5 Reasons Why Best Buy Return Policy Sucks (Honest Review)

Best Buy has all of the electronic gadgets you could ever want or need, but sometimes what you buy isn’t exactly what you intended to. So, how does Best Buy’s return policy work and is it any good?

Best Buy allows its customers to return most items within a given timeframe from purchase provided the item is still in good condition and is accompanied by a valid proof of purchase.

In this article, we will highlight the best and worst parts of the Best Buy return policy as well as answer some frequently asked questions.

5 Reasons Why Best Buy Return Policy Sucks

1. The Return Window

Unlike other stores that may give you a month or more to return unwanted products, Best Buy only gives you two weeks.

If you don’t like the item you bought or it just isn’t working for you, you only have fourteen days to figure it out and bring it back to the store, packaging, accessories, receipt, and all.

There are a handful of products that are considered exceptions to this rule, however. Microsoft Office packages and Verizon devices can be returned for up to thirty days and hearing aids have a return window of sixty days.

If you’re not returning any one of these three products though, you are bound by the two week rule and returns may not be accepted after the time frame has passed.

2. Restocking Fees

If you thought that as long as you brought back an unwanted item to Best Buy unused and with your receipt, you would get a full refund, think again.

Certain products are actually charged a restocking fee upon return since they are items to are hard to sell or there isn’t a lot of storage room on the floor or in the back for them.

Any activatable device with the exception of prepaid phones will be charged a $45 restocking fee.

Other items that are charged a restocking fee totaling 15% of the original purchase price include drones, mirrorless cameras, and camera lenses, electric mopeds, premium camcorders, projector screens, projectors, special order products, body and leg recovery systems, electric bikes, and DSLR cameras and camera lenses.

If you bought one of these items and no longer want it – be prepared to pay.

3. Items Not Eligible for Return

Although most of the products at Best Buy are eligible for returns, there are certain products that do not qualify and will not be accepted for a refund or exchange.

If you purchased a product marked Final Sale, Best Buy will not accept it for returns because this is a clearance item, they will no longer be carrying so they cannot take it back.

Other products to be aware of that are not eligible for returns include:

personalized and custom orders
digital content such as non-subscription digital gaming
replacement key fobs for vehicles
completed services
sexual wellness products
standby generators for your home
opened SIM card kits
opened products that may have interacted with bodily fluids
trading cards such as Pokemon cards
plumbing items like bidets
memberships
prepaid phone cards

Open consumables are the final category that does not qualify for returns to Best Buy. Do not try to return any batteries, oil, filters, health supplements, 3D printer filament, ink, health test kits, cleaners, or fuel that have been opened because Best Buy will not take them back.

4. Refund Time Frame

While the refund time frame for items returned to Best Buy isn’t completely terrible, there are certain refund processes that will leave you waiting ten to twenty days after you initiate the return process before you see your money.

Although it can be convenient to return items by mail since you don’t have to leave your house, you could be waiting up to three weeks to see the refund hit your bank account.

Best Buy may take seven to ten business days to process your return once they receive it and then the refund itself may not show up on your card until up to ten days after that.

Likewise, if you purchased an item from Best Buy that cost over $800 and you used cash or one that cost over $250 and you used a debit card or check, Best Buy cannot issue you an immediate refund.

They have to send a check from their headquarters which could take up to ten business days to be delivered to your home address by mail.

5. Everything Must Be Present

Best Buy is also a stickler for ensuring that everything that came with the product you bought is returned or else they won’t accept it at all.

All accessories and necessary packaging must be present or they could deny the return. If they don’t deny it outright, they may just deduct the missing pieces from your refund, in which case you won’t get all your money back.

Similarly, if you want to return items that were purchased at a discount in a bundle or came as a free gift along with another purchase can only be returned if all of the products included in the deal are returned as well.

7 Reasons Why Best Buy Return Policy Is Great

1. Return by Mail or In Person

Even though the Best Buy return policy has its downsides, it also has some great advantages. The best part about Best Buy’s return policy is the flexibility to return items to any store location or mail back your order if it’s more convenient.

Even if you order a product online, Best Buy will allow you to bring it into any physical store along with your shipping slip and return it for a full refund.

Perhaps, you don’t live near a Best Buy store or you can’t leave your house – not a problem. You can print off a pre-paid shipping label from your home computer and send your return via UPS to get a refund.

2. Assistance on Major Purchases

Best Buy has a wide range of products including some that can be difficult to navigate returns for, but they also have excellent customer service that can help you set up an easy return without the hassle.

For major appliances that are delivered to your home or that you take home and then discover issues such as damages or defects, you call Best Buy within two weeks and they will help you rectify the problem or arrange for a return or exchange.

Computers can also be tricky for those who are not technologically savvy. If you bought a computer from Best Buy and aren’t sure if there is a defect, you can call their customer service any time of day or night for full support in order to identify if you need to make a return or not.

3. Returns Accepted Without a Receipt

Although Best Buy is not quite as forgiving as other retail stores when it comes to returns made without a receipt, Best Buy will not give you a hard “no” on these returns.

As long as you can provide some form of proof of purchase, whether it be from a packing slip or bank statement, along with a valid form of ID, Best Buy can process your return.

Even if you can’t provide proof of purchase, Best Buy may be able to accept the return if they can identify that the product came from their store and you give them a valid email address.

However, be aware that Best Buy does reserve the right to refuse a return for any reason and the inability to provide proof of purchase is one of the more common reasons to reject a return.

4. Location Advantage

If you need to return an item to Best Buy that may be charged restocking fee, don’t despair just yet.

There is an exception to the rule of restocking which states that any product requiring a restocking fee as long as it is purchased and returned within certain states will not be charged the fee.

Any item purchased from Best Buy and returned to Best Buy within the states of Alabama, Hawaii, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Carolina, Iowa, and Colorado will not be charged a restocking fee upon return.

5. Full Reimbursement or Exchange

As long as you can provide proof of purchase and return an item to Best Buy in like new condition with all of the accessories and appropriate items included, Best Buy will give you a full refund for your purchase.

They will pay you back in the same way that you originally paid for your purchases as long as you make the return within the designated two week window.

If you would rather exchange your unwanted item for a similar product, Best Buy can honor that as well.

Your biggest advantage in ensuring a smooth transaction is to make sure you keep your receipt and all of the pieces of your purchase together so there is no question about the condition or completeness of the return.

6. Open Box Returns

There are many stores that sell electronics that don’t allow you to return items once they have been opened.

Fortunately, Best Buy is not one of them. Best Buy understands that you may not realize you don’t want a product until after you unbox it or that defects and damages may not be revealed until you open the box.

As such, you can return opened items to Best Buy. You don’t even have to return products in their original box, although it would be helpful to ensure that all of the necessary accessories are included and provide proof that the product came from Best Buy in the first place.

7. Totaltech Member Perks

If you are an avid Best Buy shopper, it would be in your best interest to become a Totaltech member, especially if you make a lot of returns.

Totaltech members have the advantage of a return window that is four times the regular time frame. As a Totaltech member, you have sixty days to return unwanted items.

As an added bonus, any products you want to return that would ordinarily require a restocking fee can be returned free of charge.

Totaltech members do not have to pay restocking fees on any products ever, even if they don’t purchase and return items in the designated restocking fee-free states.

Will Best Buy Accept Returns After Thirty Days?

Best Buy will only accept returns on hearing aids or products purchased by Totaltech members over thirty days.

The return window for these circumstances is sixty days. All other products that are eligible for returns must be returned within fourteen days of purchase in order to receive a refund.

Best Buy will not honor returns made after the allowable time frame, not even to grant store credit or a refund at the lowest sale price of the item.

If you need to return an item, make sure that it falls within the appropriate window or you may have to resort to reselling it yourself to recoup some of your money.

Can I Return Opened Items to Best Buy?

Best Buy does allow you to return opened items as long as you have all of the components and accessories at the time of return.

Although the product can be opened, it must be in like new condition. Best Buy understands that the product may have been turned on or used once in order to discover a defect or damage, but the product must not be used or abused.

Some items such as media like movies, games, and music cannot be returned after they have been opened.

If you discover that one of these items is defective after it’s been opened, Best Buy will allow an exchange for a new one of the same item to replace the defective one.

Can I Get a Refund for a Return at Best Buy Without a Receipt?

It is up to the discretion of the Best Buy manager to accept and refund a return without a receipt. You must still provide some form of proof of purchase in order to ensure that the return is being made within the valid time frame.

A packing slip or bank statement can suffice as proof of purchase.

If the amount spent and form of payment made is available on the proof of purchase, then Best Buy may provide a full refund.

If not, then Best Buy will most likely refund you with the lowest sale price of the item in the form of store credit.

Does Best Buy Have a Special Holiday Return Policy?

Best Buy recognizes that most people like to shop well in advance of the Christmas season for gifts so they have a special holiday return policy that extends beyond the regular fourteen-day period.

All purchases made between mid-October and the beginning of January can be returned as late as mid-January.

If you are giving a gift from Best Buy, be sure to include a gift receipt in case the recipient needs to make a return, especially if you’ve bought it as a Christmas gift early on.

Conclusion

Best Buy’s return policy has its positives and negatives. The return time frame isn’t very long, some purchases cannot be returned at all, and others may be charged a restocking fee.

On the other hand, Best Buy accepts open box returns, will refund you in full if you provide the proper proof of purchase, extends return deadlines, and wipes out restocking fees for Totaltech members.

There are many intricacies to the Best Buy return policy which is clearly spelled out and if you have any questions, their friendly customer service staff is happy to assist you with whatever you need.

References

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/help-topics/return-exchange-policy/

Best Buy Return Policy: 5 Reasons Why It Sucks & 7 Reasons Why It’s Great