21 Things You Can't Return to Amazon — Either Online or In-Store

Before tossing items like open software, gift cards or some jewelry and healthcare items into your cart, be sure to read the return policy first.

Amazon package delivery at front door of a residence in Los Angeles
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Amazon likely has you at free shipping and free returns. Impulse shoppers everywhere love the site because, hey, you have nothing to lose when trying out products from the online retailer. After all, if you're one of the more than 200 million members of Amazon Prime worldwide, you get free shipping plus lots of other Prime benefits. And it’s free to return items sold and shipped by Amazon.com. Not so fast.

There's a catch. Before you hit "add to cart" to fill your virtual shopping cart, be aware that certain items can't be returned to Amazon — no way, no how, forget about it. So before adding another can't-live-without item, make sure you fully understand the e-commerce giant’s return policy.

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Bob Niedt
Contributor

Bob was Senior Editor at Kiplinger.com for seven years and is now a contributor to the website. He has more than 40 years of experience in online, print and visual journalism. Bob has worked as an award-winning writer and editor in the Washington, D.C., market as well as at news organizations in New York, Michigan and California. Bob joined Kiplinger in 2016, bringing a wealth of expertise covering retail, entertainment, and money-saving trends and topics. He was one of the first journalists at a daily news organization to aggressively cover retail as a specialty and has been lauded in the retail industry for his expertise. Bob has also been an adjunct and associate professor of print, online and visual journalism at Syracuse University and Ithaca College. He has a master’s degree from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and a bachelor’s degree in communications and theater from Hope College.