Life
We've all been there. Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, you're in front of your family and you receive the equivalent of the pink bunny onesie that Ralphie receives in A Christmas Story. Of course you're gracious, and you smile and say, "thank you," but what do you do now? You may be wondering what stores takes returns or exchanges without a gift receipt. You don't want your family member's money going to waste completely when you store their gift in your basement for eternity, or even worse, leaving it on the curb for someone else to enjoy, right? Not trying to be ungrateful here, but practical. I get it.
There's no need to be awkward and ask the gift giver for a receipt, because then they'll know for sure you're returning their gift or exchanging it. You may casually have to ask where they bought the item (because you "love it so much," of course), but other than that, they don't have to know that you've whisked it away and exchanged it for store credit or for another item you'll actually use and love. You'll be safe as long as they don't ask you to show off that pink bunny outfit next year. You could always use the excuse that it shrank in the dryer from you wearing it and having to launder it so much, I guess.
REI
Did Mom consider you way more adventurous and outdoorsy than you actually are and perhaps got you a hammock or hiking pack? Not only do you have an entire year to figure out if those hiking boots, tent, or North Face jacket are right for you, but you don’t even need a receipt. And you won’t have to hurt mom’s feelings and crush her dreams of you being the next great outdoors woman of our generation. Note, you have 90 days to figure out whether any outdoor electronics are up your alley, and that includes GPS-enabled devices, emergency-communication devices, cameras, and bike trainers, according to the website for REI.
Costco
Receive an almost lifetime supply of orange cheese ball puffs? Did your brother get you enough toilet paper to last through a nuclear holocaust, but you just don’t have room in your house to store it? No receipt? No problem. All they have to do is look up your brother’s membership. And you can return these items at any time, except for appliances — those have a 90-day limit.
Bloomingdale’s
That Marc Jacobs bag not quite your style, but you want to make sure all that money spent on you doesn't go to waste? Thankfully, Bloomingdale's has awesome customer service. And included in this customer service is issuing store credit for returning items when you don’t have a receipt. You also have a year to return the item.
Bed Bath & Beyond
Did you get a juicer this year from a very generous relative, but have no intent of ever using it? Not a problem at Bed Bath & Beyond. They’ll exchange for the current selling price, or provide store credit, for an amount less than 20 percent of the retail. I know it’s not full credit, but at least they make up for it by providing those awesome 20 percent off coupons in the mail all the time.
L.L. Bean
So your sister finally got you some of those “Bean Boots” you thought you’ve always wanted, but then you realize they just aren’t practical footwear for your wardrobe and lifestyle. No worries, L.L. Bean’s got you covered. They’ll even take their products back years later with no questions asked, because of their 100 percent satisfaction-guaranteed policy. If you don’t have a receipt, they’ll reimburse you with store credit for the “last-known selling price” of whatever you’re returning.
Lowe's
Receive a pretty sweet tool, but have no clue how to use it or have any need for it whatsoever? Sorry, Dad, we appreciate the thought. But thankfully, Lowe’s doesn’t require a receipt for returns — they’ll just give you store credit for the item’s current selling price. Then you can buy something you’ll know how to use, or be able to stock back up on home supplies.
Kohl’s
If it’s within 365 days and you don’t have a receipt for Kohl’s purchases, they can still help you out by giving you store credit or a “corporate-issued refund.” If it’s a “premium electronic,” you only have 30 days to get it back to a store. So you better hurry if your kid doesn’t want that Hatchimal your mom bought for them.
JCPenney
While you only have 45 days to decide whether or not you love that bedding set your mother-in-law bought you for Christmas, JCPenney will accept the return for store credit without a receipt. Unfortunately, it will be at the item’s lowest selling price within the last 45 days. So you better decide quick before it goes on sale.
Target
The mecca doesn’t disappoint with its 90-day return policy with or without a receipt. You can even return open beauty supplies, but you have to have a receipt for those. You’ll receive store credit if you didn’t purchase the item yourself, otherwise, they’ll just credit your purchase back to the card you used.
Walmart
Depending on the purchase amount, certain electronics, groceries, and home goods, you can return anything at Walmart without a receipt. You’ll get an even exchange, and not just a percentage like most stores. You could also get a cash refund, or a gift card, depending on how much the item sold for when it was purchased.
Bath & Body Works
Are you more of a floral-scent girl, but you received a ton of food scents like vanilla, winter candy apple, pumpkin spice, or mango? No worries, you can return Bath & Body Works items without a receipt. There’s no fine print, and it’s at your own leisure of when you want to return it. A pretty sweet deal.
Don’t fret this year if you get gifts that just aren’t you, or if you need something more useful than “Bean Boots.” You can always return them at any of the above stores, and the gift giver doesn’t have to know, so feelings won’t get hurt. It’s a win win for everyone.
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