How Long Does Walmart Take To Refund – What To Expect

We all hope that the items we purchase will work out, but if not, that is why refund and return policies exist. You may plan to return something you purchased at Walmart, but you may wonder: how long does Walmart take to refund?

It can take 3-5 days for a refund to be issued to your credit card from Walmart. If you return an item to Walmart by mail, you could wait up to two weeks for your refund with shipping and processing. You will not be able to return items outside the return period, so you will not receive a refund on those items.

It does not take long to see money from a refund these days, but there is still a wait based on whether you used cash, credit, or debit. We’ll go through what the refund process looks like at Walmart and other essential details.

How To Get A Refund At Walmart

You can get a refund at Walmart under certain conditions, but the process for returning items will look different depending on if you want a refund on an online or in-store purchase.

Returning Items From Online Purchase

There are two ways that you can process a return for online purchase.

The first thing that you can do is request a refund online with your order. Walmart will pay for you to return your item by mail, but you will need to wait for the order to arrive before receiving your refund. This can only be refunded by credit or debit.

You can also return your item online to a Walmart store, which will look similar to buying an item in-store and returning it in-store. We’ll cover that next.

Returning Items From In-Store Purchase

Returning items that you purchased in-store is a more straightforward process.

Bring your item, its tags, and your receipt to Customer Service at the front of your local Walmart store.

The employee will scan your receipt to pull up your purchase, then scan the tag of the items you purchased.

If you made your purchase with cash, you would receive your money back immediately. A purchase made with a credit or debit card will take about 3-5 days, but I found that they do not need to see my credit card anymore.

You can direct problems with either return process by calling 1-800-WALMART or emailing customer service. The store manager can discuss a problem with an in-store return, but you may need to go directly to corporate to resolve your concern.

Things To Know When Asking For A Refund

The process to return items to Walmart – in-store and online – sounds straightforward, but it can always be helpful to have all the knowledge you can when you’re planning to return an item for a refund. 

Timeline For Credit And Debit Cards

Cash is given immediately, but you must wait for credit card and debit card refunds.

Card Type	Time
Visa Credit Card	3-7 Days
Mastercard Credit Card	Up to 7 Days
Debit Card	7-10 Days

Overall, you will be waiting for about a week for your refund.

Debit cards are a little different than credit cards. You can request to have the money refunded in cash, bypassing the waiting period that you may have as it goes back onto your card.

Do not call the store if you do not see an immediate refund on your credit card since it takes time to process. 

It Can Be Difficult Without A Receipt

Returns are possible without a receipt, but you will add steps to your process.

Here are a few outcomes that can happen if you do not have your receipt:

• An employee will tell you that you can’t make the return
• You will be offered a replacement item
• The employee can offer you a gift card or store credit
• You can potentially get a cash refund if it was less than $25

In most situations, you will not be denied a refund unless it is out of the refund window or if the associate is in a bad mood.

Be prepared to show your ID if you plan to ask for a refund without a receipt; the system at Walmart asks the employee to scan it to combat theft. 

An Employee May Be Able To Look Up Your Receipt

An employee can look up your receipt.

In some instances, an associate may be able to look up your receipt, but you will need to work with an associate who knows what to do.

To do this, you’re going to have to be on top of your game and know:

• As close to the time as possible that you made the purchase
• The day you made the purchase
• The lane you were in when you made the purchase
• How you paid

Few employees will be willing to go this far for a return, but if you are adamant about getting your money back, they may be able to look up your receipt. 

Items Not Purchased From Walmart.com Can’t Be Returned In Store

Items from third-party sellers cannot be returned in-store.

I learned this one the hard way: you cannot return items purchased from third-party sellers at Customer Service. They must be shipped back. 

The logistics of this one get a little confusing, but since Walmart acts as a warehouse for other sellers, they cannot issue refunds since they did not make money on the purchase.

Store associates will tell you that they cannot take the return and refund the money, so you will have to go through the process of returning the item online and shipping it back. 

You Need The Item’s Tags

Tags are necessary for a return, though it may not be a deal breaker.

I try to keep tags for items that I think I might return, especially when it comes to clothes.

The associate will be happy to have the tag from the item, even if it is ripped or taken off the product.

This may get more difficult if, for instance, you purchased a bag of apples that rotted quickly. An associate may offer a replacement in this case, though they probably will not argue if you ask for your money back instead.

3 Reasons Why Your Refund Was Denied

Not every return will be processed as a refund at Walmart. Here are three situations where you may not receive a refund.

You Did Not Have Your Receipt 

You need your receipt to return an item, so a store may deny your refund request without a receipt.

I never keep my receipts at stores, so I am often out of luck if I want to return something.

Stores have the right to refuse the purchase without a receipt because they cannot confirm when you purchased the item or if you originally purchased it.

In some situations, you may be able to receive store credit or a gift card since the money will stay at the store, but that is never a guarantee. 

It Was Past A Return Period Window

Walmart has specific return periods for particular items. Overall, Walmart gives you 90 days to return an item, but that could vary:

Time To Return	Items That Can Be Returned
14 Days	Phones, including prepaid, unlocked, and contract
30 Days	Electronics, including new drones, PC parts, cameras, tablets, laptops, audio equipment, and GPS systems
60 Days	Prescription glasses and contacts, hearing aids
90 Days	Most other items, including grocery items, tires, furniture batteries, home and garden equipment, and appliances

As you can see, most items can be returned for up to 90 days, but there are some exceptions that you need to keep in mind. 

Some Items Can Only Be Exchanged

Walmart has a rule that some items can only be exchanged.

You would be denied a refund if you purchased an item that is exchange only, including:

• Open drones
• Air mattresses
• Medical equipment

Often, these items are easily swapped with a damaged product, so stores are wary about immediately issuing a refund for these items.

As you can see, most items can be returned for up to 90 days, but there are some exceptions that you need to keep in mind.