As the most popular retailer in the US, it’s not surprising to see that Walmart has extended its product range to include a full range of apparel for men, women, boys, girls, and babies and now stocks an excellent range of shoes.
If you’ve purchased shoes from Walmart but want to make a return, perhaps because the shoes are ill-fitting or poor quality, you will need to get familiar with Walmart’s returns policy.
Most companies have a limited return window in which to return products and Walmart is no different.
To help you there, we’ve explored what Walmart’s shoe returns window is, how to make a return, how long it will take to receive a refund, and much more.
Let’s take a look…
What is Walmart’s Shoe Return Policy? The Short Answer
In short, you have 90 days from purchase to return shoes to Walmart for a full refund or exchange. You can return shoes either in-store or using the online returns process, the details of which we’ve covered below.
You can return shoes to Walmart for all manner of reasons such as:
- If they don’t fit
- If you’re not happy with the quality
- If they’re defective
- If you ordered by mistake
- If they’re an unwanted gift
- Duplicate orders
- Wrong item
Pretty much any reason will do.
Can I Return Worn Shoes to Walmart?
You can return worn shoes to Walmart within the 90-day window provided they are in good condition and haven’t been used and abused.
Essentially, they need to be in a fit enough state for them to be put back into stock to be sold again.
Therefore, there is nothing wrong with trying them on and perhaps wearing them once to find they don’t fit right. Walmart will likely accept your return in those circumstances.
However, you may encounter issues if they’ve clearly been worn multiple times (i.e. if they have scuffs on them) and you then try to return them.
If the shoes are clearly defective then you should still be able to return them if you’ve worn them several times, even outside of the 90-day window.
How to Return Shoes to Walmart
The fastest way to secure a refund or exchange is to return your shoes back to the store where you purchased them. You can do this even if you purchased the shoes from Walmart.com.
However, you can also return shoes purchased online using the online returns process.
To do this follow these steps
- Log in to your Walmart Account
- Go to your purchase history
- Find your shoes from your order
- Choose order details
- Choose to start a return
- Provide your reason for return
- Select whether you’d like to exchange them or receive a refund
- Select save
- Click continue
- Choose the method for return (i.e. mail or in-store)
- Print off the prepaid USPS/FedEx labels
- Click submit
- If making a return by mail drop off your shoes at your local FedEx or USPS location
What is Walmart’s No Receipt Policy for Shoes?
If you are not in possession of your receipt then Walmart requires that you take along to them a Government-issued identification card which they run against their system
They do this to make sure you’re not making repeated returns.
If the system accepts your ID Walmart will then offer:
- an exchange
- a cash refund for items worth under $10
- a Walmart credit to use in-store for items worth over $10
You will only likely have a problem if you purchased shoes from a Walmart store as any clothes you purchase on Walmart.com can be traced through your Walmart account or the app and you’re also sent an invoice to your email address upon purchase which you can use to prove you bought the product you’re returning.
How Long Does Walmart Take to Make a Refund?
It usually takes up to 10 business days to be refunded to your account if you use the online returns process. This is because Walmart needs time to receive your shoes, to check them, process the return and then issue the refund.
You can speed this up by returning your shoes in-store and then your refund will be issued there and then.
Any refund will usually be made to the card you paid on or in cash if you paid in cash.
What to Do Outside the 90-Day Return Window?
If you’re outside the 90-day returns window you can do the following:
- Contact Walmart and ask for an extension of the 90 days. You may get some sympathy if the 90 days have only just lapsed;
- If your shoes are faulty then Walmart will likely still accept them after the 90 days has expired;
- Sell your shoes on a used clothing website such as:
Vinted, Asos Marketplace, or Etsy
How Does Walmart’s Shoe Return Policy Compare?
We’ve examined some of Walmart’s competitors to see how their returns policies hold up in case you wish to purchase shoes elsewhere or are still in the market for some.
Here’s what we discovered:
| Store | Return Window |
| Puma | 45 days |
| Amazon | 30 days |
| Nordstrom | Return any time |
| Macy’s | 90 days |
| Costco | Return any time |
| Saks | 30 days |
| Dillard’s | 30 days |
Final Thoughts
Walmart offers a 90-day returns window to return shoes for either a refund or exchange which is usually ample time for most people.
However, it’s not the most generous on the market – that award goes to both Costco and Nordstrom with both allowing you to return shoes at any time after purchase.
Walmart does offer free returns and they also refund your initial delivery charges where applicable.
