If you recently purchased a power tool from The Home Depot that you aren’t entirely happy with, then you’re probably wondering what your options are for returning it. Luckily, Home Depot has a flexible and generous return policy that allows customers about three months to decide whether or not they want to keep their item.
The official Home Depot Return Policy specifies that most new, unopened items can be returned with proof of purchase within 90 days.
While there are a few exceptions to this policy, power tools definitely aren’t one of them. In other words, if you purchased any power tool from Home Depot within the last 90 days, then you should have no problem getting a refund.
Some important things to keep in mind when trying to return a power tool (or anything else) to Home Depot are that your item must be new, unopened, unused, and undamaged. If your tool has been used or damaged in any way, then it will not be eligible for return.
Home Depot also expects customers to return their tools with all original packaging intact, and coming prepared with proof of purchase will make the returns process go as smoothly as possible.
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Returning Without A Receipt
Home Depot offers a flexible policy when it comes to making returns without a receipt. If you return your new, unopened item within 30 days of purchase, Home Depot may be able to locate your transaction if you paid with a credit card, debit card, or check.
If you paid for your purchase with cash and you do not have proof of purchase, your refund will likely be offered in the form of store credit.
A great exception to all of this is that if you make your Home Depot purchases using a Home Depot Credit Card, Home Depot Commercial Revolving Charge, or Home Depot Commercial Account, your purchase will be searchable for a full 365 days after the purchase date.
By pulling up your purchase record in their system, Home Depot is essentially reproducing your proof of purchase. So, while you do not necessarily have to have a receipt in hand when you go to make your return, some form of proof of purchase will be expected.
If no proof of purchase can be produced, your return will either be denied, or you will be offered a refund in the form of store credit.
To put it simply, Home Depot accepts returns without a receipt if your purchase record can be located in Home Depot’s sales records.
Returns After 90 Days
According to the standard Home Depot return policy, customers only have a maximum of 90 days to return their purchases.
However, if you pay for your Home Depot purchases using a Home Depot credit or debit card, then you automatically receive an extended return window of 365 days. That’s right–all you have to do to access full returns for up to one year is shop with a Home Depot card.
If you did not pay for your power tool using a Home Depot card or account, then you will not be able to return your purchase after 90 days have passed.
What Power Tools Can You Return To Home Depot?
Any power tool purchased at Home Depot can be returned in accordance with the company’s return policy.
Some of the types of tools sold at Home Depot include:
- Drills
- Saws
- Sanders
- Nail guns
- Routers
- Grinders
Some of the tool brands available at Home Depot include:
- DeWALT
- Milwaukee
- Makita
- RYOBI
- RIDGID
- Bosch
How To Return A Power Tool To Home Depot?
Returning a power tool to Home Depot is super easy! Just follow the steps below.
Returning Power Tools To Home Depot Stores
To return an item to a Home Depot retail location:
- Bring the following items with you to any Home Depot location: a) your item with all of its original packaging, b) a valid, government-issued ID, c) your original form of payment, and d) a purchase receipt, purchase record, packing slip or other proof of purchase
- If you do not have a receipt, make sure that you are requesting your return within 30 days (or within 365 days if you used a Home Depot Credit Card as payment)
- When you enter Home Depot, find the returns and exchanges counters (these are usually located to the left of the front doors when you enter, but if you’re having trouble finding them, ask an associate)
- Let the associate at the returns counter know that you would like to return your item
- The associate will walk you through the rest of the process
Returning Power To Home Depot Online
To return an item to Home Depot online:
- Visit HomeDepot.com and pull up your order by searching for the order number here
- You can also sign in to your HomeDepot.com account here to look up your online order history
- Once you’ve located your order, select the “returns” option and follow the prompts to request your return
- HomeDepot.com will provide you with a return shipping label, which you can print and use to return your item
- Processing of your refund could take several weeks depending on shipping and bank processing times
Items purchased on HomeDepot.com can be returned to a Home Depot retail location. However, items purchased in store cannot be returned online.
How Do You Get Refunds From Home Depot?
The refund you receive from Home Depot will depend on your original form of payment.
If you return your item within 30 days without a receipt, or within 90 days with a receipt (except in the case of Home Depot Credit Card purchases which have a one year return window), you will receive your refund to your original form of payment, unless you paid in cash and cannot produce proof of purchase.
If you request a refund for a purchase you made with cash and you cannot provide proof of purchase, you will likely receive your refund in the form of store credit.
Returns processed in person at a Home Depot location will be refunded to you immediately. The time it takes to receive your refund for an online return will depend on shipping and processing times. The fastest way to receive your refund is to go to Home Depot in person.
It’s also important to note that even when your return is processed and your refund is issued, it can take between 2 and 10 business days to receive the money back in your account due to bank processing times.
What Does Home Depot Do With Returns?
Because The Home Depot only accepts returns on new, unused items, they can simply return these items to the sales floor and re-sell them.
So, rest assured that when you return a power tool such as a miter saw your table saw to Home Depot, it will eventually be sold to another customer.
Does Home Depot Have A Policy About Return Abuse?
Tracking and penalizing return policy abuse is left up to individual Home Depot stores and their managers.
If a specific customer becomes known for making excessive returns, frequently requesting returns without receipts, etc., then it’s possible that the Home Depot manager or supervisor might ban that customer from making future returns. However, there is no official consequence or penalty for a customer who abuses returns.
In a 2018 interview with Business Insider, a Home Depot spokesman claimed that the company keeps track of returns made without receipts. This might be a part of why the company decided to tighten up their policy just a few years later.
According to the same interview, Home Depot does not track returns if they’re made with valid proof of purchase.
FAQs
Can you return discounted power tools to Home Depot?
Yes. Regardless of how your item was priced when you purchased it, you will have up to 90 days to return it (or one year if you shop with a Home Depot card).
Does Home Depot inspect returns?
Yes, but how closely your return will be inspected depends on the employee processing your return.
Does Home Depot deny returns on power tools?
Yes. If your tool is obviously used or damaged or if you have exceeded your allotted return window, Home Depot is likely to deny your request for a refund. Home Depot also reserves the right to deny returns at any time for any reason. So, there is never a guarantee that you will be able to return your purchase, even if you meet all of the parameters of the return policy.
Conclusion
Returning power tools to Home Depot is pretty simple. As long you save your receipt, keep your tool in its original condition, and return your purchase within the allotted return window, then you should have no problem getting a refund. Just remember that if you exceed the return window or attempt to return a used or damaged tool, then there’s a good chance your return will be denied. And, as always, shopping with a Home Depot credit or debit card gives you a far longer window for returns (up to one full year).
