If you have purchased an item from Walmart and disposed of the box, or if the product is open, you may wonder if you can still return it to Walmart.
After some digging, here is everything I have managed to find out.
Walmart Return Policy Without Box Or Opened Box
Walmart will accept returns if the original packaging or box is damaged, open, or missing as long as a receipt shows proof of purchase. Customers have 90 days to return the item to receive a full refund. Products that cannot be returned open or without a box include DVDs, video games, and mattresses.
Returning An Item To Walmart Without a Box
While some reports mention that you cannot return a product to Walmart without the original box, this is incorrect based on our research.
In most cases, products from Walmart will have barcodes or unique identifying stickers on the item that will be unique to Walmart products.
Because of this, even if you don’t have the original box or packaging, Walmart can still return the product (as long as they can find one of these unique stickers, barcodes, or identifiers).
However, you will most likely need a receipt (whether digital or physical) to show that the exact item was purchased from Walmart in the first place.
Additionally, if you have the original packing/box but don’t have a receipt, you still may be eligible for store credit, as the packaging will have a unique barcode that Walmart can scan.
What Items Can Only Be Taken Back Unopened?
Although Walmart is highly flexible with its returns policy, several items cannot be returned to stores, opened, or without the original packaging.
These include items such as:
- Air beds and air mattresses
- Audio Tapes
- Books
- Blu Rays, CDs, and DVDs
- Mattresses
- (view the complete list here)
A few of these items can be returned only if they are defective and only if they are returned with all original packaging and receipts.
Can Walmart Deny Returns For Any Reason?
Walmart’s returns policy is fairly flexible, allowing, on average, for customers to return most items within a 90-day period from purchase. Customers can even occasionally return items without a receipt.
Walmart store managers can use their own discretion in deciding whether or not to allow specific return requests.
Some may even be willing to stretch returns policies and allow returns past the 90-day limit from the original purchase.
It is best to try in your local store and find out if they will allow you to make a return. If not, you can always try the nearest Walmart, as they make a different decision.
How Long Does A Walmart Refund Take To Process?
If you return items to Walmart and are offered a refund, you can usually expect your refund to take at least a few days to be processed.
Refunds from Walmart can take 3 and 5 business days to reach your bank account and will be sent back to the card you originally paid for your items.
How Do Walmart Returns Work?
You can return your items personally by taking them to an in-store customer service desk, by mail, or via a scheduled pick-up from your home.
You must ensure you have your original receipt or online order number handy so your original purchase can be properly verified.
To learn more, you can also see whether or not you can return items to a different Walmart store from which you purchased them.
