Can you return a gift card? Many times, someone receives a gift card that they don’t want to use or can’t use. Instead of letting it go to waste, can you return it? In this article, we’ll take a look at the policies of several retailers when it comes to returning gift cards.
Can you return a gift card with a receipt? You can return a gift card at some retailers, but only if you can present its purchase receipt. Some retailers don’t allow returning gift cards except where it is required by state law.
In this article, we’ll look at whether you can return a gift card or not at the following stores:
- Walmart
- Sam’s Club
- Target
- Old Navy
- CVS
- Kroger
- Home Depot
- Dollar General
- Walgreens
Read on to learn more about returning gift cards, including retail store policies regarding gift card returns.
Can You Return a Gift Card?
Sometimes you want to return a gift card that you have purchased or been gifted. Let’s take a look at the rules imposed by several popular retailers when it comes to returning gift cards.
1. Can You Return a Gift Card to Walmart?
Can you return a gift card to Walmart? No (unless required by state law)
Walmart’s Gift Card Terms and Conditions state that gift cards are generally non-returnable and not for sale. However, there’s an exception in U.S. states that allow gift card returns and refunds according to the law. So, you better check if this law is being implemented in your state.
But, generally speaking, Walmart gift cards cannot be returned and refunded. And, of course, reselling them is strictly not allowed. This policy applies to both plastic Gift Cards and eGift Cards.
Can you return an item that you purchased with a gift card? It is best to hold onto the Walmart Canada gift card until you receive your item. If you want to return the item that you used a Walmart gift card to pay for, you can return the item, and the refund will go back onto the gift card.
If you’ve already disposed of the gift card that you used to purchase an item, you can return it to your local Walmart store, and you will get a new gift card with the refunded amount.
2. Can You Return a Gift Card to Sam’s Club?
Can you return a gift card to Sam’s Club? No (unless required by state law)
Walmart owns Sam’s Club, and the same gift card return policy applies. If you have purchased or been gifted a gift card, you cannot return it for cash.
3. Can You Return a Gift Card to Target?
Can you return a gift card to Target? Yes (unless required by state law)
You can return a gift card to Target under certain conditions. You may only return it if you can present its corresponding valid and original purchase receipt. Moreover, you must ensure that it is intact in its original packaging. It should remain unopened and good as new. You must also return it within 90 days from the date of purchase.
Target is recognized as the top 8 retail company in the U.S. Businessmen George Dayton and John Geisse founded the corporation and the retail store. All Target retail stores are located in the U.S., totaling 1,880 as of 2020.
4. Can You Return a Gift Card to Old Navy?
Can you return a gift card to Old Navy? No (unless required by state law)
For physical gift cards, Old Navy has a ‘No Return and No Refund’ policy. And there’s no return or cancellation of eGiftCards once received by the recipient. However, if the eGiftCard has not been delivered to the recipient yet, the purchaser may still cancel it. In order to do so, the purchaser has to contact Old Navy’s Customer Support before the eGiftCard’s delivery date.
Old Navy, a retailer owned by Gap Inc., opened in March 1994 in San Francisco, California. It specializes in clothing and accessories. Its total number of locations worldwide is 1,106.
5. Can You Return a Gift Card at CVS?
Can you return a gift card at CVS? No (unless required by state law)
CVS has a strict policy on gift cards compared to other retail stores. It has a ‘No Return, No Exchange’ policy not only for gift cards but also for its prepaid cards and phone cards. In fact, you can’t even return items you bought from them in accordance with health and safety protocols.
But there is an exception for outlets located in some states wherein gift card returns are allowed by law. However, this doesn’t mean that customers can get a full cash refund. Terms and conditions regarding this issue vary, so it’s best to confirm the policy being implemented in your state.
CVS Health owns CVS Pharmacy. Its headquarters is located in Rhode Island, but it has over 9,000 outlets across the United States. And just like most retail stores, it also offers gift cards to its customers.
6. Can You Return a Gift Card at Kroger?
Can you return a Gift Card at Kroger? No (unless required by state law)
The gift cards it issues are all under the Kroger Family of Companies. Therefore, you can use their gift cards in all Kroger supermarkets and jewelers, including affiliates and subsidiaries.
Unless it is required by law, you can’t return or get a refund of any gift cards offered by the Kroger Family of Stores. Their policy is pretty much similar to that of the CVS Pharmacy.
In the 1800s, American businessman Bernard Kroger founded Kroger as a chain of supermarkets. It has approximately 3,000 outlets all over the U.S., but its headquarters is in Ohio. Most of these outlets are supermarkets, while over a hundred stores are jewelers.
7. Can You Return a Gift Card at Home Depot?
Can you return a Gift Card at Kroger? No (unless required by state law)
It’s great that Home Depot offers gift cards because they are definitely useful for all consumers. But, in case you don’t need it, can you return a gift card at Home Depot?
The answer is no. They have a ‘No Return, No Refund, and No Exchange’ policy when it comes to gift cards. But just like other retail stores, they allow an exception to the rule if the law requires a return policy.
Home Depot Inc. is recognized as the largest home improvement retail company located in the U.S. Five businesspeople founded this company in 1978 in Georgia. Its founders are Kenneth Langone, Pat Farrah, Ron Brill, Arthur Blank, and Bernard Marcus.
Currently headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Home Depot has over 2,000 retail stores as of October 2019. Aside from the U.S., they also have stores in Canada and Mexico. Their products include home appliances, building materials, and tools, among many others.
8. Can You Return a Gift Card at Dollar General?
Can you return a Gift Card at Dollar General? No (unless required by state law)
Similar to other retail companies, this retailer offers gift cards too. But can you return a gift card at Dollar General? Technically, no, as their gift cards are not refundable.
However, Dollar General’s Gift Card policy isn’t as strict as those imposed by other retailers. While they don’t allow refunds, they can convert the amount of your gift card as ‘store credit’ that you can use for a later purchase.
But in order to be eligible for this, you have to present the receipt. Moreover, you have to coordinate with the store within 30 days from the date of purchase. Otherwise, you won’t get store credit.
Businessman J.L. Turner and his son Cal founded Dollar General Corp., a chain of variety stores in 1939 in Kentucky. Currently, its headquarters is in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. And as of January 2020, it has over 16,000 stores across the United States except in Idaho, Montana, Hawaii, and Alaska.
9. Can You Return a Gift Card at Walgreens?
So, can you return a gift card at Walgreens? No (unless required by state law)
Businessman Charles Rudolph Walgreen founded Walgreens in Chicago in 1901. The headquarters of Walgreens is in Deerfield, Illinois. As of August 2019, it has 9,277 stores, all located in the U.S. Walgreens is a competitor of CVS Health and the country’s top 2 pharmacy store chain.
What Is a Gift Card?
A gift card is like a debit or prepaid card. It contains a certain amount of money you may use to purchase items at its corresponding retail stores. Some gift cards have expiry dates. If yours doesn’t indicate one, then you’re fortunate that you can use it anytime.
Physical gift cards have always been popular since their inception. But the popularity of eGift Cards is noticeably growing due to the increasing popularity of online shopping.
Gift cards are highly popular in the U.S. Almost all, if not all, retailers are offering gift cards to their customers. Here are several reasons for it:
- Brand awareness
- Allow customers to participate in holiday sales
- Customer engagement
- Data and lead generation
- Safety and convenience
- Cost-effectiveness of distribution
- Improvement of cash flow
The benefits of gift cards are as follows:
- Makes it easier to stay on your budget
- Allows you to save money through discounted gift cards
- Offers flexibility for recipients as they have the freedom to choose what to buy
- Exhibits the giver’s thoughtfulness
- Brings convenience as it is easy to present to the recipient
Conclusion – Can You Return a Gift Card with a Receipt?
So, to recap, can you return a gift card? The answer is both yes and no. Normally, retail stores do not have a ‘return, refund, and exchange’ policy. However, they allow it if the state law requires them to do so.
But there are also certain conditions that you must meet in order to be eligible for a return, refund, or exchange. One of which, and the most important of all, is presenting the original purchase receipt. But if you received the card as a gift, then it might be difficult to get the original copy of the purchase receipt.
Aside from that, you must be able to coordinate with the store within a certain period. In most cases, you can only return gift cards within 30 to 60 days from the date of purchase. But then again, you won’t be able to coordinate with them unless you have the purchase receipt with you.
In this article, we looked at the gift card return policy at the following stores:
- Walmart
- Sam’s Club
- Target
- Old Navy
- CVS
- Kroger
- Home Depot
- Dollar General
- Walgreens
Most of the above-mentioned retail stores have similar policies. Most of them have a ‘No Return, No Refund, and No Exchange’ policy. It doesn’t even matter what industry they are in. Whether your gift card comes from a pharmacy, a home improvement company, a supermarket, or a variety store, they impose similar gift card policies.
But then again, if you were given a gift card offered by big retail companies, I don’t think you would want them returned. Because for sure, there will always be an item from that store that you will find interesting to purchase.
