Beginning October 1st, shoppers on Amazon will have until January 31, 2022 to return items they purchase as the marketplace institutes its extended holiday-returns policy for a second year.
Previously the special holiday returns policy kicked in on November 1st. But for the second consecutive year, the Amazon Extended Returns policy kicks in on October 1st.
On Wednesday, the company announced:
“The Amazon Extended Holiday Returns Policy for 2021 requires that most of the items purchased between October 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021, be eligible for return through January 31, 2022. This is an annual, temporary extension of the standard return window.
“Although the return window for most orders is extended, return eligibility for all orders remain the same. You can see return eligibility for each category on our Returns Help page.”
Many sellers who reacted to the announcement were concerned, especially those who sell season items (including items for Halloween).
“OH GOOD … I can’t wait to get all my Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas costumes and decorations back on January 31st,” wrote one seller.
Another seller wrote cynically, “Everyday is extended return day and getting worse.”
But one seller pointed out that some people do their holiday shopping early. “This may come as a shock to some, but there are people out there who don’t wait until the last minute to start buying Xmas presents.”
Another seller said they were expecting earlier holiday shopping because word was getting out to consumers about shortages from suppliers and reminders to shop early this year. “Between those two statements I expect earlier holiday buying and shortages from suppliers this season. These are both good things as buyers who can’t find things in stores will come to Amazon to order them.”
So, I’m curious as to where I might find this announcement on Amazon. I would love to take advantage of it by starting my holiday shopping early, but two contact attempts to Amazon have proven fruitless. They either don’t know this temporary policy is in place, or they are unwilling to let it be known to the public (why have it if people don’t know it’s available.) Can you provide an access link to Amazon directly that states this policy for the average customer, rather than just finding it on seller sites? Thanks.
I reached out to Amazon PR on Friday because a reader asked the same thing, and my contact said the Seller Central News Announcement is accurate (link above) and he was going to look into why the help page reads November rather than October. I expect I’ll hear back this week.
The Amazon buyer-facing page has now been updated to show the returns window has been extended forward to October, as we reported. (“For the 2021 holiday season, most of the items purchased between October 1 and December 31 can be returned until January 31, 2022.”)
https://www.amazon.com/spr/returns