Best Buy Return Policy: Everything You Need To Know (Plus a Few Hacks Too)
I’m not gonna lie, the Best Buy measly 15-day return policy is kind of confusing and gotten WAY worse in recent years. Different lengths of time to return some stuff, different ways to return items, and some products that you flat-out can’t return. Because of all these factors, I figured it was time to officially figure out their return policy by talking directly to Best Buy employees who actually deal with it, and angry customers, on a daily basis. I did exactly that and here’s everything you need to know about their return policy, plus a few hacks to make it work better for you.
2024 Holiday Policy Update:
Best Buy has extended their return policy for items purchased between November 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024.
You now have until January 14, 2025 to return or exchange these items.
You Only Have 15 Days to Return Most Items
“Regular” Best Buy customers get a paltry 15- day return window.
If you’re a My Best Buy Plus, or a My Best Buy Total member, you get a 60 day return policy.
In case you were wondering, and who wasn’t, the My Best Buy Plus membership costs $49.99/year, and the My Best Buy Total runs $179.99/year, and they both also come with free 2-day shipping. Details HERE.
Cell Phones and Devices with a Carrier Contract – 14 days for everyone.
Wedding Registry Items – 60 days from date of purchase.
Litter Boxes – For some reason beyond my knowledge, cat litter boxes sold by Best Buy come with a 90-day return window for everyone.
Also, when it comes to returning refurbished, open-box, and pre-owned products, the regular 15-day return policy applies.
PRO TIP: AFTER 15 DAYS RETURN HACK
If you have your receipt, and it’s only been a few days past 15 (up to 7 days), you stand a good chance of scoring an even exchange if your polite and you have a legitimate issue with the product.
It really comes down to the manager on shift, but often times they’re willing to work with you. If not, then you’ll have to contact the manufacturer and file a warranty claim.
For this reason, I suggest window shopping at Best Buy but make your actual purchase on Amazon where you get a 30 day return policy and they’re pretty lenient if you have issues with a consumer electronic product.
They Give You Several Return Options
Here’s the skinny so you can actually make their return policy work for you.
In-Store Return – You can return an item bought at Best Buy or BestBuy.com directly to any brick & mortar location.
To make the return go smoothly bring in your receipt or packing slip, the credit card used, and a valid photo ID.
Return by Mail:
Do-It-Yourself – You pick the carrier, use the included Return Form on your packing slip, and pay for the shipping yourself.
No packing slip? Print this blank one and fill it out. Refund will be processed with 2-3 business days of receiving your item.
Use the Prepaid Return Label – Print a prepaid return label, pay nothing upfront, and send your item back to Best Buy for a refund via UPS.
Expect the cost of the return shipping to be deducted from your refund unless the return is a result of a Best Buy error.
PRO TIP: ALWAYS OPT FOR IN-STORE RETURN IF POSSIBLE
When returning an item bought from BestBuy.com, always return it to your local store if you can.
Not only will you avoid any return shipping charges, but you can also take advantage of an instant exchange or a much quicker refund to your original form of payment.
See Also: The Best Buy Price Match Policy: Tips To Help You Save BIG
Returning a Gift Is Fairly Straight Forward
If you return a gift bought at Best Buy by walking into a physical store, you’ll get store credit for the purchase price.
For gifts returned via mail, they’ll credit the gift purchaser and notify them via e-mail.
Best Buy Doesn’t Allow You to Return Everything
There are some products you flat out can’t return to Best Buy.
They include the following:
Final Sale Items – These are clearance products marked as “Final Sale”. If you’re not sure if item is Final Sale, ask an employee before you purchase it.
Special Orders – You’ll only get 85% of the original price refunded. These are items that are typically ordered directly from the manufacturer and not stocked by Best Buy.
Digital Content – This includes games and software that can be downloaded.
Prepaid Cards – This includes prepaid cards from Nintendo, AT&T, Verizon, eBay, and Disney.
Gift Packaging – Pretty obvious. This would be really hard to return.
Membership Costs – This includes the annual Geek Squad membership. Update: Thanks to employee Kristy who says Geek Squad memberships can be returned within 14 days of purchase. After that they will pro-rate it.
Completed Services – This refers to services that Geek Squad has completed for you.
Opened consumable items – This includes batteries, ink and 3D printer filament, and items returned that are damaged, unsanitary or missing major parts.
PRO TIP: SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE…SORT OF
A buddy of mine recently splurged on a high-end gaming laptop from Best Buy during a Black Friday sale. He set it up immediately and started doing his thing but noticed within a couple weeks that the laptop started overheating and shutting down randomly. Convinced it was defective, he decided to try and return it.
Here’s where his trouble began as he had missed the deadline by just two days. To make matters worse, he had discarded the box and all the extra packaging, thinking he wouldn’t need it again.
He visited the store, laptop in hand, hoping for leniency. The employee at the return counter explained the return policy, and my friend politely argued that a malfunctioning product should qualify for an exception. The employee suggested using the manufacturer’s warranty but the thought of dealing with the manufacturer and waiting weeks for a fix seemed like a nightmare.
Thinking he had nothing to lose, my friend decided to escalate the issue to the store manager and he managed to negotiate a solution: rather than a return, Best Buy offered an exchange for the same model. However, they insisted on charging a 15% restocking fee due to the missing packaging.
While he was relieved to walk away with a working laptop, the experience serves as a great reminder to know the return policy, especially on electronics. I know for a fact that he’ll never buy a computer from Best Buy again.
See Also: Newegg Return Policy: A Very Complicated Policy That We Make Sense Of
Best Buy is Notorious for Re-Stocking Fee
Unfortunately you’ll have to pay a re-stocking fee on these items.
DSLR Cameras and Lenses – 15% re-stocking fee.
Smartphones – $45 flat re-stocking fee.
Drones – 15% re-stocking fee.
Projectors – 15% re-stocking fee.
Rideables – 15% re-stocking fee.
Special Order Products – 15% re-stocking fee.
Sans Receipt? Be Prepared to Show Your ID
If you don’t have a receipt, be prepared to show a valid ID when returning something to Best Buy.
They do this to try and cut down on return fraud in their stores.
They reserve the right to refuse any return without a receipt if they feel it’s fraudulent.
See Also: 7 Insider Tips to Save Money at Best Buy
It’s Okay If You Opened the Item
No worries, just pack everything back up as well as you can and get a full refund as long as your still within the 15 day return window.
Make sure you don’t forget any manuals or instructions that can with the item.
PRO TIP: DID BEST BUY MAKE AN ERROR?
If you’re returning something to Best Buy via mail, and the reason for the return is an error on Best Buy’s part, they’re on the hook for the return shipping charges.
Do not let them charge you for return shipping as they sometimes will try and slip those charges in if you’re not paying attention.
Still Make the Return If You’re Missing Parts
Don’t let missing parts or accessories stop you from returning something to Best Buy.
From their site, “If you do not have all the original packaging or accessories, that’s okay too. We can process a return with a nonrefundable deduction on your refund for what is missing.”
Consider NOT Using Cash On Big Purchases
Keep in mind that if you pay with cash, and your order is over $800, you’ll have to settle for a corporate check as a refund.
You’ll get the check in the mail within 7-10 days which is a pain in the butt.
Stores don’t keep a lot of cash on hand and so they won’t be able to refund you with cash.
The same applies when you spend $250 by check or by a debit card without a major credit card logo.
Be Careful Returning an Item That You Got a Price Match On
Interestingly, I got a comment on this issue from J.Cole stating that he had to settle for store credit on an item that he got a price match on because a competitor had a lower price.
I personally asked a Best Buy manager about this the last time I was shopping and she said that’s only the case when doing an online return and selecting “Found a better price” as the reason for your return.
She said when returning in-store, you’ll get a full refund for what you paid, to your original form of payment, and it doesn’t matter if you got a price match on the item or not.
You CAN Return Unopened Video Games
I had someone in the comments ask if they could return an unopened video game they bought 2 months ago.
I wasn’t sure of the answer so I hit up Best Buy Live Chat and was told YES, it’s returnable for store credit since it is unopened.
I then asked if the original purchase of 2 months ago would be a problem and was surprisingly told…NOT a problem.
Gift Card Purchases Get Refunded Back to the Same Card
If you bought the item with a Best Buy gift card, you’ll get a full refund back to that same gift card.
If you don’t have the gift card anymore, no worries, just call Best Buy at 1-888-237-8289 with your order number and they’ll re-issue you a new gift card.
Ask the Reader: Have you had success taking advantage of Best Buy’s return policy? Any issues I need to add to this post that I may have overlooked?
By Kyle James
I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)
If I buy Windows 10 & my desktop still doesn’t boot up, can I return Windows?
My husband bought me a Fitbit Blaze a week ago and the screen has a tiny crack after wearing it. Can we return it?
I received a gift (JBL Xtreme Speaker) that has the same UPC as the item sold in store. I am an Elite Member at BBuy. Do you think I would be able to exchange this item in store for store credit without any proof of purchase? What do you think the best way to approach this would be? Thanks!
Just be honest with them and see what they say. Got nothing to lose. If they refuse to do it I’d sell it on eBay.
How long does it take for my bank account to be refunded for my purchase
I wish this comment would have gotten answered! I, too, and wondering this!
Best Buy return policy stinks! Had bought an Epson Home Cinema, never used it, did not read all the “fine” print, and because of a busy work schedule, did not have time to return it in the 15 days. Took it back 2 months later, thinking I had at least 60 days only to be told they would not take it. That is $700 down the drain. Had bought many appliances there, tvs, computers and cameras, but my business will go elsewhere, where customer service comes first. Was not informed I only had 15 days, the person that sold it to me opened the box since it had a slit in it to make sure it was all there, was even willing to pay the big “restocking fee” which is stupid.
It’s on a buyer to check return policies. Most stores use 60 days BUT NOT on electronics that lose their value so quickly as they get outdated. So in this case, it makes sense that BB couldn’t take it back. Other stores wouldn’t either.
Hope you were able to recoup some on ebay or craigslist.
You’re ridiculous, haha. Buyers remorse after 2 months, and now you’re going to “take your business elsewhere.” Get real. It’s not their fault that you’re too busy to return your crap in a timely manner. I wonder if I can return this old Nintendo that I bought in 1990.. No? Looks like they’ll never get my business again! lmao you’re dumb.
Hi. Great article! One thing I cannot find ANYWHERE is BB policy on refurbished items. I am looking at a refurbished cell phone to save some money but am concerned about it will be a dud and then be stuck with it!
Hi, I purchased a laptop a week ago. Now when I boot it up I get a white screen and zero laptop functions. Can I return or exchange the laptop?
Absolutely Andrew, you have 15 days from date of purchase. Pack it up in with the original packaging and take back for an exchange or refund.
Hey, would I get a restocking fee for returning an iPhone that I ripped the plastic covering off of? Also I already peeled the plastic over the phone too, but everything else is perfect.
Unfortunately they’ll hit you with a $35 restocking fee.
I bought Samsung Galaxy S8 2 days ago but I guess I’m used to ios so I’d like to return it. It still has front and back plastic covering on. Will I be charged?
Can I return an unopened Video game for store credit? After buying it 2 months ago?
Can you answer this Kyle?
I hit up BB live chat and was told “Since the video game is unopened you can definitely go to the nearest store and can return it.” I was also told you can get a store credit or a gift card for this return.
I also asked “I thought I only had 15 days to make a return?” And was told, “Since it is unopened your video game is eligible for return.”
I bought a camera that didn’t work straight out of the box but no longer have the box will I be charged much for the missing box even though the return is for a faulty product?
I purchased a dell laptop on 8/20/17 at a location in Hoover Alabama the total was 1471.48 I paid in cash and the clerk said you have a 15 day return period.
This purchase was for work and when I got to work Monday 8/21 my work had already provided me a laptop so Tuesday 8/21 I returned the unopened box with my receipt to the store in Hoover and the clerk took my return and put it behind the counter and the looked at me and said we don’t give cash refunds but I can offer you a gift card for that amount.
I wasn’t interested in a $1500 gift card and ask if you don’t give cash refunds why do you take cash sales and not notify the consumer of this policy and I would have put it on my credit card.
The manager said they didn’t have that much cash on hand (right) so I ask if he could just put it on my debit card and was told no that they could mail me a check in 7-10 business days. So I left the store with no cash no laptop and a receipt showing my return. Couldn’t help feeling ROBBED By Corporate Bullying and will never shop there again.
That’s pretty common policies for stores. They don’t keep cash on hand (staff tends to make it disappear). So they state in policies that over a certain mount cash returns will be by check in a week or two.
Be good if the article added this info! It’s not something people think of unless they read the return policy itself.
My kids got iPad air mount for their birthdays and they have never used them but I do not have the receipt what is my status their in getting a refund or exchange?
Bought a home security system at best buy and opened a best buy credit account, the system is not what I wanted nor does it do what they said it would do. Tried to take it back and they said I was past my 3 days, then the monitoring company says 15 days as I stated I did not want a monthly fee for monitoring at best buy and that I just wanted the cameras to take pics when motion was detected.
Vivint states that if monthly fee is canceled then the whole system will not work at all. I feel I was misled in both directions. I don’t want this system and am getting run around from both best buy and vivint. Wonder if I can exchange the system for just flood like camera’s if they wont refund me???
What if the return consists of a faulty item and I simply want an exchange, am I still required to pay a restocking fee?? The item is a cell phone, which was purchased 5 days ago
I purchased a game for PS4 that didn’t work will they let me exchange for Nintendo switch
In the middle of the article you say there is a 15% restocking fee for drones. But at the end you say that the only items that should incur a restocking fee are opened mobile phones and special order appliances. So it is not clear if a drone should have a restocking fee.
Thanks for the heads up, I corrected the article. Drones will incur a restocking fee.
Can I get cash back on a return if it was bought with a temporary debit card?
My wife and I bought a new washer and dryer online from Best Buy. The website said it was required to buy the washing machine fill hoses. We bought them, of course. When the delivery guy came to install them, he handed me the box of hoses I had purchased and said I didn’t need them because the washer already came with them. I went to look online at the return policy and saw the 15 days. It has been 17 days. Am I stuck with them even though they made me buy them when they weren’t necessary?
Hi Rich, interesting case. I’d call Best Buy at 1 (888) 237-8289 and explain the situation. If Best Buy has an ounce of decency they’d take the hoses back in a second. I’m guessing they will. Let me know.
I called the number you gave me and talked to a very nice customer service rep. She said she couldn’t give me a return label because the product was delivered and not shipped. She did advise me to go to the nearest store and talk with a manager. She was pretty confident he would understand the situation (she was surprised the installer didn’t just take the product back with him and credit my account). I went to the Best Buy store down the street, explained the situation, and customer services clerk credited my account. I didn’t even have to talk to a manager. Happy Ending! Thanks for your help. 🙂
Awesome, glad it worked out!
I bought an Invisible Shield Glass Curve screen protector for my Samsung Galaxy 8 about 3 months ago. It comes with a lifetime limited warranty that covers cracks and scratches as long as I own the phone. Can I exchange this in the store or must I deal directly with the manufacturer? I tried to call my local Best Buy, but the local number seemed to be linked to another location and no one answered the phone, even after a long wait.
I returned a new unopened sound bar yesterday bought aug 17 th 2017 . Will only give store credit not happy ! Why is this ?
Because it was over 15 days past original purchase date.
Hi I got a computer 17 days ago and I don’t really like it. It is just too slow for school especially since I’ll be doing online classes. Is it still possible to return it?
Yes, pack it up with original manuals, cords, and packaging and return it. Since it’s past the 15 days you’ll have to settle for merchandise credit.