Return and refund rights: the basics

Is a store required to give refunds?

Usually not. The Washington State Attorney General's office explains that a store generally is not required to offer a refund, exchange or store credit unless the merchandise is defective or misrepresented. What a store must do is explain its return and refund terms clearly. Rules vary by state, so check your own attorney general's consumer pages, but the pattern is similar across the country: the store sets the policy, and you are expected to read it before you buy.

Michigan's Attorney General made the same point in a December 2024 reminder: "Return policies vary greatly from store to store, but almost all impose a time limit on returns." Look for the policy posted at the register or customer-service desk, ask a clerk, or check the retailer's website. If an online store posts no return information at all, the Michigan office advises caution — and, if you go ahead, asking for the policy in writing.

Common policy terms to look for

Online and mail orders: the 30-day shipping rule

For orders placed online, by phone or by mail, the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule (16 CFR Part 435) sets federal minimums:

• Ship on time. A seller must ship within the time it advertises. If it states no time, it must expect to ship within 30 days of receiving a properly completed order.
• Ask before delaying. If it cannot ship on time, the seller must give you the choice of agreeing to the delay or cancelling for a prompt refund, with a free way to cancel.
• Refund promptly. After a cancellation, refunds for cash, check, money order or a third-party credit card are due within seven working days; where the seller itself extends the credit, within one billing cycle.
• Refund in kind. The refund must be in the original form of payment — not store credit or vouchers — and, if nothing shipped, includes shipping and handling charges.

Some items fall outside this rule, including services, C.O.D. orders, and seeds and growing plants.

Disputing a credit card charge

When a seller won't fix a problem, the Fair Credit Billing Act gives credit-card holders a formal route. The FTC and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describe the steps:

1. Call your card issuer right away.
2. Send a written dispute to the issuer's billing-inquiry address so it arrives within 60 days after the first bill showing the error was sent.
3. The issuer must acknowledge your dispute in writing within 30 days, unless it resolves it first, and must resolve it within 90 days.
4. While it investigates, you may withhold the disputed amount, but must pay the rest of the bill.

Billing errors include charges for items you did not accept or that were not delivered as agreed, wrong amounts and unauthorized charges; federal law limits your liability for unauthorized charges to $50. A separate route covers complaints about the quality of goods, with conditions such as first trying to resolve the problem with the seller, and dollar and distance limits described on the FTC page.

A returns checklist

• Read the return policy before paying, especially for sale items and online orders.
• Keep receipts, packing slips, original packaging and tags until the return window closes.
• Ask for a gift receipt when you buy a present.
• Print or screenshot the online return policy as it stood on the day you ordered.
• If a return is refused, ask for a manager; if that fails, dispute a card charge or contact your state attorney general.