Mental Floss

The Holiday Return Deadlines of 20 Major Retailers

You don't have to keep the gifts you aren't super fond of.
You don't have to keep the gifts you aren't super fond of. | tommaso79/iStock via Getty Images

By the time December 25 rolls around, many of us would be happy avoiding stores (both online and in person) for the foreseeable future. But that's not always possible. After the holidays, retailers see one last rush of customers returning the presents that didn't go over well on Christmas morning. If you plan on returning anything you gifted or received this year, these are the important deadlines to know.

Many businesses adjust their return policies for purchases made during the holiday season. This often works out in the customer's favor, with extended return windows that give people plenty of time to bring their unwanted items back after Christmas. Some retailers will refund most purchases no questions asked, while others are stricter about which products can be returned or exchanged. Many stores also make returning orders by mail as easy as bringing them into a brick-and-mortar location.

After planning out a return schedule that will meet the deadlines listed below, make sure to look up the return policy of each business so you won't run into any surprises during the process. And always hold on to the receipt until it's time to make the return. If you lost yours, don't panic—some chains are able to move forward with certain refunds and exchanges without it. They may still require some personal information from the person who bought the gift, so having an awkward conversation with them is unavoidable.

Once you know what date you need to return your gift by, check out these tips for making the process go smoothly.

  1. Amazon // January 31, 2022, for most items purchased October 1 through December 21, 2021
  2. Apple // January 8, 2022, for orders received November 1 through December 25, 2021
  3. Everlane // January 15, 2022, for orders shipped November 8 through December 25, 2021
  4. Best Buy // January 16, 2022, for most items purchased October 18 through January 2, 2021
  5. The Children's Place // January 15, 2022, for purchases made November 1 through November 30, 2021
  6. GameStop // January 15, 2022, for purchases made after October 31, 2021, or 30 days from purchase (whichever is longer)
  7. HP // January 15, 2022 for purchases made November 1 through December 25, 2021
  8. J.Crew // January 9, 2022, for purchases made October 20 through December 9, 2021
  9. Kohl's // January 31, 2022, for purchases made November 1 through December 25, 2021
  10. Macy's // January 31, 2022, for select purchases made as early as October 5, 2021
  11. Marshalls // January 25, 2022, for purchases made October 10 through December 25, 2021
  12. PUMA // February 28, 2022, for purchases made November 25 through December 25, 2021
  13. Ralph Lauren // January 31, 2022, for purchases made November 22 through December 31, 2021
  14. shopDisney // January 18, 2022, for purchases made November 7 through December 18, 2021
  15. Staples // January 24, 2022, for purchases made November 8 through December 24, 2021
  16. T.J. MAXX // January 25, 2022, for purchases made October 10 through December 25, 2021
  17. Urban Outfitters // February 28, 2022, for purchases made October 1 through December 25, 2021
  18. West Elm // January 31, 2022, for purchases made October 15 through December 26, 2021
  19. Williams-Sonoma // January 31, 2022, for purchases made November 1 through December 24, 2021
  20. Zales // January 24, 2022 for purchases made October 15 through December 24, 2021
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