As the world’s biggest online retailer, Amazon stocks a great selection of modern tech including a fantastic choice of tablets, including those from Apple such as the iPad Pro, Mini, and Air.
If you’ve purchased an iPad from Amazon recently and are looking to make a return, then it’s important you act quickly and in accordance with Amazon’s return policy.
Failure to do so can result in your iPad return being rejected or your refund being reduced.
To dodge that, we’ve explored exactly what Amazon’s return policy is for iPads and will bring you right up to speed with how long you have to return, how to return, when to expect a refund, and much more.
Let’s dive in…
What is Amazon’s iPad Return Policy? The Short Answer
In short, you can return an iPad to Amazon within 30 days of receipt for a full refund or exchange. This policy also applies to other tablets such as those from Samsung and Amazon’s own brands.
You can return an iPad to Amazon for all manner of reasons including:
- If it’s an unwanted gift
- If you ordered by mistake
- If it’s a duplicate order
- If you’re underwhelmed by its performance
- If it’s defective
- You’ve changed your mind
When you start your return you will be provided with a list of options to choose from:
Will Amazon Accept an iPad with Packaging and Accessories?
On the strict wording of Amazon’s policy, you must return the iPad back to Amazon in a like new condition.
This includes returning it with the box, accessories like chargers and cases, and anything else that came in the box.
You should be fine if you’ve misplaced minor packaging but we would contact Amazon using Amazon’s help center if you’ve misplaced anything more substantial as your refund may be refused or reduced if you’ve lost key components.
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How to Return an iPad to Amazon
You must return an iPad to Amazon using their online returns process found on the website or app.
There’s no facility to return things to the warehouse directly yourself.
To initiate a return do this:
- Head along to your Amazon account
- Choose the orders and returns section in the top right corner on desktop (on the mobile app go to your orders and click on the item you want to return)
- Choose return and replace items (if on mobile just click the product you want to return)
- Choose an option from the drop-down menu as to why you want to return the product (we have put a screenshot of this above)
- Complete the next steps when prompted
- Chose the method of return
- Print the return label, package the iPad up into the box with all accessories, and attach the prepaid return label
Does it Cost to Return an iPad to Amazon?
No, Amazon provides at least one free returns option for items up to a weight of 50lb so you shouldn’t have to pay anything.
Moreover, you will not have to pay a restocking fee.
How Long Will an iPad Return Take to Amazon?
The UPS pre-paid delivery you usually get when returning things to Amazon usually has your product back to them within 1-3 days.
When they receive your iPad they will then need to check it, process the return and issue your refund.
This can take up to 5 days.
Therefore, you will usually see the refund back in your account within about 10 days of posting it back to them in our experience.
Your mileage may vary depending on how quickly your card provider or bank can issue the refund.
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What to Do Beyond 30-Days?
If you’re already beyond the 30-day return window Amazon provides then you still have a few options:
- If your iPad has developed a fault remember it comes with a one-year guarantee as standard which you can use to secure a full refund or exchange within that period. Reach out to Amazon’s help center or go to your local Apple shop if your iPad develops a fault within a year of purchase;
- Secondly, if you’re only just beyond the 30 days, we’d still recommend reaching out to Amazon as they may be able to extend the window slightly if you have extenuating circumstances. Remember that the return window is usually extended until the end of January for iPads purchased around Christmas (usually between November and Christmas day);
- Another option is to sell your iPad on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, or online forums. All Apple gear has excellent resale value and you should be able to recoup almost all of the cash you paid for it unless it’s in bad condition;
- Another option is to head along to the Apple shop and ask them to take a look at your unit if it’s developed a fault.
How Does Amazon’s Return Policy Compare?
If you’re thinking of purchasing an iPad from somewhere other than Amazon then it’s worth taking a look at some of the competition to see how their policies stack up.
We examined 5 other stores and this is what we found:
| Competitor | Return Window |
| Costco | 90 days |
| Walmart | 30 days |
| Target | 15 days |
| Best Buy | 15-60 days depending on membership status |
| Apple Store | 14 days |
Final Thoughts
Amazon’s 30-day returns window is fairly competitive and the joint second best we found with Walmart.
Only Costco’s 90-day policy beat it but with them, you need to purchase a membership to reap the benefits.
In addition, Amazon provides free returns, fast processing times, and a great selection of tablets (yes, the return policy for all other tablets sold on Amazon is exactly the same as it is for iPads).
