Updated November 2, 2026. Return policies checked October 30, 2026.
The sofa looked great online. In your living room, it’s the wrong color, too deep, or it arrived with a cracked leg. Now you have a 90-pound box and a deadline you didn’t know about.
Here’s how to return furniture bought online without losing half your refund to fees: 7 easy steps, the return windows at six big stores, and what you usually can’t send back.
How we put this together: we read each store’s own return policy page and the consumer advice from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on October 30, 2026. Policies change, so always check your order page too. See how we review furniture.
Furniture Return Windows at 6 Big Stores
| Store | Return window | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 30 days from delivery for most items | Heavy or bulky items may have a return shipping fee |
| Wayfair | 30 days from delivery for most items | Return shipping is usually taken out of your refund |
| Walmart | 90 days for most items | Marketplace sellers: 30 days |
| IKEA | 365 days unopened, 180 days opened | Home pickup depends on your area |
| Ashley | 30 days (standard shipping) | White Glove and Doorstep: report damage within 3 business days |
| West Elm | 30 days (Quick Ship items) | Special orders can’t be returned; delivery fee not refunded |
Use the table as a quick start. The steps below explain how to return furniture at any of these stores, big pieces included.
How to Return Furniture Bought Online: 7 Easy Steps
Here’s how to return furniture in 7 steps, whichever store you bought from.
1. Find your return deadline today
The first rule of how to return furniture: most windows start on the delivery date, not the order date. Open your order page and write the last return day on your calendar.
Missing it can cost you. Under Amazon’s return policy, if you don’t drop off the item or finish a carrier pickup by the return-by date, you can be charged 20% of the item price, and 100% after another 30 days.
2. Damaged on arrival? Report it right away
Knowing how to return furniture that arrived damaged starts with photos. Take photos of the box and the damage before you throw away any packaging. A damaged or wrong item is not the same as changing your mind, and stores often treat it very differently.
Timing matters most here. Ashley says White Glove and Doorstep deliveries must be reported damaged or defective within 3 business days. Our Ashley vs West Elm comparison covers both brands’ rules in detail.
3. Find out who pays return shipping
When people look up how to return furniture, this is the part that surprises them. Wayfair says customers are generally responsible for return shipping, and the cost is deducted from the refund. It’s waived for eligible returns dropped off at a Wayfair store.
Amazon counts an item as heavy or bulky if it weighs 50 pounds or more, its longest side is over 59 inches when packed, or its girth is over 130 inches. Those returns may come with a shipping fee based on size and weight.
Delivery fees usually don’t come back either. Wayfair and West Elm both say delivery or shipping charges aren’t refunded.
4. Pack it the way it came
Keep the original boxes until you’re sure you’re keeping the piece. If you’ve thrown them out, Wayfair says a similar-sized box no longer than 108 inches is fine, and an item delivered flat-packed should go back disassembled.
Condition matters. Amazon can charge a damage fee of up to 50% for items that are damaged, missing parts or used. IKEA’s return policy won’t refund pieces that have been modified, are dirty or stained, or are damaged.
5. Start the return online and book the pickup
Whatever the store, how to return furniture starts in the same place. Start every return from your order page, not by phone, so you get a written confirmation. For big pieces you’ll usually pick a pickup slot instead of a drop-off.
Wayfair offers large-parcel pickups outside your front door, inside the doorway, in the backyard or from the room of your choice, and the driver calls 30 minutes ahead. Amazon says some bulky returns need a home collection appointment with a specialty carrier.
6. Think twice about the keep-it discount
Part of knowing how to return furniture is knowing when not to. When you start a return, Wayfair may offer a discount to keep the item. If the problem is small, like a scuff on the back of a sofa, that can beat paying return shipping. If the piece doesn’t fit your room, say no and keep going.
7. Track your refund, then dispute if needed
Wayfair starts the refund once the item is received and checked: about 24 hours for store credit, or 3 to 5 business days to your original payment. Check your statement until it shows up.
If a store won’t refund furniture that was never delivered or wasn’t delivered as agreed, you can dispute the charge. The FTC’s guide to disputing credit card charges says your letter must reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first bill with the error was sent.
Furniture You Usually Can’t Return
Before you learn how to return furniture, check that yours can be returned at all. These are the most common exceptions:
- Made-to-order and custom pieces. Wayfair excludes made-to-order and personalized items, and West Elm Special Order furniture is not returnable.
- Clearance and open-box items. Wayfair doesn’t accept returns on either.
- Items marked Non-Returnable. Wayfair shows this message once the item is in your cart, so look before you check out.
- Parts of a discounted bundle. Wayfair only takes bundles back if you return the whole set.
- Mattresses. Rules differ: Wayfair has a 100-night trial with a $49 to $99 fee for a refund to your card, while IKEA allows one mattress exchange within 90 days.
The FTC also warns that sale items often have different return rules, especially clearance. That’s worth knowing before Black Friday. Our guide to spotting fake furniture sales helps you judge the deal first.
How to Return Furniture Bought for the Holidays
Buying for the holidays? Two big stores stretch their windows. Wayfair says items bought from November 1 to December 31 can be returned until January 31, except appliances. Walmart’s standard return policy says most items bought from October 1 to December 31 are returnable until January 31, though Marketplace sellers may not join in.
That makes it easier to grab a deal early. See this year’s Black Friday furniture deals and holiday furniture delivered before Christmas.
How to Avoid a Furniture Return in the First Place
The cheapest return is the one you never make. Most big-furniture returns come down to size, so measure the room, the doorways, the hallways and any stairs before you order.
- Use our sofa size calculator to check the fit before you buy.
- Ordering a sectional? Follow our sectional measuring guide.
- Already stuck? Here’s what to do when a couch won’t fit through the door.
- Read the return policy on the product page before checkout, not after delivery.
- Pay by credit card when you can. The FTC notes it lets you dispute a charge if the item never arrives.
Knowing how to return furniture is useful, but a few minutes with a tape measure saves you the whole hassle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here’s how to return furniture in short: start the return from your order page before the deadline, report any damage with photos, check who pays return shipping, pack the item as it arrived, book the pickup, then track your refund.
Sometimes. Walmart allows 90 days for most items and IKEA up to 365 days for unopened products, but Amazon and Wayfair give most items 30 days from delivery.
It depends on the store. Wayfair generally deducts return shipping from your refund, and Amazon may charge a fee for heavy or bulky items. Damaged or wrong items are usually handled differently.
Not always. Wayfair accepts a similar-sized box no longer than 108 inches, and items delivered disassembled should be returned disassembled. Check your store’s rules before you throw boxes away.
If you paid by credit card and the furniture wasn’t delivered as agreed, you can dispute the charge. The FTC says your letter must reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first bill with the error.
More Furniture Buying Guides
- Ultimate sofa buying guide: what to check before you order.
- Best time to buy furniture: when the biggest sales happen.
- Fake furniture sales: 7 ways to tell if a deal is real.
- Couch won’t fit through the door? How to measure and 8 fixes.
Nayyar SK writes and updates the furniture reviews and buying guides on FurniSavings, covering sofas, bedroom sets, outdoor furniture and storage. Reviews are research-based, using product specs, verified-buyer reviews and current prices. See how we review furniture.
