Home Depot Return Policy for Used Tools (Complete Guide)

Do you know what Home Depot return policy for used tools is? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

If you’re looking for tools, Home Depot might be the first place that comes to mind, but is it the best place to spend your money? You might be wondering, what is the Home Depot return policy for used tools?

Technically, the Home Depot return policy only allows tools and power equipment to be returned within 90 days if they are unused or defective. However, many customers report that used tools can be returned as well, depending on the store.

Read ahead to find out what you can actually expect when returning tools to Home Depot!

Table of Contents

What Is Home Depot?

Before we get into all of the details about the returns policy at Home Depot, and how it works if your tools have already been used, let’s take a look at the company itself and what they’re all about.

The Home Depot is a massive American home improvement company that operates big-box stores all over the country, as well as in Canada and Mexico. It was first founded back in February 1978 in Marietta, Georgia, when the five co-founders – Bernard Marcus, Arthur Blank, Ron Brill, Pat Farrah, and Ken Langone – came up with the idea to start a chain of superstores specializing in home improvement.

The first Home Depot stores opened in 1979, and since then the company has grown into a powerhouse in the industry. It is now considered to be the largest home improvement retailer in the United States, reporting over 2,000 locations, more than 450,000 employees, and over $150 billion in revenue in 2021.

With all of that success, do you get a good deal when you’re purchasing tools from Home Depot? Let’s examine the return policy that they offer to find out more.

Read also >> Home Depot Return Policy (Full Guide)

What Is the Home Depot General Return Policy?

The Home Depot has a general return policy that covers the majority of its products, and it’s not particularly generous compared to other big names in retail.

At Home Depot, you get 90 days to return most new and unused merchandise, not including those products listed as exceptions. That’s not a particularly long time to decide that your purchase isn’t actually right for you, but it’s not overly restrictive either.

If you made your purchase with The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card, The Home Depot Commercial Revolving Charge, or The Home Depot Commercial Account, however, then you have a full 365 days to make a return, which is a lot longer!

The actual wording of the return policy at Home Depot specifies that the items should be unopened in order to receive a refund or an exchange.

When you have companies like Costco and Walmart offering full refunds and/or exchanges for items that have been used, the requirement that a product has to be unopened to bring it back to Home Depot does seem a little strict.

Are Tools Covered by the Home Depot Return Policy?

Of course, there are exceptions to the return policy almost everywhere that you shop. So, does this general policy at Home Depot cover any and all of the tools that they sell?

For the most part, tools are covered by the 90-day Home Depot return policy.

Unless the “tool” that you have purchased is gas-powered (like a garden tractor), contains hazardous materials, or would be considered a Major Appliance, then you are still covered by the policy as it applies to most of their products.

What Happens If Your Tools Are Used or Opened?

Now, this is where things get a little more tricky. Technically, you are not explicitly eligible for a refund or an exchange on any tools that have been taken out of the box, unless they are defective.

If your tools have some manufacturing or material issue that affects how well they are able to function, then you are likely to get some form of refund or exchange, although the policy is pretty vague in this area. If the tool does not have any defects, however, then you might be refused.

With that being said, a lot of customers have reported that the actual experience of returning tools to Home Depot is much more generous than the policy might appear.

Many customer service representatives will be happy to listen to the problem that you have and may well accept a return for used tools.

There is no guarantee, but it’s definitely worth giving it a try.

What Should You Do If Your Tools Arrived Damaged or With Parts Missing?

Although this might seem like the kind of issue that you will always be covered for, Home Depot does expect you to be a little proactive if your item arrives with some issues.

If the tool that you buy arrives damaged, incomplete, or missing some parts, then you need to report this within 30 days to get your problem resolved. To do this, you can call customer support at 1-800-430-3376.

Strangely, this is actually the only part of the official return policy on the Home Depot website that refers to any kind of defect in their standard products, which is one area where you expect to be covered no matter what you are buying.

Again, the actual experience for most customers does seem to be pretty positive if you do have an issue, though.

If you take your tools in and can demonstrate the defect, most customer service reps will be very accommodating and help you to get a refund or an exchange.

Do You Need a Receipt to Return Tools at Home Depot?

Another important aspect of any return policy and how difficult the process actually is to go through is how demanding they are about providing proof of purchase.

At Home Depot, you are better off bringing a receipt or clear proof of purchase, but they may also be able to look you up on the system.

If you don’t bring a receipt, then you should try to make your return within 30 days so that your purchase still shows up when they search.

If you used your The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card, The Home Depot Commercial Revolving Charge, or The Home Depot Commercial Account, however, they should be able to find your purchase for up to 365 days.

How Do You Return Tools to Home Depot?

If your tools are eligible for a return, it’s a relatively simple process. You have two options at Home Depot for making returns, and neither is too complicated:

Return to Store: Perhaps the easiest method is to bring your item to a customer service desk in your nearest Home Depot store. You will need to have a valid photo ID with you, and you will have to go through a third-party refund verification system as well.
Return Online: You can also ship your return via UPS and have it picked up at your convenience. To do this, you will need to call Home Depot first at 1-800-455-3869 and work with their customer support team.

Getting your money back is pretty straightforward too. Any refund that you get will be issued to the original form of payment, and purchases made with a gift card or Store Credit will be refunded as Store Credit.

Can You Return Tools Purchased from Third-Party Sellers?

Many companies do offer refunds or exchanges for their products, no matter where they were purchased, but this is not the case with Home Depot. If you didn’t buy your tools from Home Depot directly then you will not be able to return them through the company.

For any third-party purchases, you will need to contact the seller themselves to see what kind of return policy they offer.

What Are the Home Depot Return Policy Exceptions?

To fully understand the Home Depot return policy, let’s take a look at the various items that are considered to be exceptions. Although general tools are not on the list, there are a few categories of tools that are.

For certain products, you only have 30 days to make a return at Home Depot. These include:

Furniture
Area rugs
Gas Powered Equipment and Tractors
Generators
Consumer Electronics (Televisions and Computers)

While most electrical power tools are not considered to be “consumer electronics”, any tools that are powered by gas do need to be returned within 30 days. Additionally, items that contain hazardous materials (like flammable liquids or gases), including lawn mowers and leaf blowers, can only be returned in-store.

Major Appliances have an even more limited return policy. These can only be returned if they are found to be damaged or defective within 48 hours of purchase.

Is There Anything You Can’t Return at Home Depot?

Although their return policy is a little restrictive compared to other large retailers, quite a lot of their products are actually covered – at least to some degree. There are, however, a few things that you can’t get a refund or exchange for.

Non-returnable/non-refundable items include:

Gift Cards and Store Credit
Whole House and Stationary Generators
Utility Trailers
Cut Flowers and Floral Arrangements
Labor, Delivery, and/or Installation Services
Product Samples
Custom Products (e.g. custom blinds)

Conclusion

So, what do you need to know about the Home Depot return policy for used tools? Well, you only have 90 days to make a return and, technically, any tools that have even been opened – let alone used – are not eligible for a refund or an exchange.

With that being said, most customers do report that Home Depot is much more lenient than their return policy might seem at face value and if you go to the store and ask you are likely to get some money back – even if

References

https://www.homedepot.com/c/Return_Policy