8 Most Frustrating Things About Walmart's Return Policies

Shopping at Walmart and any other big store can feel overwhelming. Luckily, these chain stores tend to have forgiving return and refund policies, which might help quell our stress when stepping into the chaos, knowing we have a safety net in case we buy too many of something or make an impulse purchase.

There are a lot of Walmart shopping hacks that will help you save money and have a more pleasant experience but don’t forget to check that refund policy. We combed through Walmart’s refund and exchange information and found seven frustrating things about their policies. Keep them in mind when considering your next shopping trip.

Editor’s note: Prices are subject to change and may vary by location.

Did you receive a bottle of alcohol as a wedding shower gift? Did someone bring a six-pack to the lake that went unopened? Unfortunately, “unopened Tobacco and Alcohol products can only be returned to the original store of purchase.” These rules are pretty strict, as substance laws vary so widely and are taken very seriously.

In cases where you received a gift of alcohol or tobacco that you are not keen on, you may want to consider re-gifting it.

Walmart does not accept refunds or exchanges on several surprising items, including wireless phones, more commonly known as cell phones. According to their exceptions page: “Wireless phones, Marketplace collectibles and Marketplace luxury items” are subject to a slightly different return policy than most other items.

The policy does note that some of these items have a return window of up to 14 days. As a precaution, always check the refund details on your product before purchase.

You can purchase and return tires to Walmart, no issue. However, if you had mounting or installation services done at Walmart to those tires — or went elsewhere shortly after purchase for installation — those tires are no longer returnable.

Tires that have not been mounted can be returned to any Walmart with an Auto Care Center. Many competitors have buy-and-try guarantees for their tires. Firestone Tires, for example, has a 90-day window. With proof of purchase, you can exchange any Bridgestone or Firestone tires purchased at their stores within that three-month window.

As inconvenient as it sounds, it’s true. Major appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, trash compactors, cooktops, and more have a two-day return window. Not only that, but you must have the original receipt with you.

To give you the biggest window of time to test your appliance, arrange for your installation as early as you can in the day. Test the appliance 2-5 times, recording it for sound inconsistencies, incorrect results, or otherwise. This will give you confidence in your new appliance and ensure you get it back to Walmart within the 48-hour window if need be.

If you ever need a home installation, furniture assembly, appliance delivery, or other service arranged through Walmart, be aware that you must adhere to their cancellation policy. Appointments canceled within 24 hours of the scheduled time are not eligible for refund, nor are any services that have been rendered.

While it is easy to understand why services completed might not be up for a refund, the thought that an improper installation cannot be compensated is a little concerning, not to mention any health-related or emergency issues that may come up within the 24-hour window before the services are to happen.

Walmart sells an array of office and home furniture, patio items, appliances, and more. Many products available online, in-store, and through vendors on the marketplace come in boxes and require some element of assembly. These items cannot be returned.

That is, unless, you disassemble and re-package them before dropping them off with FedEx. That means if you decide you do not enjoy the item you just spent hours building, you must take it apart entirely without causing damage. Furniture-specific stores like IKEA and Nebraska Furniture Mart have more lax return policies on assembled items.

Thankfully, Walmart does not add restocking fees to its refunds. However, if you purchase something online through its marketplace from a separate vendor, you may incur restocking fees of up to 20% of the original purchase price.

To avoid this, read the fine print in the vendor’s policy before checking out. Purchasing items only available officially through Walmart will discourage fees as well.

This goes double for collectibles from the marketplace. Make sure to look at all of the fine print before purchase, especially when shopping for collectibles. These items are often marked “final sale” and cannot be refunded or exchanged.

Consumers do need to be practical and explore all of their options, especially when purchasing online. As long as Walmart continues to work toward a platform that clearly identifies reseller and dealer items for its customers, this particular refund policy will be less frustrating.

If you choose to shop at Walmart online, make sure to check the tabs and settings every once in a while. Sometimes, advertised products by vendors may make their way into your “in-store” searches.

No matter how you’re shopping with Walmart, be it in-person, online, or with marketplace vendors, you can earn rewards on everyday purchases with these top rewards credit cards.