With a yearly turnover in excess of $50b, Best Buy is one of the USA’s most loved electronics retailers.
They stock pretty much every electronic item going including all the latest consoles such as the Play Station 5, Xbox Series x and s, Nintendo Switch, and VR headsets like the Oculus Quest 2.
If you’ve purchased one of these consoles from Best Buy but you’re thinking of making a return; perhaps because it’s defective, not what you expected, or an unwanted gift, then you’ll want to be brought up to speed with what their returns policy is.
To help you there we’ve examined Best Buy’s returns policy in detail and will explain how long you have to make a return, how to make a return, and whether you need the box/accessories – we’ve even had a look at some of Best Buy’s competitors to see how they measure up.
Keep reading to find out…
What is Best Buy’s Console Returns Policy? The Short Answer
In short, you can return a console purchased from Best Buy within 15 days of receipt for a full refund or exchange. If you’re a premium Total Tech member this period is extended to 60 days.
You can return a console to Best Buy for all manner of reasons including:
- It being ordered by mistake
- The performance being underwhelming
- The product being defective
- If it was an unwanted gift
- If you’ve seen the price cheaper
How Can I Return a Console to Best Buy?
You can do this either using the online returns procedure or by returning the console to a Best Buy store.
Store Returns
Often the fastest way to secure a refund is just to take the console back to one of Best Buy’s branches. You can do this even if you ordered your console online.
If you do this, present your console to the front desk or checkout, and your return can be processed.
The advantage of this is that your return will be processed there and then and you should receive a refund much quicker.
Online Returns
The other option is to use Best Buy’s online returns process.
To do this simply Sign In to Best Buy and locate your order.
You will then be given the option to make the return and a returns label which provides free UPS returns delivery.
Can I Return a Console to Best Buy Without the Packaging and Accessories?
Best Buy’s policy is for you to return the console with all manuals, accessories, and packaging.
However, if you’re only missing some of the packaging you’re much less likely to have a problem than if it’s accessories such as a controller or a video game.
If you are missing any of these things then we’d suggest heading over to their support center and contacting them to explain the situation.
However, you should note that there may be a charge or a deduction from your refund if you are missing the main accessories.
Related Post:
Best Buy GPU Returns Policy
What About if I Don’t Have a Receipt?
Having no receipt will only generally present a problem if you purchased your console in-store.
If you purchased the console online you will have been provided an invoice and order number which will have been emailed to you upon purchase.
If you did buy your console in-store but don’t have a receipt then we’d suggest taking a long the credit or debit card you paid with or a bank statement showing the transaction.
If you’re unable to prove you purchased it from Best Buy at all then they may decline your return or refund you in-store credit to use in-store.
How Long Will it Take to Get a Refund for My Console?
The fastest way to secure a refund is to return your console in-store. You should then receive a refund immediately, albeit it may take a few days for the money to appear back in your bank account.
If you use the online returns process then it can take up to 14 business days as it will take time for Best Buy to receive your order back and to process the return and for the money to appear in your account.
Your refund will be made using the same method you paid with.
What to Do If You’re Outside the 15-Day Window to Return a Console to Best Buy?
Firstly check if you’re a Total Tech member as the returns window is 4 x for members. You’ll likely know this already but you may not know about this perk.
If your console has arrived with a defect or has developed one outside the 15-day window then you will still have the warranty to fall back on. Here’s a breakdown of the warranty periods of the main consoles:
Another option is to speak to a member of staff over at the support center. There may be some flexibility if the 15-day window has only just lapsed it or if there are other extenuating factors at play.
A further option is to sell your console. Consoles tend to have excellent resale value, especially PS5 which is still suffering from supply issues.
Lastly, you could also claim from your home insurance if your console has developed a fault or has been accidentally damaged. Some policies even come with refund protection.
Let’s Compare Best Buy’s Policy to its Competitors
We’ve done a side-by-side comparison with some of the other main players on the market to see how Best Buy’s policy holds up.
Here’s what we found:
Competitor | Returns Window |
Walmart (click to see our guide) | 30 days |
Amazon (click to see our guide) | 30 days |
Costco (click to see our guide) | 90 days |
GameStop (click to see our guide) | 30 days |
Target | 30 days |
Unfortunately, Best Buy offers the worst returns window length out of the competition unless you are a premium member, with Costco’s policy being 6 times more generous and the others being twice as generous.
Whether that’s a deal breaker, we’ll leave it to you.
Final Thoughts
In summary, Best Buy offers a fairly measly and underwhelming 15-day returns policy with the competition beating it in every case.
However, Best Buy does provide free returns delivery and they are a reputable company with a good track record.
Therefore, in most cases, we wouldn’t expect the returns policy to be a total deal breaker.
Remember you still have options even if the 15-day window has expired, especially if your console has developed a fault within the warranty period.