Kohl’s return policy is, on paper, one of the friendliest return policies I’ve found from a retailer. Kohl’s gives you 180 days to make most returns, and they don’t require a receipt. They’ll even take worn or washed items with little to no fuss, which is an exception you won’t find with competitors. For example, Macy’s return policy doesn’t let you return things that have been used or washed.
But Kohl’s flexibility with returns only really applies if you do your returns in person. If you return online orders via snail mail, the situation gets a little dicier. They won’t accept worn or washed items in the mail. And Kohl’s won’t cover return shipping costs at all.
The good news is that we’re here to sort out all the nitty gritty details so you can use Kohl’s return policy to your advantage. I’ll explain how Kohl’s Cash interacts with your return and also how Kohl’s price match works. Then you can judge for yourself whether or not Kohl’s is one of the stores with the best return policies.
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1. How long do I have to return an item to Kohl’s?
Kohl’s gives you a whole 180 days to make a return. Do I need six months to decide if a ladle I bought works for me? Probably not. But hey, if you tend to procrastinate, Kohl’s has your back with this generous return window.
Are there any exceptions to the Kohl’s return policy?
Kohl’s does have a few exceptions to their 180-day return window. The good news is that there are not many. Here are three exceptions to remember:
Premium electronics (like AirPods, speakers, FitBits, record players, etc.) must be returned in 30 days.
Watches must be returned in 30 days.
All beauty purchases from Sephora inside Kohl’s need to be returned in 60 days.
Then, there’s one item you can almost never return — gift cards (more on that in Tip #8).
2. What do I need to return an item to Kohl’s?
It’s pretty simple! You just need the item. If your tags aren’t attached, no problem.
Ideally, you will have the receipt, but if you lost it then they should be able to look it up with your Kohl’s account. If they can’t, though, not all is lost.
What if I lost my receipt?
If you don’t have a receipt, they’ll ask you to enter your phone number on the PIN pad. If they can match your phone number with your purchase in the system, they’ll treat it just like a receipted return.
But if Kohl’s can’t find your purchase in the system, they’ll give you the lowest selling price for the item over the past 13 weeks in the form of a Kohl’s merchandise credit.
Sometimes they’ll ask you for a photo ID — so be sure to have yours on hand!
3. Can I return an item that I used or wore?
If Kohl’s employees on Reddit message boards are to be believed, then Kohl’s is very generous with accepting worn or washed clothes. Here’s one Kohl’s employee’s answer to what their store accepts:
“Customers can return anything even if it’s washed. I wouldn’t tell the customer, but we take the most disgusting items back with no question.”
Speaking from my own experience, I’ve returned washed clothing to Kohl’s before, but it wasn’t exactly “disgusting.” I feel like the move is to do everyone a favor and just wash your stuff before you bring it back if it’s really gross.
That said, if you’re returning via mail, you’re subject to a much more strict and explicit set of rules.
4. Can I return an item that I bought online?
Yes, you can return an item that you bought online from Kohls.com. If you return your online purchase in person at a physical store, all of the above return policy rules apply.
However, if you return your item in the mail, everything changes. You’d better still have the tags because they’ll need to be included in the box. You also can’t return used or worn items via mail. Full stop.
Plus, prepare to be patient with online returns. It can take up to 30 days after Kohl’s receives your return for your refund to be processed. Yikes.
Does Kohl’s cover return shipping?
Nope. Look, I love Kohl’s. But they need to get with it — making us pay for return shipping costs? Shame, shame. They won’t even cover return shipping on damaged items.
The best thing you can do with a Kohl’s online purchase is take it to the store to make the return. You’ll need the same information as a normal in-store return (either a receipt, your phone number, your email, or payment method), and then you’ll be good to go!
Related: 9 Stores with Free Return Shipping
5. How will I get my Kohl’s refund?
Kohl’s provides refunds back to your original form of payment, like your debit or credit card, or they’ll do an even exchange.
6. How does Kohl’s Cash impact my return?
If you return an item that you bought using your Kohl’s Cash, you will get back all of the Kohl’s Cash you used. If that Kohl’s Cash is no longer valid, no worries! They’ll give you a new coupon.
The reverse is also true, though — if you made a purchase that earned you some Kohl’s Cash, you’re going to lose some Kohl’s Cash when you return the item.
Let’s say you spent $100 during a Kohl’s trip, which earned you $20 in Kohl’s Cash ($10 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 spent). But then you return a $10 item from that purchase. Your original spend is now only $90, which means you met the $50 threshold once, not twice. In that case, your Kohl’s Cash might be reduced down to $10.
7. What are Kohl’s “self returns”?
A smattering of Kohl’s locations now offer “self returns” if you made your original purchase with a credit card. Essentially, it’s like self-checkout but for returns.
Here’s how it works:
Find the self-return kiosk inside Kohl’s.
Scan in your item.
Use the kiosk screen to either scan or look up your receipt using your Kohl’s account.
Place your item in one of the available bar-coded bags.
Place the bag in the returns bin.
Later on in the day, an employee will come along to finish processing everything.
This feature isn’t available everywhere. You can look up your store location on their website — if it has self-returns, you’ll see it listed in the third column.
TIP: The one thing you can’t self-return at Kohl’s is fine jewelry.
8. What is Kohl’s gift return policy?
If you have a gift receipt, you can do an even exchange (for something of the same amount). Or, you can get a Kohl’s merchandise card (aka store credit) for the total purchase amount on the gift receipt.
Related: How to Shop the Kohl’s Clearance Section and Save Big
What is Kohl’s return policy for gift cards?
You’re not gonna be able to return gift cards for cash at Kohl’s — unless it’s required by state law. On top of not returning them, you also can’t use them to purchase another gift card or apply it to your Kohl’s Charge balance.
That said, sometimes state law does compel Kohl’s to give you a cash refund. This tends to apply mostly when your balance is super low, and usually only once you’ve spent the initial balance down.
Here are the states where Kohl’s will have to give you some cash for your gift card:
California: Cards with a balance of $10 or less (and an original balance that was above $10).
Colorado: Cards with a balance of $5 or less.
Maine: Cards with a balance of $5 or less.
Massachusetts: Cards with a balance of $5 or less (or after you’ve redeemed 90% of the gift card’s original value).
Montana: Cards with a balance of $5 or less.
New Jersey: Cards with a balance of $5 or less.
Oregon: Cards with a balance of $5 or less.
Puerto Rico: Cards with a balance of $5 or less.
Rhode Island: Cards with a balance of $1 or less.
Texas: Cards with a balance of $2.50 or less (and an original balance that was above $5).
Vermont: Cards with a balance of $1 or less.
Washington: Cards with a balance of $5 or less.
9. What is the Kohl’s holiday return policy?
Remember how I said electronics only have a 30-day return window at Kohl’s instead of the usual 180 days? Well, during the holidays, Kohl’s return policy gets a boost for electronics, which is awesome because it allows you to jump on Kohl’s Black Friday and holiday electronics deals without the risk of not liking a purchase.
Essentially, if you buy premium electronics or watches on or after Nov. 1, you can make returns up until Jan. 31 (instead of the regular 30-day window).
The same holiday returns timeline applies to Sephora at Kohl’s purchases. This gives you an advantage over the typical 60-day return window if you make a makeup purchase in November.
10. What is the Kohl’s price match policy?
If the price of an item goes down within 14 days of your purchase, Kohl’s will provide a price match by giving you a refund for the cost difference. This is true whether the item goes down in price in Kohl’s stores, at a competitor’s store, or on Kohls.com.
There are some exceptions to Kohl’s price match policy, though. For one, you can’t return clearance items. And Kohl’s won’t price-match wholesalers like Costco or certain online retailers like Amazon. Be sure to check out the full deets on Kohl’s price match policy so you can get as much money back as possible.
11. How do I contact Kohl’s customer service?
If you made a purchase in-store, you’ll need to handle the return with an in-store associate. But if you made a purchase on Kohls.com, you can contact Kohl’s customer service via 24/7 live chat or by calling 855-564-5705. Phone hours are 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. CT Monday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m – 8 p.m. on Sundays.
12. How do you make an Amazon return at Kohl’s?
Kohl’s will accept your Amazon returns at each and every store — except locations in Anchorage, Alaska. All you have to do is bring in the item you’re returning. It’s so much better than boxing up your own Amazon returns!
To return an Amazon purchase at Kohl’s, request a return from Amazon and bring your item to the designated Amazon returns area in your local Kohl’s store. Show the associate the return code Amazon sends to your email, and Kohl’s will package the item and return it to Amazon for you. They’ve even got the shipping label covered.
Do you have any other questions about Kohl’s return policy? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll get back to you. Thanks for reading!
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