What Is Walmart Return Policy Opened Electronics? (Secrets Nobody Is Talking About)

Have you ever asked yourself or your friend what Walmart‘s return policy for opened electronics is? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

Despite the recent and sudden explosion in online sales and the overall massive increase in online shopping, the behemoth retail chain otherwise known as Walmart has held its own.

Since so many people purchase their electronics from Walmart, it’s important to know the return policies for opened and unopened electronics. 

So, what is Walmart‘s return policy for opened electronics? Walmart has “return windows” for all of its electronics, regardless of whether it is opened or unopened. Generally speaking, you’re looking at a 90-day window to return electronics but that’s not where Walmart’s electronic return policies end.

When it comes to Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and video games, you can return them in 90-days for a full refund or an exchange of equal value, however, you cannot return them to Walmart if you have already opened them. 

Walmart’s Different Categories for Returning Electronics

There are three tiers of returnable electronics that you can bring back to Walmart within a certain timeframe even if you have opened the item already.

When it comes to 3D printers and 3D printer accessories or supplies, you have 30-days from the day you purchased them to return them to Walmart for your money back.

15-day Time Limit

Certain items that fall under the 15-day timeframe need to be decided on pretty quickly. Once you open the item up, you need to have made your mind up about it one way or another and get it back to Walmart within two weeks and one day. 

• Desktop and laptop computers
• Tablets and eReaders
• Portable video players, mp3 devices, and GPS devices
• Digital Cameras, Camcorders, and Printers
• Smart Watches and Activity Trackers
• Drones
• Pre Paid Cell Phones
• Video Game Hardware such as PS5s or Xbox

Walmart generally wants these items back as quickly as possible and the general reasoning probably revolves around the complexity of the items in question.

The longer they are out, the more potential there is for damage to occur.

Also, a lot of the items that fall under this category are pretty expensive items, for the most part, so you could see Walmart’s reasoning behind wanting the consumer to make a decision quickly on whether to keep the item or bring it back.

Of course, if you unbox the item and the item is already broken, you’re going to want to bring it back as quickly as possible, even if it’s the day after Christmas which is arguably the worst time to be within five square miles of the nearest Walmart.

Read also: What Is Home Goods Return Policy after 30 days

Electronics That Walmart Will Not Accept Returns On

Walmart isn’t alone in that it will not accept the returns of certain items. They will accept returns on video games, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs, however, they can only be returned in their original packaging, undisturbed. 

There are many retailers that won’t accept returns on the same items listed below, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that Walmart has the same policy.

Also, when you think about it, it simply makes sense that you cannot return these items to the electronics department or any department in Walmart for that matter. 

• Intimate Massagers (we probably don’t need to elaborate here) as Walmart won’t take them back opened or unopened
• Video Game Cards (Digital Game Downloads)
• Anything that requires an electronic pen
• Prepaid  cell phone minutes
• Software

Software makes a lot of sense because you could have opened it, downloaded or copied the software, put it back in the package, and returned it.

Not that we’re saying you’re shady, but you have to understand Walmart’s thinking in this regard. 

The same goes for Video Game Download Cards since all it amounts to is digital software that you could take advantage of and return to get your money back, getting the digital content for free essentially.

Read also: JCPenney Return Policy – How Many Days?

What Return Methods Does Walmart Use? 

When you return your electronics to Walmart, whether it has been opened or not, how does Walmart refund your money? Well, it depends on how you paid for the item.

A credit card is the easiest method of refund since it’s an easy-to-track transaction. Walmart simply refunds the money back to your card. 

It’s not the best way to get your money back, because your money never returns to your account as quickly as it exits.

But, you probably know that from experience and, if you can, you may want to see if Walmart will refund you another way, especially if you’re anxious to get your money back.

For debit card purchases you can get the money put back into your account pretty quickly and you can even request a cash-back option since that’s essentially what debit transactions are.

However, if it’s a lot of money, Walmart may give you a portion in cash and the rest on a gift card, if that’s acceptable. 

If you don’t have a receipt, you’re usually going to have to settle for a gift card because that’s just how the retail business operates and it’s not just Walmart that will refund your receipt-less, and returned devices in just that way. 

No matter what you do, whether you have a receipt for the item you purchased or not, you will need to bring identification with you when you return the item.

That’s because a few bad apples ruined it for the rest of us and this is how Walmart combats fraud. 

If you return a ton of items and you do it all of the time, Walmart will eventually catch up to you as well.

There’s a database somewhere for just about everything so if you are in the habit of returning items often, use cash unless you want Walmart to cut you off from returning items for all time. 

Final Thoughts

Walmart’s return policy on opened electronics is neither here nor there in terms of it mattering whether the device has been opened or not, with the exception of a few items listed at the beginning of this article. 

Walmart is pretty open when it comes to returning electronics otherwise, so long as you return them within the timeframe that Walmart allows for that particular electronic device. 

References

https://www.returnsandrefunds.com/Walmart/Returns

https://firstquarterfinance.com/walmart-return-policy-opened-items/