want, didn’t meet your needs, or was defective. During the holidays they have an extended return period too. You can easily find out your product’s return window by looking it up under ‘orders’ when you log into your account.
If you miss your return date, here’s a quick workaround. Go into a more recent order that you made (within 30 days) and select it as if you want to return it. When you select a product to return, Amazon will automatically populate other items you’ve bought that you might want to return, including those that are past the 30-day window.
Select the item you want to return, even if it’s past the 30-day window, and unselect the original item you checked if you don’t want to return it. You then complete the process like above, following the prompts and getting your QR code to return your Amazon product.
Does it Cost Anything to Make Whole Foods Amazon Returns?
It is completely free to make Whole Foods Amazon returns, just like it’s free to return Amazon products at participating Kohl’s and UPS stores.
You don’t even need a box or label. You just walk in with the product and your QR code, which you can have on your phone, so you don’t even have to waste paper and ink printing out your code.
Getting an Amazon Refund
Some products aren’t eligible for returns, especially petcare items, but if the item doesn’t meet your satisfaction because it’s defective or is the wrong item, Amazon will offer you a refund and not expect you to return the product.
Sometimes Amazon even offers this option for returns on other products. There’s no rhyme or reason to which products they will require you to send the products back and which they won’t. Sometimes, though, the representative will tell you to keep the product and they’ll give you a refund.
Other Places to Make an Amazon Return
Whole Foods isn’t the only place to make an Amazon return. Here are other places that may be more convenient for you depending on where you live.
Kohl’s
Most Kohl’s stores have an Amazon return desk where you can process your Amazon return for free. Just like Whole Foods Amazon returns, you bring your product and the QR code. The product should be in its original packaging, but you don’t need the shipping box.
Give the customer service professional the product and let them scan the QR code and you’re done. It’s free to return your products at Kohl’s and sometimes they’ll even give you a coupon to use at Kohl’s.
UPS
Many UPS stores also accept Amazon returns for free. Just as Whole Foods Amazon returns, you don’t need a box. Just the QR code and the product. UPS stores may not be as convenient as Kohl’s or Whole Foods, but if you happen to be there shipping something else or you are passing a UPS store, it’s nice to know it’s an option for your Amazon return.
Amazon Hub Locker Returns
If you live in an area where there are Amazon Hub Lockers, you can choose this as your option for a return. You initiate the return just like you would any other return, but instead of choosing a retail location, you choose the locker location nearest you. They are inside grocery stores, pharmacies, gyms, and more. Find the one closest to you and when you initiate the return, Amazon will give you a code to enter into the locker to drop off the product.
Codes are good for one business day, but there’s a catch. You must box up the product as if you were shipping it. You can’t just drop the product like you could with a Whole Foods Amazon return. You must also attach the provided return label to the box. The Amazon locker screen will walk you through the rest of the process. Just follow the prompts to process your return.
FAQs – Whole Foods Amazon Returns
Why don’t you need a box for your Whole Foods Amazon return?
You need the original packaging for the product you return, but you don’t need the shipping box. The Whole Foods employees will box all returns into one box, or fit as many returns as they can in one box to reduce the amount of packaging used for every Amazon return.
How long is the extended Amazon holiday return?
Most Amazon returns have a 30-day window, but over the holidays, you get an extended time. Starting in 2021, Amazon started its holiday return window on purchases made after October 1st.
All products bought after October 1st could be returned through January 31, 2022. While Amazon always has an attractive holiday return window, this is the longest window they’ve offered to date.
Are all products returnable to Amazon?
Amazon typically takes just about any product back, but they do have some exceptions. You can see which products can and can’t be returned before you buy them. In the description, you’ll see a logo that says ‘free returns’. If you don’t see that, the product can’t be returned.
Some products they don’t accept returned include prepaid game cards, gift cards, software, some jewelry, and certain healthcare products.
Does Amazon work with Whole Foods?
Besides returns, Amazon Prime members have other benefits they can use at Whole Foods including 2-hour same-day grocery delivery if you have a Whole Foods in your area. You can also arrange a free 1-hour pickup if you’d rather pick your groceries up at Whole Foods.
Final Thoughts – Whole Foods Amazon Returns
If you need to make an Amazon return, chances are you have retailers near you that will accept the return. You don’t need a box or a label – you just need the product and the Amazon-issued QR code.
Amazon makes life much easier with these return options. If you have a Whole Foods near you, Whole Foods Amazon returns are easy. If you don’t, though, you have other options including Kohl’s and UPS stores. If all else fails, you can make the return in an Amazon Hub Locker which you’ll likely find in the stores and facilities you already frequent, but you’ll need to box it up as if you were bringing it to the post office to send back.
What happens if the Amazon item does not arrive at Amazon, must have been stolen after I put a small item into the locking bin at Whole Foods
Ups refused my package. Said take it to USPS
i returned a laptop (bought from Amazon) within 15 days at whole foods. they scanned my QR code took the package.
received an email, but i lost my email some how, i dint get the refund then contacted amazon customer care. they were asking for the return proof, which i dont have since my i lost my email. now amazon saying without the return information they are not able to process my refund, as the laptop still not reached to the seller.
why Amazon is not able to help me in finding the return tracking information which i lost (email). amazon or wholefoods should have the information about my return.
i checked with whole foods they said they will not have data about any returns.
but they scanned again my return QR code, it showed this code is used. i sent this picture to amazon as a return proof. but still Amazon asking for return tracking num(may be the email will have which i lost). please help me how do i get my refund
Amazon returns via Whole Foods worked fine until it didn’t. Took the item in to WF, they scanned my return code, printed out a label and stuck on the item (I saw them do this). Then they said “That’s it.” Well, it wasn’t. Although Amazon credited me immediately, 30 days later I received an email saying I was rebilled for the item because they never received it. I tried reaching out to Amazon to resolve…crickets. UPS WILL ALWAYS GIVE YOU A RECEIPT FOR ITEMS BEING RETURNED TO AMAZON. Don’t use Whole Foods. EVER.
I had problems with WF, as well. Will NEVER use them again for Amazon returns.