All the Stores That Allow You to Return Items Without a Receipt
Have you ever been stuck with something that’s brand spanking new that you know you’ll NEVER need or use? Whether it be that Tiger King t-shirt your Mom gave you, or that 2nd crock pot from the in-laws, there is always something you wish you could return if you just had the dang receipt. Well, now you can. I researched a bunch of popular retailers that will happily take back items without proof of purchase.
Costco
Because Costco keeps track of all your purchases in their computer system, they don’t require a receipt to make a return.
As long as you have your membership number they can look up your buying history and verify the purchase.
Pretty handy, especially since they allow you to return items at practically any point in the products lifespan.
The only exception is electronics which has a 90 day return policy.
I have personally returned a Keurig coffee maker without a receipt over a year after I originally purchased it. They took it back with no questions asked.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
According to the Dick’s return policy, “If you no longer have your receipt from an in-store purchase, contact our Customer Service team by phone at 1-877-846-9997 or chat now to have a copy of your receipt sent to you, if available.”
If they can’t find it, they’ll ask for a photo ID and issue you store credit for the lowest selling price.
See Also: These Stores Let You Keep Some Items You Try to Return
Home Depot
If you try to return items to The Home Depot sans receipt you won’t be completely out of luck.
According to their return policy, “Returns made without a valid sales receipt or an expired receipt may be exchanged or refunded to a Home Depot store credit or a Home Depot Commercial Account for the lowest advertised price.”
Store credit is WAY better than being stuck with a set of wrenches that you’ll never use.
Home Goods
If you lose your Home Good receipt you’re not completely out of luck.
They’ll give you merchandise credit buy you’ll have to show them your I.D. so they can track your return history.
Their website also states that the name on the merchandise credit must match the name on the photo ID if you ever want to actually use the credit in-store.
Kohl’s
According to the Kohl’s return policy, if you don’t have you receipt, no problem.
From their website, they can “cannot locate your original purchase and/or for non-receipted returns, information from your valid ID will be stored to monitor your return activity.”
Kohl’s won’t give you cash back, but they will give you merchandise credit based on the lowest price of the item in the past 13 weeks.
Lowe’s
According to the Lowe’s website, “In most instances, your receipt can be retrieved by using the original credit card, checking account number, MyLowe’s card or by your phone number.”
Lowe’s also leaves the option open to only give store credit (at the current selling price) on returns without a receipt in case they are unable to retrieve it.
5/15/20 Update: I received a comment from someone saying that Lowe’s has placed a $100 limit on items you can return without a receipt if you’re requesting CASH. Any truth to this? Let me know in the comments.
Macy’s
Macy’s claims they will take back items without a receipt as long as the product still has the original tags or price stickers on it.
As I wrote about here, they can also look up your purchase using “the credit card you used to make your purchase, your return label, packing slip, order or shipping confirmation email or registry number.”
Nordstrom
Nordstrom should be able to help you find your purchase but they’ll probably need your original form of payment to do so.
If they can’t find it, they’ll ask for a valid ID, track your return, then give you credit via a Nordstrom gift card.
Office Depot
The folks at Office Depot will work with you if you don’t have a receipt but there are a bunch of caveats.
First, all returns without a receipt require a valid ID card and tech products without a receipt are NOT returnable.
From the Office Depot website, all other items returned without a receipt “that are active in our computer system will be refunded in the form of an Office Depot or OfficeMax Merchandise Card in an amount equal to the lowest retail price during the preceding 90 days.”
REI
Not only will REI let you return something for up to a year after you bought it, but you don’t even need your receipt to make it happen in most cases.
If you’re a REI member they can look up your purchase easily, if you’re not, they can use your original form of payment to track it down.
You might be stuck with store credit but that ain’t so bad.
ROSS – Dress for Less
While it can be a bit tricky to return an item to Ross without a receipt, it can be done.
From their website, “Merchandise returns without a receipt will require a valid picture ID and if approved by the refund system, will be refunded in the form of a store credit or exchanged at the item’s current selling price.”
Hey, always worth a shot. Return items sooner, rather than later, as stuff gets lowered in price quickly at Ross and you’ll want to get the highest price-point possible.
Sam’s Club
Similar to Costco, Sam’s Club has some solid ways to find your receipt so you can make a return.
First off, you can visit this page, login using your membership number, and print any receipt from the past 3 years.
In most cases, you can also show up at a Sam’s location and they can lookup your purchase history so you can make a return without your receipt.
Worst case scenario you’ll get store credit or a partial refund if they can’t find any proof of purchase.
Staples
Staples will do their best to try and find your purchase using your debit or credit card.
If they can’t find it, and the item is still in sell-able condition, they will issue you store credit for lowest price in the past 30 days.
They reserve the right to say “no return for you” if they feel you are abusing their “no-receipt” return policy.
Target
Target has the ability to look up your purchase, making an original receipt totally optional.
If the item was a gift, and you don’t have a receipt, you are going to be stuck with store credit.
But if you made the purchase with a Target RedCard, Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, or Discover card they can usually find your purchase.
If they can’t find any evidence they will deny the return or give you store credit.
TJ Maxx
TJ Maxx will happily give you store credit if you return items without a receipt but a valid ID will have to be provided.
Your store credit is redeemable both online or at any retail location.
If you’re returning an online purchase you can use your email confirmation if you lost your packing slip.
Tractor Supply Co
Tractor Supply has no problem taking your return if you don’t have the receipt, but be prepared to show a valid ID as they’ll track your returns that way.
If it’s a large order it will require manager’s approval.
You won’t get cash back but they’ll give you store credit for the item’s current price.
Walmart
Walmart also has a fairly liberal return policy when you return items without a receipt.
With NO receipt, Walmart gives customers the option of a cash refund (if the purchase was under $25), or a gift card (if it was over $25), or an even exchange for an identical product.
It has also been suggesting in the comments that the number of allowed “no receipt” returns at Walmart varies from state to state.
Ask the Reader: Do you know of any other popular stores who will take something back without a receipt? Let me know in the comments and I will check them out.
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)
Walmart on Hwy 76 in Branson Missouri gave me a shopping card for my $6.45 return instead of cash. I didn’t argue with it, but I was sure they were supposed to do cash for small returns like that! 🙁
They do fat returns all day! I think it’s limited to 3 per lifetime. But heck just have your wife Linda max out her limit! Then her whole book club!
Do you know if adidas can help me exchange a pair of my shoes without a receipt? I just wanna know if a receipt is actually needed at adidas.
If you have a physical L.L. Bean store near you and have an item of theirs you want to return, they have by far the most liberal return policy I’ve ever seen. I once accidentally ripped my beloved L.L. Bean jacket and returned it (without a receipt too I think) and they accepted it, no questions asked. They gave me a gift card which I proceeded to use on a slightly cheaper jacket and since the difference left on the card was less than $5, they gave me that back in cash. Great store and great customer service! Plus their products are ridiculously durable, as I still have a backpack purchased almost ten years ago and aside from some dirt on the bottom that won’t ever come out by now, it still looks almost new.
I know the Rue21 (clothing store) has very liberal policies. If you don’t have a receipt they can look you up in their database or you just get the lowest recent price of the item. You can make as many returns as you want and always get cash back, even on ripped stuff.
Is this true ? If I return an item without a receipt I can get cash back from rue21 ?
In my experience stores don’t always follow the return policies that are listed on their websites. The customer service representative doesn’t either. There seems to be no consistency anywhere. Each manager has their on personal guidelines to how they handle returns. The same goes for the customer service employee it depends on who trained them. A couple examples:
I bought a 14.99 bottle of wine ffor a party at Kroger. The event was cancelled. Well since I don’t drink I decided to return it since I still had the receipt. I then went to the Kroger to get my refund. I went to the nearest Kroger to return it. I was told there was No problem with giving a refund for it however it could only be done at the location whereit was purchased. So I.went there and was told by manager that it was against the law to return alcohol. I knew that wasn’t true because I had looked up the laws in Virginia before even trying to return it. I.did express this to the manager. He then proceeded to tell me it was a ABC law. That wasn’t true either. Well, I decided to go back to that location a week later hoping a different manager was there. I went no questions asked was instantly given my refund. I have done this several times since then with other stores when needing to return something and every time, every employee and every store gave me a different result. So my advice is if you don’t get it done at one place if possible try another and another eventually you will succeed.
Let me update your info.First,Wal Mart may state that they give your choice of up to $25 cash back on returns without receipts,however every store I’ve faced with the policy information,has very adamantly refused to give cash back,even for a $249 return.So that is untrue.N ext,Home depot has recently put into action a way of screening all returns without receipts,and so for,every time I’ve tried to return an item,theyve flat out refused the return,with a little piece of paper stating that I’ve been refused the return,and as for the reason,to call this 1-800 number,to which when called,tgey tell you they have refused the return because they’re computer analyzed the stores loss and just refused it.nothing of a real reason at all.so they have pretty much done away with alno receipt returns. NB ow,should mention that all stores now require a valid ID card for returns,and you are limited to only 3 no receipt returns in a short time period,which varies from 3 months,to one year.so there are some useful tips if you’re trying to return something to any of these stores.
I went to my Lowe’s today to return an item without a receipt and they denied ANY refund without a valid receipt. Won’t be shopping there again!
Bought an item about two weeks ago from Edge look lost my receipt tried to return it with the store price tag attached and they refused to even issued an exchange demanding a receipt.the item was in good condition . reason for return was not the correct size
Edge look.refuse exchange because i did not have a receipt even though the store price tag was attached to the garment
At fred Myers they only do 1 non-receipted return with government issued ID up to $75 in a 90 day period.
How about old navy and forever 21
old navy will issue a corporate refund meaning that you will never get it. they leave it to the discretion of their team at their headquarters and its a real hassle even to get ahold of them.
ALDI has a great no receipt return policy near me. Also they do double back. So give your money back and give you a replacement item.
Michaels has a sad return policy. I recently lost my receipt for a picture frame for $50 and they are giving me only 50% return and that too on a store credit! I am even returning the item in the original packing! Don’t think I will shop there again….. Very disappointing!!
Well they basically have a 40% coupon that runs consistently. It’s online 40% off 1 item. So they will give value of any items sale value. Which makes sense otherwise you could easily turn a 10 $ purchase into 100s $ pretty quickly.
Walmart limits no-receipt returns to three per year…Also, you must provide a photo ID each time you return without a receipt…