Holiday Return Policies 2026: Return Deadlines by Store, From Best Buy to Target

Best Buy says most purchases made Oct. 30 through Dec. 31, 2026 can be returned through Jan. 15, 2027. The deadline moves to Jan. 31, 2027 for My Best Buy Plus and Total members, according to Best Buy Corporate News, which published its holiday calendar on Oct. 27. Target has posted an extended window for some 2026 purchases but has not listed a return-by date, Amazon has not posted 2026 terms yet, and we could not confirm Walmart’s or Apple’s. This story compares what each store has confirmed as of Oct. 30, 2026, and we will update it as more terms are published.

Which stores have posted 2026 holiday return terms?

Store	2026 holiday return terms	Return-by date
Best Buy	Most purchases Oct. 30 through Dec. 31, 2026	Fri., Jan. 15, 2027 (Sun., Jan. 31, 2027 for Plus and Total members)
Target	Extended window for electronics and entertainment on purchases Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, 2026	Not yet listed on Target’s holiday help page
Amazon	Not yet posted for 2026 (2025 terms below)	Not yet posted for 2026
Walmart	Not yet confirmed	Not yet confirmed
Apple	Not yet confirmed	Not yet confirmed
Costco	No holiday extension listed; standard satisfaction guarantee	Varies by item
Nordstrom	No holiday extension listed; no time limit on most returns	No time limit on most items

Mark the return dates on our December 2026 printable calendar and January 2027 printable calendar.

What is Best Buy’s 2026 holiday return deadline?

Best Buy says “most purchases made Oct. 30 through Dec. 31 can be returned through Jan. 15, 2027, and Jan. 31, 2027 for Plus and Total members.” The word “most” is Best Buy’s, so check the product page for exceptions before you count on the extended window.

Bought	Standard return deadline	My Best Buy Plus and Total members
Oct. 30 through Dec. 31, 2026	Fri., Jan. 15, 2027	Sun., Jan. 31, 2027

Our Best Buy holiday calendar story has the full list of the retailer’s deal dates.

What is Target’s 2026 holiday return window?

Target’s Holiday Help Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page says: “For purchases November 1 through December 24, 2026, there’s an extended return window for electronics and entertainment, including Apple & Beats products and most Target Plus items.” Target has not listed the return-by date on its holiday FAQ yet, so the exact deadline for that window is not confirmed.

For everything else, Target applies its standard policy: most unopened items sold by Target in new condition, returned within 90 days, get a refund or exchange, while Target Plus Partner items have 30 days. Target says it can deny returns to prevent fraud or abuse.

Has Amazon posted its 2026 holiday return policy?

No. As of Oct. 30, 2026, Amazon’s return policy help page does not show 2026 holiday terms. Last year, Amazon said “most items purchased between November 1 and December 31 can be returned until January 31, 2026,” and that Apple-branded products bought in that period could be returned through Jan. 15, 2026. Those are 2025 figures; treat them as a guide to timing, not as this year’s dates. Our Amazon Black Friday 2026 story tracks the retailer’s holiday announcements.

What are Costco’s and Nordstrom’s return rules?

Costco lists no holiday return extension. Its return policy (version 18.0, published Oct. 2, 2025) is a satisfaction guarantee that refunds the purchase price, with exceptions. Costco limits some electronics to 90 days from the date the member received the item: televisions, projectors, major appliances, computers, touchscreen tablets, smart wearable devices, cameras, drones, camcorders, MP3 players and cellular phones, where cell phone details vary by carrier contract.

Nordstrom’s return policy says: “There are no time limits for returns or exchanges.” Balsam Hill items must be returned within 30 days of purchase or before December 25, whichever comes first. Marketplace sellers set their own windows, which Nordstrom shows in your order history.

What about Walmart and Apple?

Walmart and Apple have not confirmed 2026 holiday return terms on their official pages as of Oct. 30, 2026. Walmart’s Oct. 26, 2026 holiday events release does not mention returns, and its holiday return page could not be checked. We are not publishing dates for these two until they post them. Our Black Friday 2026 ad tracker follows Walmart, Target and Best Buy through the season.

Print the 2026 holiday return tracker

Our free one-page printable lists the posted return windows, the Jan. 15 and Jan. 31, 2027 Best Buy deadlines, and a short checklist for returning gifts, such as keeping receipts and noting the return-by date on each gift. There is a standard version and an ink-saver version for home printers. For the gift-giving dates behind these returns, see when Christmas is.