I’m at HomeGoods what I feel like is every weekend with my teenage daughter who is, well, shall we say “obsessed” with their bedroom and Christmas décor. I love hanging out with her before she leaves for college, so hey, I’ll happily hop in the car and go shopping with her whenever she asks if I want to come along. So…I’ve become fairly well acquainted with the HomeGoods 30-day return policy and all the caveats and twists within. So this article kinda wrote itself, not gonna lie. I hope it helps you out with your next return and answers all your questions.

Home Goods Gives You 30 Days

For in-store purchases, Home Goods gives shoppers 30 days from date of purchase to return item to ANY Home Goods store.

Online Purchases Get Extra Time

40 days to be exact.

Home Goods is the only store that I can remember that gives shoppers MORE return days for online purchases.

The 40 days starts on your order date, NOT on the delivery date.

Although it’s strange they offer 40 days for returns as their website recently closed for online shopping so look for this to be updated.

See Also: TJ Maxx Return Policy: Insider Tips for Return Success

Not Completely Out-Of-Luck If You Lose Your Receipt

Well…if you want to get your money back to your original payment method you NEED your receipt.

If you don’t have your receipt, you can still return the item but you’ll have to settle for store credit on a Home Goods gift card.

You’ll get the current selling price of the item which could be WAY less than what you actually paid for it.

Be prepared to show a valid I.D. when making receipt-less returns.

Why do you need an I.D.? Well, they’re going to track your returns and will eventually ban you from making returns without a receipt if you do it too often.

How often? I’m not sure. If you work for Home Goods, and are in the know, let us know in the comments.

PRO TIP: DUMPSTER DIVE BEHIND HOME GOODS

When making a return recently, I was told that items returned beyond 30 days, that are seasonal, are often thrown in the trash after they give you store credit.

The manager I talked with said these items are often no longer in their system and can’t be sold in their clearance section.

I’m thinking it might be time to dust off your gloves and do a little dumpster diving behind your Home Goods, I know my grandma would have done exactly that (or had me do it!).

Do Items Have To Be “Brand New”?

Yes and no.

Home Goods says item must be in the “original condition” so they can put them back on the shelf for sale.

But…if there is something wrong with the item, to not fault of your own, you should be able to return it even if it’s not “Brand New” and you don’t have all the original packaging.

See Also: Marshalls Return Policy: We Answer ALL Your Questions

If You Remove the Tag…Don’t Throw It Away

As long as you still have the tag in your possession, you CAN make the return.

If you throw away the tag, but the item is still considered new, you should try and return it anyways and explain the situation.

If you still have your receipt, and are within the 30 or 40 days of purchase, you stand a great chance of being able to return the item.

$200 “RETURN RULE” AT HOME GOODS

It’s worth knowing that when making a return with a value over $200 the Home Goods employee will have to get a manager’s approval before completing your return. The manager will also need to be present when you sign your return receipt.

Get Cash Back ONLY On a Cash Purchase

If you paid with cash, you can get cash back on your return.

Otherwise, if you paid with a credit or debit card, you cannot get cash back on your return, it has to go back on your card.

Home Goods Won’t “Find” Your Receipt If You Lose It

They won’t dig through your purse or glove box for you and they can’t use their computer system to find your receipt either.

Because your receipt is so important, always select the “Print and email receipt” option when checking out.

By doing this, your receipt will ALWAYS be waiting for you in your inbox if you ever need it.

Some Products Are NOT Returnable

Specifically, you cannot return the following items to Home Goods:

– Opened Food Products – If you do like I did and open the box of Harry & David Moose Crunch you bought from Home Goods and decide you don’t like it, you CANNOT return it.

Not that I even considered it…I love me some Moose Crunch, especially the caramel.

– Gift Cards – Once you buy a gift card, you’ll have to either use it or give it away as a gift.

See Also: All the Stores That Allow You to Make a Return Without Your Receipt

Returning Stuff to a TJ Maxx or Marshalls

Surprisingly, you might be able to do this.

The corporate stance is you have to take stuff you bought at a HomeGoods store back to any HomeGoods store.

This includes “combo stores” that have both a TJ Maxx and a Home Goods, you cannot return stuff you bought from a stand alone Home Goods to these combo stores.

BUT… according to this Reddit thread, it appears some store managers will allow HomeGoods returns at TJ Maxx and Marshalls locations.

It seems the common thread is typically this is only allowed in towns where the nearest Home Goods is NOT near a TJ Maxx or Marshalls.

It’s also worth noting that the ONLY WAY they’ll ever do this type of return is if the tag is still attached, you have the receipt, and you’re within the return window.

You Can Return Online Purchases In-Store

Just bring in your packing slip or order confirmation email and you can use that as your proof of purchase.

The same rules apply to online purchases being returned, with the only difference being an extra 10 days to make the return.

Returning Large Items Like Furniture and Rugs

It should be a pretty simple process, but you’ll have to get the item back to store, they won’t pick it up for you, even if you bought it online.

When returning a rug, be warned that they’ll unroll it and make sure it’s actually their rug and not dirty.

PRO TIP: USE THEIR EXTENDED HOLIDAY RETURN POLICY

For all purchases made at Home Goods between 10/06/24 – 12/24/24 you have until 1/25/25 to make your return.

Their normal return policy goes back into effect on 12/26/24.

See Also: All 37 Retailers That Offer Extended Holiday Returns

Ask the Reader: When it comes to the return policy at Home Goods, what did I miss? Let me know in the comments so I can fact check it.

By Kyle James

There’s something about pulling out my iPhone or Apple Watch to pay at the grocery store that makes me feel like Inspector Gadget. But yet I forget most of the time and end up swiping my credit card like a complete caveman. So when I was in Safeway recently, I made the conscious effort to pay with Apple Pay and the whole process was about the easiest thing I’ve ever done. Here’s everything you need to know concerning using Apple Pay at Safeway including a few payment hacks and tips that you NEED to be aware of.

Does Safeway Take Apple Pay?

Yes.

Safeway actually introduced Apple Pay to all in-store shoppers back in 2017 when they updated all of their contactless card readers.

So…How Do I Use Apple Pay at Checkout?

When it comes time to pay for your groceries, just Double Tap the Side Button on your iPhone to prompt Apple Pay.

Make sure the card you want to use is chosen and that your phone is unlocked.

Swipe the screen if you need to pull up a different card.

Then just hold your phone directly above the Payment Reader (towards the top of it) and wait for it to beep, or get the Done notification, or Green Check mark on your iPhone and you’re good to go.

Important note that confuses some folks…you do NOT need to open your Wallet app to use Apple Pay.

See Also: The Safeway Return Policy is Confusing But We Make Sense Of It

How Do I Add a Card to Apple Pay?

I actually just used Apple Pay at my local Safeway this past weekend, and it made me think that I should use this article as a tutorial for those unfamiliar with how to set up Apple Pay on their iPhone.

Here are the 5 easy steps to make it happen:

1. Go to the Wallet app on your iPhone and tap the Add (+) button.

2. Next, tap Debit or Credit Card.

3. Then you can either select a card you’ve previously setup or enter a new card, then tap Continue.

4. Next you can snap a pic of your card’s info and it’ll be added automatically, or you’re given the option of enter the information manually.

5. Last, verify that your information is correct before your card is officially added.

Note: Apple lets you add up to 12 cards to your digital wallet.

Can I Use Apple Pay Online at Safeway.com?

No.

When I tried to use Apple Pay to setup a home delivery with Safeway, I was unfortunately only given two options for my forms of payment.

As you can see in the screenshot above, the only accepted payment methods currently are credit card or EBT card.

See Also: Here’s a Clever Workaround to Use Apple Pay at Walmart

What About Using Apple Pay with Instacart?

No.

Again I struck out as you can’t currently use Apply Pay with Instacart or any other grocery delivery service.

They typically only accept credit card, debit card, EBT Snap, and PayPal.

Can I Use Apple Pay for Curbside Pickup?

No.

The same goes with Curbside Pickup, you CANNOT currently use Apple Pay to complete your purchase.

They only accept credit, debit, EBT cards.

What Are the 3 Benefits of Using Apple Pay?

1. Privacy – By using Apple Pay, you’ll never have to pull out a credit card and risk someone taking a picture of the number on it.

Plus, Safeway themselves will not get any of your important information like your credit card number and name/address.

2. Convenience – The fact that you don’t need to bring your purse or wallet into the store is a nice little perk.

But more importantly, you’ll never have to do the “walk of shame” out to your car if you accidentally forget your purse or wallet at home.

3. Security – The ABSOLUTE best part about using Apple Pay is the security aspect.

Apple Pay uses a unique device account number which is encrypted and stored as a secured element within the phone so your card number and personal information is VERY safe and can’t be stolen.

See Also: Kroger Doesn’t Take Apple Pay…But There Are Workarounds

Can I Use My Apple Watch to Pay?

Yes.

When you add a new card to your Apple Wallet, you’ll be given the option of adding the card to your watch as well.

You can also add new cards to your watch within the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.

Then when you reach the checkout reader at Safeway, just position your wrist by the card reader, followed by waking up your Apple Watch by turning it towards you.

The option to pay with your watch will automatically pop-up on your watch, if it does NOT for some reason just double tap the side button on your watch to prompt Apple Pay.

Then you can choose the card you want to use by swiping left or right on your watch, then hold your wrist near the reader to pay.

You’ll see a green check mark on your watch screen, or feel a small watch vibration when your payment is accepted by Safeway.

Can I Use Google Pay If I Have an Android?

Yes.

I’m not an Android guy, but yes you absolutely can use Google Pay at Safeway.

Here are some detailed instructions from PC World on how to get it set up and running.

What Payment Methods Does Safeway Accept?

Other than Apple Pay, Safeway accepts the following payment methods:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• Discover
• American Express
• Debit cards with a Visa or MasterCard logo
• SNAP EBT
• Cash
• Gift cards
• Fast Forward
• Personal check
• Google Pay

I’ll keep this list updated as new payment methods are added in the future.

Can I Use Apple Pay at Safeway Gas Stations?

Yes.

Using Apple Pay at gas stations is by far the easiest way to pay and that holds true at Safeway filling stations as well.

You pay the same way as you would in-store, but you hold your phone over the contactless pay part of the pump (see red arrow in pic above).

Can I Use Apple Pay in Canada at Safeway?

Yes.

You absolutely can use Apple Pay in all Safeway locations in Canada.

I couldn’t find this information anywhere on Safeway.ca so I called the corporate office and was assured that Apple Pay also works north of the border.

3 Things To Be Aware of When Paying at Safeway…

1. Safeway “Tap to Pay” Alert – Some Safeway shoppers have been complaining that their credit cars are being charged via the “Tap to Pay” feature without them even getting the cards out of their purse.

The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen to you is to make sure your wallet has RFID blocking capabilities so your card will NEVER be charged without you knowing it.

2. You’ll Still Get Reward Points on Credit Cards – Most credit cards these days come with reward points for every dollar spent, making your credit card a better option than paying with your debit card or writing a check.

Rest assured that you’ll STILL get the same reward points when you use Apple Pay at Safeway, nothing changes in the eyes of your credit card company.

3. Using Self-Checkout – Some folks are wondering if you can use self-checkout at Safeway and STILL use Apple Pay, and I’m here to say you absolutely CAN.

To make it happen, select “Card”  when prompted, the reader will activate, at which point you just hold your iPhone near the top of reader and you’ll get a ping when the transaction is complete.

Ask the Reader: Do you use Apple Pay often at grocery stores like Safeway? What tidbits of information am I missing that could be helpful to others?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mike Mozart.

Have you ever bought something from Temu? For those unfamiliar with Temu, it’s basically buying stuff directly from China rather than going through a retailer like Amazon or Walmart. But since you’re buying directly from China, the return process can be a bit more complex. So I wanted to take the opportunity to do a deep dive on the Temu return policy in an attempt to answer all your potential questions. I hope this article helps.

How Many Return Days Does Temu Allow?

90 days.

Temu gives you a generous 90 days to make a return in the VAST majority of items.

You can return items for ANY reason, including if you just don’t like it.

IMPORTANT: They limit you to one free return per order.

What Does “1 Free Return Per Order” Actually Mean?

Let’s say you bought 5 items from Temu and they all show up on your doorstep in one box.

Then after opening the box, you decide you want to return 3 of the items, you’ll want to return the 3 items in the same packaging/box so you don’t have to pay ANY return shipping fees.

If you return 1 of the items, then decide later on you want to return something else, you’ll have to pay the shipping fees to return it.

See Also: Save at Temu: 15 Smart Hacks to Make It Happen

What Does It Cost After I Make My “1 Free” Return?

It depends.

This is where their return policy gets REALLY confusing.

Turns out the return shipping fee that you’ll be charged depends on the size and weight of the package you’re returning.

When I pressed a Temu rep on this question they could NOT give me anything more specific.

So if anyone knows how this works, let me know in the comments.

Do Any Items Come With Less Than 90-Day Return Window?

No.

Either the product has a 90-day return window -OR- it can’t be returned at all, there is no middle ground at Temu.

Okay…So What Items Are NOT Returnable?

Glad you asked as there definitely are some products that you CANNOT return under any circumstance.

They include the following:

– Clothing or Shoes that’s been Worn, Washed, Hygiene Sticker Removed, or Damaged.

– Anything MISSING the Tag or original Packaging. Note: Not sure how strict Temu is on this.

– Products marked or labelled as Non-Refundable.

– Stuff that Temu gave you for FREE, like “free gifts with purchase” items.

See Also: We Make Sense of a Complicated Walmart Return Policy

Can I Wear Clothing and Shoes?

Yes.

You can try stuff on at home and wear it around the house to see how it feels, but Temu draws the line when you wear shoes outside or hide tags on clothing and wear them to work, or on a date, thinking you might return them later.

Can the Tags Be Removed?

No.

Strictly speaking, they ask you to not remove the tags, but the MAJORITY of their items come in bags with no tags on the actual item.

Also, thanks to commenter Robin for dropping the knowledge that the majority of items come in bags and DON’T have tags on them.

The bags will have a barcode on them so it’s important to keep the item and the corresponding bag TOGETHER as it will be hard to match them up if they get mixed up with other items.

When trying on clothing, Robin makes the great suggestion of putting everything back in its baggie immediately after you take it off until you’re 100% sure you want to keep it.

Also, the sticker on the bag usually has some type of indicator of the item (size, color, dimensions) so you can often figure out which item came in which bag.

PRO TIP

If you lose your clear bag with the barcode on it, you should contact them to ask what your return options are. Have Temu help you find the barcode number and you can write it on a clear Ziploc bag and make your return that way.

How Do I Start My Return and Get a Shipping Label?

To get my return started, I just did the following fairly easy steps:

1. Go to your Temu Account and click on Your Orders

2. Next, find the order with the item(s) you want to return and tap Return/Refund

3. Then Select the item or items you want to return along with the Reason for Return and Upload Photos if requested.

4. Next, select your Return Method and Refund Method that you want to use then click SUBMIT.

5. Last, click on Print Return Label to print it out and officially start your return.

How Long Will It Take to Get My Money Back?

5 – 14 business days.

According to Temu, it could take 5-14 days after they’ve received your return and examined it, for you to get your money back.

This all depends on your financial institution, BUT in my experience it takes only a fraction of that.

I got my money back on one of my returns in 2 days (credit card purchase) and the other only took 4 business days (PayPal purchase).

I think they have to say 5-14 days to protect themselves from “one-offs” that might take a long time to get your refund back to you for whatever reason.

How Do I Get My Money Back as Quickly as Possible?

Choose Temu credits.

If you know you’ll be shopping with them in the future, select Temu credits as your return method.

You’ll get credited almost instantly after they receive your items and the credits DO NOT expire.

See Also: The Shein Return Policy is Very Confusing, But We Make Sense Of It

Do I Need the Original Orange Box or Bag?

No.

While it might make your return run smoother, it’s not a deal breaker if you DON’T have the original box and protective packaging.

Temu told me “to use any suitable packaging, such as bags or boxes, that can accommodate all the item(s) you wish to return.”

Can I Get Store Credit After 90 Days?

No.

I asked Temu this question specifically and was told that after 90 days you’re up Schitt’s Creek without a paddle.

You can either donate the item or try and sell it on eBay if you have no use for it.

Once My Return Is Initiated, How Much Time Do I Have?

14 days.

Your return has to be postmarked within 14 days after you initiate it.

I’m not sure how strict Temu is on this as I’ve talked to shoppers who’ve forgotten about their return and it took them 25 days to finally drop it off and they were still able to make the return without a glitch. 

Does Temu Ever Let You Keep Items You Try to Return?

Surprisingly, yes.

Because your shipping stuff all the way back to China, Temu will often tell you to keep the item and still refund your money.

This happens most often on stuff priced under $8 as it’ll cost more to ship it back than the product is actually worth.

As I’ve written about before, Amazon will often do this as well on specific items.

Can You Abuse Their Policy and Get Banned?

Absolutely, yes.

If you constantly do things like claim you never received an item, or make an unusually high number of returns, you can guarantee your account will get flagged and eventually they’ll close it altogether.

Just because you’re buying stuff directly from China, doesn’t mean it’s okay to abuse their policy.

If/when their policy gets abused too much, Temu will be forced to create larger restriction and a shorter return window and it’ll hurt shoppers who need to make a legitimate return.

See Also: Amazon Return Policy: We Finally Break It ALL Down For You

Shop Smart…4 Tips to Potentially Avoid a Return

Perhaps the smartest way to avoid a return with Temu is to know what you’re buying before you buy it.

Big thanks to loyal reader Robin, who shops frequently with Temu, for these great tips…

1. Fabrics – The photos Temu uses for their clothing can be very deceiving. According to Robin, “A photo may look like linen, cotton, or jersey, but it mostly likely some type of polyester. So be sure to view all of the photos and look at photos on reviews if you can.”

2. Women’s Clothing Sizing – Keep in mind that the clothing sizes for women are two sizes smaller than U.S. sizes 99% of the time. But oddly, the sizing for men is correct 99% of the time.

3. Shoes – Shoes sizes at Temu “are all over the place” according to Robin and you should ALWAYS look at the size chart before you buy. She suggest knowing your European shoe size because in her experience that size is the most accurate. Also, they list foot length in the size chart and that serves as a great way to know what size you’re actually going to get.

4. Bulky and Heavy Items – These items aren’t always a great deal because of the higher shipping costs that Temu has to pay to get them to the United States. So when buying large electronics or home décor, always shop around because other online retailers (based in the U.S.) often have it cheaper and usually have a much friendlier return or exchange policy.

Hacks for Success When It Comes to Temu Returns

1. Separate Orders – When ordering multiple items, some of which you might want return, ALWAYS try to separate your order into individual orders.

By doing this, you can return all the products for free at different time periods.

In other words, you don’t have to return all the products at once, you can test them out at your leisure and return them when you see fit as long as you’re still within the 90 day return window.

2. “Sender Address” Caution – Do not send your return back to the “Sender Address” that comes on your original packaging or box.

If you do, your package package will end up at the wrong place and you’ll likely never see it again or your money.

3. You Cannot Print a Return Label Using the Tracking Number – There’s a Reddit thread floating around that shows a Temu shipping label that says you can print a return label by using the original tracking number.

This is VERY misleading by Temu, especially to elderly shoppers who are not tech savvy.

You must go through the Temu site or app to initiate a return, you CANNOT do it using the original tacking number.

Ask the Reader: What’s been your experience with the return policy at Temu? If you have any tidbits to offer, please drop a comment and I’ll get it added to the article.

By Kyle James