Turning Amazon Returns Into Kohl's Cash: Things To Consider
UPDATE: Hopefully you won't have to return your Amazon Prime Day purchases to Kohl's or Amazon itself, but if you do, come back to this page for the info you need! In the meantime, check out the following articles about the top 2024 Prime Day deals and how to save:
When you think of great partnerships, what first springs to mind? Peanut butter and jelly? Laurel and Hardy? French and Saunders? Whether it's food or people, the first duo to enter into your thoughts is unlikely to be two major retailers. After all, such entities are naturally at odds with one another under the best of circumstances, competing with a host of rivals all aiming to get your dollars flowing into their coffers. Yet, if you were to head into Kohl's with Amazon return in-hand, you would find an associate ready to help it on its way back to Amazon. As unlikely as such a partnership seems, at least it will help you block off that square on your retail bingo card that reads "Kohl's Amazon return", a square that haunted us for years before this alliance was formed.
In all seriousness, Kohl's began this partnership with Amazon all the way back in 2017, though it was limited to select stores, so anyone hoping to make an Amazon return at Kohl's back then would have had to live near one of 10 stores. Fortunately for consumers, the idea began to gain traction, and by 2019, the Amazon Kohl's return merger, or whatever you want to call it, had rolled out nationwide. While the companies have been rather tight-lipped about the details of their partnership, Kohl's clearly aimed to drive more foot traffic to their stores, including from demographics that usually shop elsewhere. By reaching out to these new customers with offers while handling their Amazon return at Kohl's, Kohl's could increase conversion.
Now with Amazon rolling out return fees to some customers who use UPS stores when there is a Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, or Kohl's closer to their address, heading on down to your local store and setting up a Kohl's return for Amazon purchases is an even more attractive prospect. Given Amazon is taking steps to reduce return costs, we can assume that the answer to whether Amazon would return Kohl's items for us in a partnership turnabout is a firm "no", but even without such a service, this collaboration can only serve Kohl's interests, or at least its short-term interests, and we expect this service to stick around a long time. Now that we've answered the question of "can you return Amazon items to Kohl's?", we can get into the details and help you start saving.
What Qualifies For Kohl's Amazon Returns?
So long as you live within range of one of the participating Kohl's Amazon return locations and are returning an item eligible for returns based on Amazon's return policy, your item can be taken in to your local store. Because most items will qualify when sold via Amazon, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with Amazon's return policy to see what is excluded instead.
What Doesn't Qualify For Kohl's Amazon Returns?
For the most part, returns follow Amazon's own return policy. However, Kohl's kiosks are not equipped to process every item that Amazon sells. In the case of such Amazon returns, Kohl's will be unable to ship your item, and you will need to contact Amazon customer service to see what remedy they can offer. Here are a few items that do not qualify for Amazon returns at all:
- Hazardous materials, such as those containing flammable liquids or gases
- Computer laptops, desktops, and Kindles more than 30 days after delivery
- Digital software and subscriptions
- Gift cards and prepaid game cards
- Grocery items
- Customized products
- Live animals
- Final sale items
- Any product missing the serial number or UPC
- Some personal care or health items
- Some jewelry
Your Amazon Kohl's return will go first through Amazon's own system, so anything that doesn't meet Amazon's qualifications will not be eligible.
Because all Amazon returns at Kohl's are processed first through Amazon's own system, you won't need a receipt; the record of your purchase is right there in your Amazon account. The only things that you are bringing to Kohl's are the item(s) that you want to return and a QR code from Amazon. If you're wondering how to get a QR code for Amazon returns at Kohl's, read on for more information about the entire return process.
What is Amazon x Kohl's Return Window?
Amazon holds a standard 30-day return policy on its items unless otherwise specified. That means Kohl's Amazon return hours are subject only to this window and regular store hours. Check with your local Kohl's store for more information about your specific Kohl's Amazon return hours.
Will Kohl's Expand its Amazon Return Program?
Because the details of their partnership are kept secret, it's hard to say for certain whether or not Amazon and Kohl's will expand on this return program. However, it has so far been very successful for both retailers, and with Amazon trying to find ways to pass on some of the responsibility for returns to the customer, it's highly likely that customers will become even more reliant on this service. Although the current fee is only a dollar for those customers who opt to use UPS when a Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, or Kohl's store is nearby, there's no telling if Amazon will increase that amount in the future as global supply chain issues continue to cause shipping costs to rise. Retailers are not typically keen to absorb such costs, especially when that retailer operates on the scale that Amazon does, so while we can't say for certain, any business venture that benefits multiple parties is likely to stick around.
What Happens to Returns at Kohl's?
Let's begin with how the return process works because maybe you don't know how to get a QR code for Amazon returns at Kohl's or even that you need one to begin with. Here's how to return Amazon items at Kohl's:
- Start out at Amazon's return center.
- Select the item that you want to return.
- Select the Kohl's Dropoff option.
- Check your email for your Amazon QR code.
- Bring whatever it is you're returning to a participating Kohl's store and show the QR code to a Kohl's associate.
- Kohl's will pack, label, and ship your return for free, saving you all of the hassle.
At this point, you'll receive Kohl's Cash or a coupon that you can spend or use right away or save to stack with other coupons or rewards. Your item will eventually join a host of others to be sent back to Amazon in bulk, saving the retailer money when compared to having to facilitate multiple smaller shipments.
Does Kohl's Make Money on Amazon Returns?
We'd call this the million-dollar question, but it's probably worth a lot more than that. We don't have access to Kohl's financial information, but we can see that Kohl's is gaining an influx of customers from demographics it doesn't normally have in its stores, and at least some of those are utilizing their rewards to make a purchase in-store, something they would have been unlikely to do otherwise.
Amazon is benefitting by having another place for customers to process returns, thereby increasing the ease of using their site, Kohl's is presumably benefitting from the increased foot traffic, and customers are gaining the benefit of receiving a reward for their trouble as well as not having to deal with packaging their item up for return or having to pay a fee. When you consider the fact that you would need to drive somewhere anyway, the only real issue would be if you didn't live close by a Kohl's.
There is the question of how this all benefits Kohl's in the long-run. While they are drawing in more customers this way, they are also facilitating sales for a rival. While this is mere speculation, this kind of program could be the start of a potential buyout by Amazon as it strives to gain more physical footholds; regardless, one has to wonder what the long-term plans are here if Kohl's intends to stay in competition with Amazon.
How Does Kohl's Cash Work?
Typically, you earn Kohl's Cash in set amounts ($5 or $10) for spending a certain amount ($25 or $50), and these amounts vary based on the current promotions. While these promotions are in play, any Kohl's Cash you earn will be automatically added to your account if you have one and will otherwise be emailed to you if you shopped online or dispensed as a coupon if you shopped in-store. The terms of its use will be outlined on the offer, but you typically need to shop during specific windows to apply it.
Beyond that, Kohl's Cash works towards the total of your purchases the same as any other payment method does, but there are some limitations such as not being applicable on Sephora purchases. The best part of Kohl's Cash is that you can stack your cash with other Yes2You Rewards, sales, and coupons, allowing you to get some items practically for free if you time it right. For instance, you could shop Kohl's Presidents' Day Sale where inventory is marked up to 80% off and an extra 15% off thanks to coupon code "YOUSAVE15".
How Do I Track My Amazon Return After Dropping Off at Kohl's?
If you need to access Kohl's Amazon return tracking, you'll find that information at Amazon's return center. Once you drop off your item at Kohl's, the process is entirely hands-off from there.
Are There Any Special Considerations That I Should Know Of?
So long as you have a participating store nearby and are returning an item that fits Amazon's return policy, there shouldn't be any surprises along the way. You should be able to hand off your item, free from the hassles of packaging it up and labeling it, and walk out with a little extra reward in-hand.
Why Can't I Return My Amazon Order at Kohl's?
Your item didn't meet your specifications, and you're wanting to hand it back over to Amazon, but you've hit a snag, and the return isn't showing up as an option. First, check for nearby Kohl's Amazon return locations. If your Kohl's Amazon return is not showing, it's likely that you aren't in range of a participating store. Sadly, for those living in The Last Frontier, Anchorage stores are excluded entirely from this service, but Alaskans should be used to shipping woes at this point. Provided you don't dwell in The Land of the Midnight Sun, do a quick search for "Kohl's Amazon return near me" to see if you can locate a nearby eligible store. If you are in range, make sure that the item you want to return is actually sold via Amazon and not a third-party seller as such items are not eligible if you aim to return Amazon items at Kohl's.
If that's also not causing the problem, check the information on the item you want to return as some are not able to be returned to Amazon such as digital items, grocery items, and more. If none of these issues are at play, your best bet is to contact Amazon so that they can issue you a QR code directly. While these issues are frustrating enough to have you asking, "can you even return Amazon items at Kohl's?", most of the time, you will be able to find a solution to your problem or at least a reason for why it's occurring in the first place.
Now that you understand the ins and outs of how to return Amazon items to Kohl's, you can feel confident that your purchases are protected should something arise. You'll also maybe score a little something extra for your trouble, and that's a lot better than having to repackage your purchase and print a label, only to drive to a store anyway where your prize is solely a loss of time and fuel. We hope you learned something useful from this article, and if you want to stay on top of the best deals at Kohl's and other retailers, take a look around right here at DealNews. You can set alerts for whatever item you're searching for and receive notification when that item is on sale, and you can also sign up for our DealNews Select newsletter to get a summary of the best deals from that day. By logging in, you can even personalize your experience, ensuring that you see the deals that you want to see. Now that's smart shopping!
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