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Newegg vs Amazon Return Policy
Side-by-side comparison of return policys, conditions, and refund methods.·Last updated: 2026-03-20
Return Conditions
Newegg
- A 15% restocking fee may apply to opened hard drives, motherboards, graphics cards, projectors, and televisions.
- New and unopened items are not subject to a restocking fee.
- Items 50 pounds or less are eligible for free return shipping.
- For items over 50 pounds, free return shipping is only provided if the item is defective or damaged; otherwise, the customer pays for return shipping.
Amazon
- Most items sold and shipped by Amazon can be returned within 30 days of delivery
- Items should be in new, unused condition and in original packaging for a full refund
- Used or damaged returns may result in a partial refund or restocking fee (20-50% depending on condition and product type)
- No paper receipt required — Amazon tracks all orders in your account under 'Your Orders'
- Apparel and shoes must be unworn, unwashed, and have original tags attached
- Electronics must include all original packaging, manuals, cables, chargers, and accessories — missing components may result in partial refund
- You have an additional 15 days to ship items back after a return is approved, even if the 30-day window has closed
Exceptions & Restrictions
Newegg
- Certain items are designated as Replacement Only.
- Some products are covered by a Manufacturer Only Return Policy and must be handled with the manufacturer.
- Final Sale items are not eligible for refund or replacement, unless they arrive damaged or defective.
- Third-party marketplace sellers may have additional, different return terms.
Amazon
- Baby items (non-registry): 90-day return window
- Baby Registry gifts: 365-day return window with free returns
- Wedding Registry gifts: 180-day return window
- Birthday Gift List items: 90-day return window
- Mattresses (excluding crib mattresses): 100-day return window; unboxed and expanded mattresses typically cannot be physically returned but a refund is usually issued within the window
- Amazon Renewed products: 90-day return window
- Apple products (Apple-branded items): 15-day return window (shorter than standard 30 days)
- Digital content (ebooks, music, apps, software downloads): not returnable
- Gift cards and prepaid cards: not returnable
- Grocery items and perishables (food, flowers, live plants): not returnable
- Hazardous materials: not returnable
- Customized/personalized products: not returnable
- Prepaid game cards: not returnable
- Theme park tickets: not returnable
- Live insects: not returnable
- Prescription items (Amazon Pharmacy): not returnable
- Intimates and swimwear without original tags: not returnable
- Opened personal care items: not returnable unless defective
- Items with missing UPC or serial numbers: not returnable
- Final sale items: not returnable
- Third-party seller items: follow the seller's own return policy — check 'Sold by' section on product page. Sellers must offer a US return address or prepaid label; additional fees may apply
- Subscribe & Save: first delivery returnable under standard policy; subsequent deliveries typically non-returnable unless defective. Subscriptions can be cancelled or skipped at any time before shipment
- Restocking fees: up to 15% if item condition is misrepresented or original packaging is missing; 20-50% range possible for used electronics returns
- Amazon introduced a returns processing fee in 2024 for products with high return rates (all categories except apparel and shoes)
Refund Methods
Newegg
- Refunds are typically issued to the original payment method.
- If the original payment method is unavailable, a check will be mailed to the billing address.
- Refunds for purchases made with BitPay are processed back to BitPay.
- If a gift card was used, the refund is credited back to the gift card.
Amazon
- Original payment method (default)
- Amazon gift card balance / store credit
- Replacement product (when available)
- Returnless refund: in some cases, Amazon issues a refund without requiring the item back — usually for inexpensive or low-resale-value items (not guaranteed; case-by-case)
- Refund processing — Amazon gift card: 2-3 hours
- Refund processing — Credit card: 3-5 business days
- Refund processing — Debit/checking/SNAP EBT: up to 10 business days
- Refund processing — Prepaid cards: up to 30 days
- Physical returns at drop-off locations: may take up to 30 days for processing before refund is issued
- Shipping fees are non-refundable unless Amazon sent the wrong item, it arrived damaged, or the product was defective
Online / Mail Returns
Newegg
Not available
Amazon
- Go to 'Your Orders' on Amazon.com or the Amazon app
- Select 'Return or Replace Items' next to the order
- Choose return reason and select drop-off or shipping method
- Receive a QR code or printable return label
- Free drop-off locations (most returns are box-free and label-free): Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh stores, Kohl's (also provides Kohl's Cash/coupons for returning Amazon items), The UPS Store, Staples (provides a $10 Staples coupon for dropping off Amazon returns), Amazon Hub Counters, Amazon Hub Lockers
- A $1 fee applies at UPS Store locations when a closer free drop-off option (e.g., Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh) is available nearby
- Home UPS pickup: $7.99 fee for orders under approximately $60; free for orders $60+
- Most returns at over 8,000 locations are within a 5-mile radius of your address
In-Store Returns
Newegg
Not available
Amazon
- Amazon does not have its own traditional retail stores for general returns
- Whole Foods Market locations accept Amazon returns — box-free, label-free with QR code
- Amazon Fresh stores accept returns — box-free, label-free with QR code
- Kohl's locations accept Amazon returns and provide Kohl's Cash as a thank-you incentive
- Staples locations accept Amazon returns and provide a $10 Staples coupon
Gift Returns
Newegg
- Returns for items purchased as gifts will be refunded in the form of a Newegg Store Credit Gift Card.
Amazon
- Gift returns are processed through 'Your Orders' or by contacting Amazon customer service
- Gift recipients can return items for Amazon gift card credit
- Baby Registry gifts: 365-day return window with free return shipping
- Wedding Registry gifts: 180-day return window
- Birthday Gift List items: 90-day return window
- Gift receipts can be included with shipments for easy gift returns
Membership Benefits
Newegg
Not available
Amazon
- Amazon Prime members get free return shipping on most Amazon-sold items
- Prime members get access to Amazon Hub Lockers and Counter locations for convenient returns
- Prime members may see more lenient return approval for borderline cases
- Non-Prime members may incur return shipping fees on some items
- Prime membership itself can be cancelled for a full refund if you have not used any Prime benefits during the billing period
Damaged or Defective Items
Newegg
- Products that are received in damaged or defective condition will not be subject to a restocking fee.
- Items over 50 pounds that are received damaged or defective qualify for free return shipping.
Amazon
- Select 'Item arrived damaged/defective' when initiating the return in 'Your Orders'
- Amazon typically covers return shipping for damaged/defective items
- Replacement product may be offered instead of refund
- For Amazon-sold items, defective/damaged claims are handled directly by Amazon customer service
- For third-party seller items, contact the seller first; if unresolved, Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee can be invoked
- Photos of damage may be requested for documentation
- Returnless refund may be offered for low-value damaged items
Price Adjustments
Newegg
Not available
Amazon
- Amazon does not offer a formal post-purchase price adjustment or price protection policy
- If an item drops in price within the 30-day return window, you can return the item and repurchase at the lower price
- Some credit cards offer price protection benefits that cover Amazon purchases
- Third-party price tracking tools (CamelCamelCamel, Honey) can alert you to price drops
Exchange Policy
Newegg
- Some items are eligible for replacement within 30 days of the delivery date.
- Due to product availability, some replacement returns may be changed to a refund.
Amazon
- Exchanges available for identical items (size/color swap) on eligible products
- Exchange option appears during the return initiation process if available for the item
- If exchange is not available, return for refund and repurchase is the standard process
- Exchange items ship once Amazon receives the returned item (or sometimes immediately with a temporary hold)
Additional Notes
Newegg
- The return policy applies to all items sold on Newegg, including those from third-party marketplace sellers.
- For product-specific return policies, refer to the 'Warranty & Returns' tab on the product page.
Amazon
- Over 8,000 free return drop-off locations across the US, typically within a 5-mile radius
- Most drop-off returns are box-free and label-free — just bring the item and QR code
- Third-party seller return policies vary — always check the 'Sold by' section and return policy link on the product page before purchasing
- Amazon tracks return patterns and may restrict or ban accounts with excessive return activity
- Subscribe & Save subscriptions can be cancelled or deliveries skipped at any time before shipment via Manage Your Subscriptions
- Amazon Renewed (refurbished) products have a 90-day return window
- Kohl's gives Kohl's Cash for accepting Amazon returns; Staples gives a $10 coupon — these are incentives for the convenience locations