I was always confused why Nordstrom Rack had a worse return policy than the amazing “Unlimited Days” return policy that you’ll find at Nordstrom. After researching this article, and talking to some Rack employees, I was blown away with how much they’ve had to crack down on “return abuse” the last couple years. So it brought up a lot of questions about their return policy that I know you’re going to want to know so let’s break it all down.

How Many Return Days Does Nordstrom Rack Give Me?

30 days for in-store purchases.

40 days for online purchases.

Nordstrom is one of the only stores that has a different return window for in-store purchases compared to online.

What Happens After 30 Days?

You’re NOT completely out of luck.

Nordstrom Rack will give you a gift card for the amount of the purchase for any late return received up to 60 days after the original purchase date.

After 60 days you’re up Schitt’s Creek without a paddle.

See Also: Macy’s Return Policy: We Explain It ALL On a Single Page

Do They Offer an Extended Holiday Return Period?

Yes.

The Rack is one of many stores that gives you more time to make a return around Christmas.

Specifically, for purchases made between 10/16/23 and 12/24/23 you have until 1/15/24 to make the return.

Can Items Be Worn or Laundered?

No.

Unlike Nordstrom, the Rack seems pretty strict about this one.

Stuff must still have the tag on it and not show any wear or be washed.

Did Their Policy Get Worse in Recent Years?

Yes.

In recent years, the Nordstrom Rack return policy has definitely gotten stricter, especially in terms of the days allowed for a return.

It wasn’t long ago that they offered 120 days, then it was cut to 60 days, now it’s down to 30 days.

It’s WAY worse that the Nordstrom return policy which offers UNLIMITED return days.

For whatever reason, the Rack was getting a lot of shoppers abusing their liberal return policy and were forced to crack down.

Is There Anything I Can’t Return?

Yes.

You CANNOT return any of the following to Nordstrom Rack:

– Beauty Items – Doesn’t matter if they’re opened or not, you CANNOT return them.

– Final Sale Items – Anything with a Final Sale tag cannot be returned under any circumstance.

– Non-Returnable Items – The same as Final Sale items.

– Fine Jewelry – This one is a little different and only applies to jewelry bought at Nordstrom.com or Nordstrom….these items CANNOT be returned to a Rack store.

– “Designer” Items – The same policy that applies to fine jewelry (see above) also applies to designer items.

See Also: Lululemon Return Policy: We Make Sense Of a Confusing Policy

Can I Return Stuff to a Regular Nordstrom Store?

Yes.

This one surprised me as I thought the Rack and a regular Nordstrom store carried different merchandise.

But alas, after a quick conversation with a Rack associate, I was told you absolutely CAN return your Rack purchase to ANY Nordstrom location.

What If I Lost My Receipt…Can the Rack “Look Up” My Order?

Probably.

If you have a free Nordy Club account they can look up the details of your purchase history and essentially use that info as your receipt.

It’s free to join so it’s kind of a no-brainer as it alleviates the need to hold on to your Rack and Nordstrom receipts.

Can I Return Stuff to Any Rack Location?

Yes.

As long as you’re within the return time window, you can return items to any Rack location across the country.

How Long Will It Take to Get My Money Back?

Depending on your credit card, you can expect it to take 3-5 business days to get your money back.

For online returns, it can take 10-14 business days to process your return and get your money returned to you.

How Do Online Returns Work?

To start your online return via the mail, you’ll want to VISIT THIS PAGE on the Rack website and start the process.

Note: You’ll need your order number to start the return.

You’ll find your order number on either your email confirmation or your packing slip.

Who Pays the Return Shipping Fees?

You do.

When you start an online return the Rack is gonna take $9.95 out of the return amount when they generate the label.

To avoid the shipping fee, take your return back to a Nordstrom Rack store for immediate service if at all possible.

It’s worth noting that I was told by a Nordstrom Rack chat representative that they’ll make “an exception to the fee” if the reason for the return is the fault of Nordstrom Rack.

Note: If for some reason you need to return an in-store purchase via the mail, it’s worth noting that the purchase is ineligible for a return UNLESS the purchase is available in your Nordy Club account via your Purchase History.

Can I Take My Online Return Back to a Rack Location?

Yes.

As noted above, this is the preferred method as you’ll avoid the $9.95 return shipping fee by doing so.

Can I Make an Exchange Rather Than a Return?

No.

Instead of making an even exchange, you’ll have to return the item and rebuy it in the correct size or color (for example).

Will Some Rack Cashiers Be Lenient on the 30 Days?

Yes.

I’ve read several accounts of Nordstrom Rack allowing the return if you’re just a few days over the 30 days.

Be polite and friendly and your success rate will rise even more.

Also, I’ve heard from some diehard Nordy shoppers who recommend taking your Rack return back to a Nordstrom location as most cashiers won’t care how long it’s been and make the return happen regardless.

Ask the Reader: Am I missing any important details when it comes to the Nordstrom Rack return policy? Let me know in the comments.

By Kyle James

Photo Courtesy of Nordstrom Rack.

I recently needed some pet medication for our husky and didn’t want to call my vet every time I needed a refill, so I checked out Chewy.com. It was a very easy process to get the Rx approved and my first Chewy order arrived quickly. But it made me wonder what the return policy was at Chewy, especially as it related to medications. After some digging, I discovered a pretty great policy but it has some caveats that pet owners need to be aware of, especially as it pertains to prescription drugs for dogs and cats. Here’s exactly how the Chewy return policy works.

How Many Return Days Does Chewy Give Me?

365 days.

Chewy gives shoppers a whooping 365 days to return an item if they are not satisfied with it.

This easily puts their return policy on par with the likes of Costco and significantly better than both Petco and PetSmart who offer 30 and 60 days respectively.

How Do I Initiate a Return?

Since Chewy is an online only business, you have to reach out to them with a message in order to initiate your return, CLICK HERE to make it happen.

You’ll need to either chat, email or call Chewy directly in order to process your return. 

Be sure to include your order number in the message in order to expedite your return.

When using the Chewy app, or their website, ALL returns will have to be processed by an agent.

Who Pays the Return Shipping Fees?

Chewy pays the return shipping costs.

For ALL returns that you request, Chewy takes care of the return shipping fee and can even schedule the pick-up FREE of charge.

They will provide a prepaid FedEx shipping label for you and you can either drop it off at FedEx or schedule a pickup from your home.

See Also: Looking for an Affordable Vet? Here’s How You Find One

Can I Return Pet Food That My Pet Won’t Eat?

Yes.

You have one full year to return dog or cat food that your furry friend has turned it’s nose up at.

I verified this with a Chewy representative and was told that you can ALSO return a bag of pet food if it’s half empty or almost gone.

Also, if you’re returning wet food and some cans are missing, they will STILL take it back.

Is Anything NOT Returnable to Chewy?

Yes.

The one item that you may have trouble returning to Chewy is prescription drugs…more on that directly below.

Everything else can be returned.

So…Can I Return Prescription Drugs?

Yes and no.

Chewy has a general rule that prescription medications are NOT returnable.

BUT….I’ve talked to several loyal Chewy users who say that you should call the pharmacy team directly at 1-877-977-3879 and ask for a return or exchange on pet medications if needed.

In many cases, Chewy will take back prescription drugs, especially if you’re simply swapping out your pet meds for a different drug if the original medicine isn’t working.

Also, if Chewy messes up your prescription, or sends the wrong drug, they will definitely allow you to return it at no cost to you.

Can I Get an Exchange Instead of a Return?

Yes.

When contacting Chewy, tell them you’d like to exchange the item rather than get a refund and the rep will make it happen for you.

Can I Return a Used Dog Toy?

Yes.

This one blew me away.

I actually had a Chewy rep tell me you can indeed return a used dog toy if it doesn’t work out for whatever reason.

See Also: 9 Highly Clever Ways to Save Money at Walmart

How Do I Return Something That Was a Gift?

If the gift was delivered directly to you, you’ll need to reach out to the person that bought you the gift so they can process the refund and order the item you want instead.

Similarly, if the product was given to you as a gift, and ordered under someone else’s account, you won’t be able to make the return yourself, you’ll need their help to make a return or exchange happen.

Will Chewy Let Me Keep Some Items I Try to Returns?

Yes.

Often times when you try to make a return to Chewy they’ll tell you to keep the item or donate it to an animal shelter.

This seems to happen the most often on bulky/heavy items as it’ll cost Chewy more in return shipping costs than the item is worth.

See Also: Here’s Why Amazon Lets You Keep Some Items You Try to Return

Can I Return Products After My Pet Dies?

Yes.

This is where the Chewy return policy gets kinda AWESOME and reminds me of the great customer service at Zappos.

From this Reddit thread, it seems Chewy will refund you the cost of pet food after you lose an animal and instead of having you return the food, they ask if you can donate it to a local animal shelter.

Pretty cool stuff, hats off to Chewy on this one.

What Does Chewy Do With the Items People Return?

If the item you return to Chewy is unopened they’ll simply place it back for sale on their website.

If the product is used or opened they’ll either send it back to the manufacturer, donate it, or destroy it.

They currently do NOT sell refurbished products or “opened box” specials.

Can Their Policy Be Abused and Get Me Banned?

Perhaps.

While their return policy seems very lenient, it’s safe to assume that there will be repercussions if you return too many items over a given period of time.

This is especially true if the reason for your orders is to try and score free products by Chewy telling you to keep them when you try to return them.

Don’t abuse their return policy as it will only hurt shoppers down the road as Chewy will be forced to make policy changes.

How Do the Prices at Chewy Compare to Amazon?

On average, Chewy is a little more expensive than Amazon.

After doing about two dozen price comparisons, I was surprised that Chewy actually beat the Amazon price on several items, namely dog beds and cat toys.

Ask the Reader: What’s been your experience with the return policy at Chewy? Let me know in the comments if I’m missing any tidbits of information.

By Kyle James

I’m at HomeGoods what I feel like is every weekend with my teenage daughter who is, well, shall we say “obsessed” with their bedroom and Christmas décor. I love hanging out with her before she leaves for college, so hey, I’ll happily hop in the car and go shopping with her whenever she asks if I want to come along. So…I’ve become fairly well acquainted with the HomeGoods return policy and all the caveats and twists within. So this article kinda wrote itself, not gonna lie. I hope it helps you out with your next return and answers all your questions.

How Many Return Days Does Home Goods Give?

30 days.

For in-store purchases, Home Goods gives shoppers 30 days from purchase to return item to ANY Home Goods store.

What About for Online Purchases?

40 days.

Home Goods is the only store that I can remember that gives shoppers MORE return days for online purchases.

The 40 days starts on your order date, NOT on the delivery date.

Although it’s strange they offer 40 days for returns as their website recently closed for online shopping so look for this to be updated.

See Also: TJ Maxx Return Policy: Insider Tips for Return Success

Do I Need My Receipt to Make a Return?

Yes.

Well…if you want to get your money back to your original payment method you NEED your receipt.

If you don’t have your receipt, you can still return the item but you’ll have to settle for store credit on a Home Goods gift card.

You’ll get the current selling price of the item which could be WAY less than what you actually paid for it.

Be prepared to show a valid I.D. when making receipt-less returns.

Why do you need an I.D.? Well, they’re going to track your returns and will eventually ban you from making returns without a receipt if you do it too often.

How often? I’m not sure. If you work for Home Goods, and are in the know, let us know in the comments.

Do Items Have To Be “Brand New”?

Yes and no.

Home Goods says item must be in the “original condition” so they can put them back on the shelf for sale.

But…if there is something wrong with the item, to not fault of your own, you should be able to return it even if it’s not “Brand New” and you don’t have all the original packaging.

See Also: Marshalls Return Policy: We Answer ALL Your Questions

What Happens If I Remove the Tag?

As long as you still have the tag in your possession, you CAN make the return.

If you throw away the tag, but the item is still considered new, you should try and return it anyways and explain the situation.

If you still have your receipt, and are within the 30 or 40 days of purchase, you stand a great chance of being able to return the item.

Can I Opt for Cash on My Return?

Only if you paid with cash.

Otherwise, if you paid with a credit or debit card, you cannot get cash back on your return, it has to go back on your card.

Can Home Goods “Find” My Receipt If I Lose It? 

No.

They won’t dig through your purse or glove box for you and they can’t use their computer system to find your receipt either.

Because your receipt is so important, always select the “Print and email receipt” option when checking out.

By doing this, your receipt will ALWAYS be waiting for you in your inbox if you ever need it.

Are Any Products NOT Returnable?

Yes.

You cannot return the following to Home Goods:

– Opened Food Products – If you do like I did and open the box of Harry & David Moose Crunch you bought from Home Goods and decide you don’t like it, you CANNOT return it.

Not that I even considered it…I love me some Moose Crunch, especially the caramel.

– Gift Cards – Once you buy a gift card, you’ll have to either use it or give it away as a gift.

See Also: All the Stores That Allow You to Make a Return Without Your Receipt

Can I Return Stuff to a TJ Maxx or Marshalls?

No…well maybe.

The corporate stance is you have to take stuff you bought at a HomeGoods store back to any HomeGoods store.

This includes “combo stores” that have both a TJ Maxx and a Home Goods, you cannot return stuff you bought from a stand alone Home Goods to these combo stores.

BUT… according to this Reddit thread, it appears some store managers will allow HomeGoods returns at TJ Maxx and Marshalls locations.

It seems the common thread is typically this is only allowed in towns where the nearest Home Goods is NOT near a TJ Maxx or Marshalls.

It’s also worth noting that the ONLY WAY they’ll ever do this type of return is if the tag is still attached, you have the receipt, and you’re within the return window.

Can I Return Online Purchases In-Store?

Yes.

Just bring in your packing slip or order confirmation email and you can use that as your proof of purchase.

The same rules apply to online purchases being returned, with the only difference being an extra 10 days to make the return.

What’s the Deal With Returning Furniture, Rugs, and Large Items?

It should be a pretty simple process, but you’ll have to get the item back to store, they won’t pick it up for you, even if you bought it online.

When returning a rug, be warned that they’ll unroll it and make sure it’s actually their rug and not dirty.

Is There an Extended Holiday Return Policy?

Yes.

For all purchases made at Home Goods between 10/08/23 – 12/24/23 you have until 1/25/24 to make your return.

Their normal return goes back into effect on 12/26/23.

See Also: All 37 Retailers That Offer Extended Holiday Returns

What Does HomeGoods Do With the Stuff They Take Back?

I asked an employee this question on my last return as the item I was returning was no longer stocked.

She said they “throw away” stuff that is no longer stocked and sold.

I was BLOWN away, and it made me want to go dumpster diving behind the store.

Ask the Reader: When it comes to the return policy at Home Goods, what did I miss? Let me know in the comments so I can fact check it.

By Kyle James