Lowes Christmas Return Policy (All You Need to Know)

Lowes is a great place to shop for gifts for family and friends who are interested in home improvement, especially during the holiday season.

But if something turns out to be not quite right, it’s a good idea to know what your options for returns or exchanges are.

During Christmas, Lowes has a 30 to 90 day return policy on most of their merchandise, with certain exceptions in terms of both merchandise and sales dates.

This article explores the details of the Lowes Holiday Return Policy.

Table of Contents

What Is Lowes Christmas Return Policy?

When it comes to making Christmas returns, Lowes has a slightly different system in place, compared to many other retailers.

Most items purchased at Lowes can be returned within 30 to 90 days, and that’s true all year round. But Holiday items – meaning items with a specific holiday theme or purpose – can only be returned before or on the actual holiday itself.

The only potential exception is the Winter/Christmas Holiday, during which some claim it is possible to make returns on Christmas-specific items up until the end of the day on the 31st of December.

In Short:

Bought the wrong light fixture as a Christmas gift? You can return that within 90 days of purchase.

Bought a set of faulty Christmas Lights, or a lawn Santa that just doesn’t fit? You’ll need to get it back before Christmas Eve, or you run the risk of not being able to return it at all.

How Does The Holiday Policy Differ From The Regular Return Policy?

In some ways, the Christmas Return Policy is actually more restrictive than the regular return policy, which is unusual. However, the more restrictive policy only applies to certain items.

For anything that is not related to a specific holiday, however, the Holiday return policy doesn’t seem to be any different from the return policy for the rest of the year.

Why Is There a Different Policy For Holiday Items?

Following the Holiday, most Lowes Holiday items are put on Clearance or in a special ‘Bargain’ location. Too many returns during this period create an overstock and make it difficult to clear out their inventory.

Lowes also has this policy in place to prevent ‘use and return’ incidents, which sometimes happen with holiday themed items.

For both these reasons, holiday themed items are all declared ‘Final Sale’ Items after the holiday in question, regardless of when they were purchased.

What Else Should I Know About Lowes Christmas Return Policy?

Most of the rules regarding Holiday purchases and returns at Lowes are the same as the regular return policy, with the only exceptions being holiday themed articles. With that in mind, here’s what you need to know:

Purchases made with a Lowes Gift Card, Refund, or Merchandise Card will be refunded as in-store credit.
Purchases made with a Debit or Credit Card will be refunded to your account – It May take up to 15 days.
Purchases made with a Business or Commercial Account will be refunded to that account.

Return Window:

– All purchases made with a Business or Commercial Account can be returned within a 365 day return window, barring certain exceptions.

– The standard Return Window is 90 days for the majority of Lowes merchandise. However, there are exceptions.

48 Hour Return Window:

– Major Appliances such as Refrigerators, Washers, Dryers, Dishwashers, Ovens, and other Heavy Duty Appliances that require installation.

30 Day Return Window:

– TV and Other Electronics

– Major Appliances purchased with a Business or Commercial Account

– Outdoor Power Equipment such as chainsaws, mowers, tillers, wood chippers, etc.

An Exception is made for Black and Decker or Craftsman branded power equipment, which has a 90 day window.

– Plumbing and Water Heaters

– Air Conditioners

– Liquid Paint

– Highway Trailers

365 Day Window:

– Plants, excluding annuals.

Non-Returnable or Refundable:

– Holiday Items after the holiday in question

– Labor and Installation Charges

– Delivery Fees

– Gift Cards or In-Store Credit

– Masks and Safety Coverings of Any Kind (For Health and Safety Reasons)

What You’ll Need For A Return:

In order to maximize the chance of having your return accepted, you’ll need:

– The item in question should be in new, unused, or ‘like new’ condition.

– Receipt or other Proof of Purchase Must Be Provided.

– Valid ID may be required for certain items

– Items like trailers, which come with additional paperwork, must have all the original paperwork provided upon return.

– Gas powered items must have their tank drained before the item is returned.

How Do I Make A Return?

If you’ve decided to make a return, the easiest way to handle the matter is to simply return it to your nearest Lowe’s store. However, Lowes does offer both in-store and shipped/online return processes.

Return In-Store:

– Bring the product to the store for return, along with any paperwork, proof of purchase, and a valid ID.

– Present merchandise and paperwork for return.

– Lowes will verify your order and your identity

– Once your identity and order have been confirmed, Lowes will process your return for either a refund or store credit.

Online Returns:

– Pack the item into its original packaging, including all additional attachments or parts

– Include all User Manuals or Assembly Instructions.

– Make up a Return Sheet, and a Return Shipping Label from Lowes.com

– Drop the package off at your preferred Shipping Service

– Track your package until it arrives back at the appropriate Lowes location.

Note: Lowes does not pay the shipping cost for returns.

What Happens After I Make My Return?

If you make your return in-store, then it will be processed at that time. In-store credit or gift cards will be immediately available.

– Refunds to credit or debit cards may take several days. The usual period is 3 to 5 business days, but can be longer, depending on the return.

If you make a return through the online process:

– You’ll need to allow a few business days for your item to arrive at the correct location.

– Following the item’s arrival, the return will be processed, and you will be contacted about a refusal or the methods of reimbursement you are eligible for.

– Refunds to your credit or debit card may take a few business days to be processed.

– Overall, you can expect the process to take a minimum of 10-15 business days, possibly longer, depending on the volume of returns being processed at that time.

Does The Process Change If I Use Klarna or Afterpay?

This is a somewhat difficult issue.

The Lowes official site does not offer any options for services like Klarna and Afterpay, and many ‘Question-and-Answer’ Consumer Reporters and Blogs such as QuerySprout say that Lowes does not accept these services as a method of payment.

There’s also the fact that Lowes has several Lowe’s Credit Cards available, as well as a ‘Lease to Own’ program for larger purchases.

On the other hand, both Klarna and Afterpay have ads claiming you can pay for Lowe’s merchandise using their services.

Best Guess:

You’ll probably need to use one of Lowe’s sponsored programs if you want to make multiple smaller payments instead of one large one.

However, you arrange it, if you need to return an item, the most likely scenario is that the cost of the item will either be refunded to your account, or be applied to your payment balance for whatever arrangement you and Lowes have agreed on.

What Should I Do If I Need To Return A Damaged or Faulty Item?

If it’s an immediately obvious fault such as missing parts or damaged parts, the best thing to do is contact Lowe’s Customer Service immediately.

You’ll get the best results if you contact them within 48 hours of purchase, so be sure to inspect your merchandise when you get it.

Report the damage or other issues, and make arrangements with a Customer Care Representative for the best way to handle the matter.

You can also schedule an in-home technician’s visit for a factory certified service appointment. If the problem is one that can be fixed, the technician will discuss options with you.

Damage or missing parts covered by your warranty will be taken care of at no cost to you. Otherwise, you may be required to pay for any repairs made.

Final Thoughts

Lowe’s Christmas return policy is fairly straightforward: Anything other than Holiday-themed items can be returned via the regular return policy.

For holiday items, returns must be made before the actual holiday.

While it may seem a bit restrictive, the policy makes sense, and the 30 to 90 day window gives plenty of time for returns to be made, even during the holiday season.

References

https://www.lowes.com/l/help/returns-policy