So you bought something at Walmart, and it’s just not working out for you. It happens to the best of us! Whatever the purchase, Walmart makes it easy to return or exchange your item if you’re not 100% satisfied, and you won’t have to jump through hoops to do it.
Walmart’s relaxed receipt policy ensures you have plenty of time to decide whether your item should stay or go – without having to make a mad dash to the post office before a too-soon cutoff date. Plus, Walmart offers free return shipping, so you never have to worry that the cost of returning your item will exceed the cost you initially paid.
But if you don’t even want to mess around with shipping unwanted items back on your own, Mobile Express Returns makes it incredibly easy to start the return process online and then drop it off at your local Walmart store.
Walmart has also instituted a more customer-friendly return process when buying from third-party sellers. You can shop with confidence across the site, knowing transparent, streamlined policies back you if you’re not satisfied with your Marketplace purchase.
So you already know it’s easy, but here’s everything else you need to know about Walmart returns.
The Official Walmart Return Policy
Returns are available for nearly everything at Walmart. Barring a few exceptions, Walmart gives customers 90 days to decide if they want — or need — to return or exchange an item with or without a receipt. You even get a little more leeway during the holiday season.
For items purchased online, the return window typically begins on the date the item is delivered. These items can be returned by mail (for free) or dropped off at your nearest Walmart store.
Walmart Holiday Guarantee
Eligible purchases made from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 will have an extended return window of Jan. 31, including electronics and Marketplace items.
Walmart Fresh Guarantee
In 2013, Walmart launched its 100% guarantee for fresh fruits and vegetables, then updated it to include produce, fresh flowers, meat, bakery, deli, and dairy and frozen items. After you buy any of these items, and you aren’t completely satisfied, bring back your receipt for a full refund within 90 days. And you don’t have to bring most of these items back to the store with you either.
Just start a return through the Walmart app or at walmart.com/returns or through your Walmart account.
Walmart Exchange-Only Policy
Some items aren’t eligible for a return but can be exchanged for the same or similar item within 90 days. These include defective but unused funeral products (yes, Walmart sells caskets and coffins!) and certain opened or used products, such as air beds and air mattresses, and durable medical equipment like crutches, slings, walkers and mobility scooters.
Walmart Return Policy Exceptions
These products must be returned or exchanged with a receipt within the following return windows:
- Prepaid wireless phones: Within 14 days.
- Most electronics, PC components and drones: Within 30 days.
- Prescription glasses, contacts, hearing aids: Within 60 days.
- Trees, perennials, shrubs: Within one year.
For returns on major appliances, a receipt is required to receive a full refund within two days of accepted delivery. However, unopened, uninstalled and undamaged major appliances in original, factory-sealed packaging can be returned for up to 30 days after delivery.
Some other items can’t be refunded or exchanged, no matter what. These include but aren’t limited to, firearms and ammunition, gas-powered recreational vehicles, used or mounted tires, and certain digital products or services, such as SIM cards, gift cards and software downloads.
Every Way To Make a Walmart Return
Walmart makes it easy to return items by mail or in stores with multiple options to get the ball rolling digitally. Keep in mind, however, that it may take up to three weeks for your Walmart return to be completed by mail, so that may not be your preferred route if you want your money back fast.
No matter where you made your purchase, Walmart encourages customers to get the return process started in the Walmart app for the fastest, easiest experience.
Walmart Returns by Mail
- Log into your Walmart account and click your initials in the upper-right corner.
- Select “Account.”
- Find the unwanted item and click “Start a Return.”
- Choose your reason for not keeping the item.
- You may be given the option of requesting a refund or a replacement, depending on the item. Once chosen, click “Continue.”
- Select the option to “Return by Mail,” then click “Continue.”
- Print the return label and bring the package to your local FedEx or USPS location.
There are four methods to return items. You’ll see the options available for an item when you start your return:
Walmart In-Store Returns
When you’re returning items in-person at a store, you don’t have to worry about repackaging them. Make sure you have your return email or receipt with you.
Walmart Mobile Express Returns
Walmart introduced its Mobile Express Returns process in 2017. Here’s how it works:
- Download the Walmart app and log into your account.
- Access your orders and select the items to return.
- Select “Return to Store” to get a return barcode.
- Review the refund summary and submit it.
- You’ll be emailed a confirmation to bring this with you to Walmart, along with the items you want to return.
Don’t have the app or a Walmart account? Then you can go old-school and bring your items and receipt to the Customer Service desk at your local Walmart. Or, just head over to Walmart.com/StartReturn and choose whether your item was purchased in-store or online.
Return Pickup From Home for Walmart+ Members
Walmart+ members were given this exclusive option for returns in 2022. When initiating an eligible return through the app, if you’re a Walmart+ member, then you can schedule a return for pickup from your home. You don’t need to put it in a box or slap a label on it. Just hand off the return to a delivery driver, and Walmart handles the rest.
Walmart Curbside Returns
Curbside returns let you return items from your vehicle. Walmart started rolling this option out in Oct. 2022. There isn’t a dedicated page for curbside returns, but it’s the same as the existing curbside pickup process.
- Start your Walmart online return as usual, select the store you’d like to return to and follow the instructions you receive.
- Park in the designated Walmart curbside pickup area.
- An associate will come to your vehicle to retrieve and process your return.
When To Expect Your Walmart Refund
As long as you have your receipt, you should receive your refund within 10 business days, depending on your method of payment. If you’ve lost your receipt, use Walmart’s receipt lookup tool.
- If you paid by cash or check, you’ll get your refund immediately in the form of cash for in-store returns.
- If you paid by debit or credit card, you’ll get your money refunded back to the card within seven to 10 business days. Or, you may be issued a gift card immediately.
- If you paid via Walmart Gift Card or EBT card, you’ll get your refund issued back to the respective card within three hours.
However, if you need to make a return to Walmart without a receipt, customer service can look up your online and in-store purchases made with your debit or credit card and process a refund back to your card within 10 business days.
If you did not make your purchase by credit or debit card and you don’t have a receipt, you’ll need to show a valid government-issued photo ID to authorize the in-store return of your item. As long as the verification process is found acceptable, you can exchange your merchandise, get a cash refund (if the value of your purchase was under $10) or get your refund on a Walmart gift card (if the purchase value was $10 or more).
Walmart Marketplace Return Policy
Items purchased through Walmart Marketplace are sold by third-party sellers, meaning that they don’t come directly from Walmart. If you’re not sure if Walmart or a Marketplace seller fulfilled your order, just take a peek at your shipping label where it says “Sold & Shipped By.” The return address listed there is the seller’s contact information.
Most Marketplace items are returnable within 30 days, and you’ll follow the same process outlined above for the return of standard Walmart purchases. However, if you purchase electronics or luxury items from a Walmart Marketplace seller, the process is a little different. (For the record, “luxury items” may include new and pre-owned apparel, shoes, accessories, jewelry and watches over $300, fine art, collectibles and more.)
To return these luxury Marketplace items, follow these steps to avoid the rejection of your refund:
- Initiate the return online within 14 days of receiving the item.
- Take photos of the item(s) you’re returning and keep them for your records — just in case.
- If you purchased apparel that was sold as new, it needs to be unworn and still have its original tags and labels attached. Damaged items will be rejected for a refund, and jewelry or watches that have been worn or altered may be subject to a restocking fee of up to 20% of the purchase price.
- Carefully repackage the product in its original box, and be sure to include any papers, warranty cards, grading, certificates of authenticity and appraisals.
- Slap a shipping label on the package provided by Walmart or the Marketplace Seller.
When it comes to actually shipping the items back, the Marketplace Seller may have additional instructions or return shipping fees. Some items might be eligible for return at a Walmart store, so you may not even need to worry about shipping them.
To find out more about an individual seller’s return policy, log into Walmart.com, go to your Account page, locate the order in question, then click “See Details” next to your order number. You can see the seller’s information and even contact the seller directly if you have any questions.
Once your return to the Marketplace seller is validated, your refund will be processed back to your original method of payment within 10 business days.
Things To Consider Before You Make a Walmart Return
Any item you wish to return to Walmart needs to be in new condition (unless, of course, it arrived damaged) and in the manufacturer’s original packaging. Walmart asks that damaged items purchased in-store be brought back to the store with a receipt, while damaged items purchased online should be returned by mail.
And finally, if you’re returning a gift, you can exchange it for something else or have the value refunded to a gift card. Or, you could have the cost credited to a gift giver’s original method of payment, which somehow feels like a very weird, very rude, yet also somewhat generous move … but more power to you if you want to make it!
Read Walmart’s full return policy.
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