The Takeaway
- More than 40% of retailers admit to shortening return windows in the past year (CBS News).
- Electronics, beauty, and furniture are seeing the toughest rules — sometimes as little as 14 days.
- If you don't get your grandkid the exact right thing, you could be stuck with a present that you can't return.
- Holiday “extended” policies still exist, but they’re less generous than before.
- Some stores now tack on fees for mail returns, making it costlier for those who can’t drive back.
When 90 Days Shrinks to 14
It used to be simple: most stores gave you a couple of months to bring something back. Now, that clock is ticking faster.
Retailers are under pressure — returns are expensive, fraud is common, and shipping items back adds to carbon waste. So they’re tightening the screws. According to one survey, 42% of retailers said they shortened their return windows in a single year (CBS News).
For seniors, this isn’t just an inconvenience. It can mean being stuck with a defective TV, a tablet that doesn’t “sync right,” or a sweater bought in October that’s not returnable by Christmas.
