Everyday & Big Purchases

Read the Return Policy Before You Buy Anything Big

By Priya Lindqvist / November 9, 2026

Before you pay for a sofa, a mattress, a fridge or a TV, find the return policy and read the whole thing. The US has no general federal law that gives you a right to return something just because you changed your mind. For big purchases, the store’s written policy usually is your right, and it can include a short window, a restocking fee of 15% or 25% on some items, and shipping or haul-away costs you pay. A few federal rules and some state laws help in narrow cases. A credit card dispute can help if something never arrives or is not as promised, but it is not a return program.

Key takeaways

Returns are mostly a matter of store policy. The FTC’s consumer pages describe return deadlines as something that varies by store, with 30 or 90 days given as common examples.
Restocking fees are legal in many places if they are disclosed before you buy. A Georgia consumer office cites 15% on opened electronics and 25% on special-order items such as appliances at certain retailers.
Special orders, custom items, clearance and “final sale” goods are where return rights are most likely to disappear.
Federal rules cover shipping delays on orders and a short cancellation right for some sales made away from a store. They do not cover ordinary store or online returns.
Screenshot or photograph the policy on the day you buy. That is your proof of what was promised.

The legal baseline: what you are and are not entitled to

Here is the unglamorous part. A store can usually decide whether it takes returns on working, non-defective goods. The FTC says many stores will not accept returns or exchanges after a set period, and that the policy is typically found on the receipt, the packaging, the warranty or the seller’s website. If a product is defective, the FTC notes you may have to deal with the manufacturer once the seller’s return deadline has passed.

States add their own layers. California’s Attorney General, for example, says a store is not required to give refunds if it clearly displays a limited or no-refund policy. Stores that refuse full refunds, credit or equal exchanges within seven days must post that policy at registers, entrances, on item tags or on order forms. If they do not, a buyer with proof of purchase may return the item for a full refund within 30 days. Custom orders and items marked final sale are among the listed exceptions. That is one state, as of November 2026. Check your own state attorney general’s consumer pages.

The federal rules that do exist

Mail, internet and telephone orders

The FTC’s Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule covers most goods ordered remotely. It is about shipping, not second thoughts. If the seller states no shipping time, it needs a reasonable basis to ship within 30 days of receiving a properly completed order (50 days if you applied for credit to pay and no time was stated). If it cannot ship on time, it must offer you the choice to accept the delay or cancel for a refund. The FTC guide also says sales on approval, where you can return goods after a trial, are outside this rule.

The cooling-off rule

The Cooling-Off Rule gives you until midnight of the third business day to cancel certain sales made at your home, workplace or dormitory, or at a seller’s temporary location such as a hotel or convention center. Sales under $25 at home and under $130 at temporary locations are excluded. Sales made entirely online, by mail or by phone are excluded, and so are sales finalized after negotiating at the seller’s permanent place of business. In short, buying a recliner in a furniture showroom is not covered. Buying one from a salesperson you invited into your living room can be.

What to check before you pay

Different stores bury different things, so use the table below as a reading guide. The fees are where the surprises live.

Policy item	What to look for	Why it matters
Return window	Number of days, and whether the clock starts at purchase, delivery or installation	A 30-day window that starts on the order date can be mostly gone before a backordered item arrives
Restocking fee	A percentage or flat fee, and whether it applies to opened or special-order items	Georgia’s consumer office cites 15% on opened electronics and 25% on special orders at certain retailers; on a $2,000 appliance, 25% is $500
Return shipping or haul-away	Who pays, who arranges pickup, whether delivery charges are refunded	Moving a sofa or mattress back can cost more than the item’s depreciation
Final-sale and special-order items	Words like “custom,” “clearance,” “as is,” “no returns”	These are commonly excluded from return rights, including in the California exceptions above
Opened-item rules	Original packaging, seals, accessories, sanitary restrictions	An opened box can turn a full refund into a fee or store credit
Sleep or home trial	Length, minimum break-in period, condition limits, fees	The Sleep Foundation says trials typically run about 90 to 120 nights, and many require a break-in period of 2 weeks to 1 month before you can ask for a return
Refund form	Original payment, store credit, or exchange only	Store credit is easier for sellers; the FTC notes they are often more willing to offer it than cash

Sleep trials, special orders and “opened” goods

Mattress trials sound generous, and some are. The Sleep Foundation says typical trials last about 90 to 120 nights, a few brands go to a year or more, and some budget brands offer around 30 nights. It also lists the traps: restocking or return shipping fees, non-refundable expedited or remote-area shipping and old-mattress removal, and a condition clause. Many policies void the trial if the mattress is soiled, which is why people buy a protector. Some brands arrange a pickup, some want you to ship it back, and some accept proof of donation.

Special orders and custom work are a different problem. The item was made or ordered for you, so the seller may not be able to resell it, and the California Attorney General’s exceptions list includes custom orders. Georgia’s consumer office likewise cites a higher fee for special-order items. If you are paying a deposit, ask in writing what happens if the order is late, wrong or damaged on arrival, and ask for the expected delivery date to be written on the receipt.

Keep proof like you might need it

If a dispute happens, paperwork wins. The FTC suggests gathering receipts, warranties, credit card statements, invoices and contracts, giving the business copies and keeping the originals, and noting each conversation: the person’s name, the date and what they promised. For chats and web forms, save a copy or screenshot before you close the page. Hold on to tags and original packaging if you can. If you must write a complaint letter, the FTC recommends certified mail with a return receipt.

Save the return policy as it read on your purchase date. Policies change, and the one that matters is the one you agreed to.

What paying by credit card can and cannot do

The FTC says the federal billing dispute process lets you challenge unauthorized charges, wrong amounts, and items you did not accept or that were not delivered as agreed. Your letter must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first bill with the error was sent. The issuer must acknowledge in writing within 30 days and resolve within 90. While the dispute is open you can withhold the disputed amount, though you must pay the rest of the bill.

For a quality problem with something you did buy, the FTC says you may have the same legal claims against the issuer as against the seller, but only if conditions are met: you tried to resolve it with the seller first, you bought within your home state or within 100 miles of your billing address, and a minimum purchase amount applies. The FTC page also lists loans for cars or major appliances as outside the billing dispute process, so store financing is worth reading separately. In plain terms: a dispute is a backstop for non-delivery, errors and real defects. It is not a way to return a table you decided not to like.

Pre-purchase checklist

Find the written return policy and save a screenshot or photo dated the day you buy.
Write down the return window and what starts the clock: purchase, delivery or installation.
Ask for the restocking fee as a percentage and as a dollar amount on this item.
Ask who pays return shipping, pickup or haul-away, and whether delivery fees are refunded.
Confirm whether the item is special order, custom, clearance, “as is” or final sale.
For mattresses, note the trial length, break-in period, protector rule and condition limits.
Ask what form the refund takes: original payment, store credit or exchange.
Get the delivery date in writing, and note the date you would have to cancel if it slips.
Pay by credit card if you can, and keep the statements.
File the receipt, warranty and packaging until the return window closes.

Frequently asked questions

Does federal law give me the right to return something I bought?

Not as a general rule. The FTC’s consumer pages treat returns as a matter of each store’s policy, and the federal rules cover narrower situations such as late shipping on remote orders and a three-day cancellation window for certain sales away from a store. State laws vary.

Can a store charge a restocking fee on a big purchase?

Often yes, if it is disclosed before the sale. Georgia’s consumer office notes that in states with restocking fee laws, fees can be prohibited for defective or wrong merchandise, late delivery, fees above 50% of the price, or fees that were not clearly disclosed. Your state may have no such law.

Does the Cooling-Off Rule let me cancel a furniture order I placed online?

No. The FTC says sales made entirely online, by mail or by telephone are excluded, as are sales finalized at the seller’s permanent place of business.

Will my credit card company refund me if I just change my mind?

Not under the federal billing dispute process described by the FTC. It is for billing errors, goods not delivered as agreed and certain quality disputes, and you are expected to try the seller first.

Before you decide

A return policy is part of the price. A $1,800 sofa with a 25% restocking fee has a downside of $450 before pickup costs if it does not fit the room. Spend ten minutes reading, take the photo, and measure the doorway. If a policy is vague, ask for the terms in writing. For a specific dispute, contact your state attorney general’s consumer office or an attorney.