According to an article published by US News and World Reportlast fall that ranked retail chains by the best and worst sales return policies, companies like Costco, Target, LL Bean, and Zappos had some of the best return policies.
While Apple, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon had some of the worst policies. For instance, Apple only gives customers 14 days to return an unopened purchase. In contrast, Zappos allows customers an entire year. Pamela Hernandez, Regional Director of the Better Business Bureau, encourages customers to check online and brick-and-mortar retailers' return policies before making a purchase.
"Don't make assumptions. Look for that posted return policy when you're shopping online and find out whether they make it very easy for you to return or, in some cases, they are actually going to charge you fees to return. There's something called a restocking fee."
Also, stores are only legally required to accept items for a refund, exchange, or credit if goods were defective or misrepresented. Some companies provide refunds, while others only issue store credits. A few stores consider all sales to be final. Seasonal stores may have limited hours after the holidays, making it awkward to return unwanted items.
