Zappos Return Policy: 60 Days, Refunds, Fees and Exceptions

Zappos return rules at a glance

See the policy, FAQ and gift-card terms for these rules.

Zappos gives shoppers 60 days to return eligible merchandise, including guest-checkout orders. Zappos does not publish whether those are calendar or business days, whether day one counts, or which time zone applies, so avoid planning for the last day.

Comparing shoe retailers? The DSW return policy guide sets out DSW's window and rules.

Does the 60 days start at purchase or delivery?

Zappos's Shipping and Returns page says to start within 60 days of receipt; the Return FAQ and product-page return block instead count from purchase. Plan from the earlier purchase date; confirm eligibility in Order History, the guest Order Number email link, or with Customer Service.

Starting the return vs getting it to UPS

Shipping and Returns requires return within 60 days and directs initiation through Order History. Zappos does not say whether starting in Order History by the deadline is enough or whether the parcel must be scanned or arrive by then.

Start the return and drop the parcel with the carrier before the deadline, counting from purchase; keep the receipt. Confirm the required action with Customer Service.

Zappos may accept a return after 60 days for store credit only, in limited circumstances, through Customer Service. Approval is not guaranteed; the policy publishes neither a maximum late period nor qualifying criteria, and guest-checkout orders are excluded.

Older guides still quote a 365-day window, but Zappos's current pages do not publish one. Ask for approval before sending a late return, including a seasonal gift.

Is there a 2026 holiday return extension at Zappos?

As of October 29, 2026, Zappos has published no 2026 holiday return extension. The current policy, FAQ and 2026 gift guide supply no extended purchase dates or deadline, so plan around the standard 60 days.

Check the Shipping and Returns page again in December before relying on the standard window for gifts.

Zappos's standard return conditions require merchandise to be:

• New, unworn, unused, unaltered and unwashed.
• In its original packaging, with tags, seals and security tags attached.
• Complete, including everything supplied with the item.
• Undamaged and matched to the order being returned.

Missing or damaged security tags may disqualify a refund. Check the contents before sealing: Zappos says returned items cannot be sent back and assumes no duty to locate, return or compensate for something sent in error.

Do you need the original shoe box?

Yes. Zappos requires the original shoe box in original condition, without shipping labels or packing tape attached to it. Put the shoe box inside a separate shipping box, as shown in Zappos's Return Options instructions, including when using a QR code.

Buying sneakers elsewhere? Compare how strict the Foot Locker return policy is about the original box.

Zappos won't take back:

• Final Sale merchandise: sold as-is and excluded from voluntary returns under the return policy.
• Gift cards: not returnable or exchangeable for cash, except where required by law under the gift-card terms.
• Noncompliant merchandise: may be refused or incur a deduction rather than qualify for a standard refund.

Ordinary site-wide sale or promotion items remain returnable unless stated otherwise, according to the FAQ. Zappos does not publish additional category windows or hygiene/custom-product exceptions in these sources; ask support about an unclear item before sending it.

Orders from Amazon, 6pm, other sellers or a store

Zappos's published routes cover purchases from Zappos on Zappos.com. Those pages do not publish rules for Amazon, 6pm, another seller or an in-store purchase, nor permission to take an online return to a retail store.

Check the seller on the order confirmation. For an Amazon purchase, use the Amazon return policy guide to find the relevant route; for a direct Zappos order, start online.

Zappos's Return Options page documents four steps: open the order, choose a UPS method, box the merchandise and drop it off.

Before you start, have your account login or order email, the complete item in its original packaging, and a spare shipping box.

Step 1: Open the order in Order History or your order email.

Sign in to Order History and locate the order. Guests should use the Order Number link in the confirmation, shipping or delivery email. Account holders choose store credit or original payment while starting the return, so pick deliberately; guests get original payment.

Check that the order and selected items match what you intend to send.

Step 2: Choose a UPS QR code or printed prepaid label.

Select the method offered for your return: a UPS QR code or a prepaid label to print. With the QR method, a UPS associate prints the label, so no home printer is needed.

QR returns still need a shipping box.

Step 3: Pack the product box inside a sealed shipping box.

Place the original product packaging and complete merchandise inside an outer shipping box, then seal the outer box. Remove or cover any old labels on a reused outer carton. Attach a printed label to that outer box.

Check that the shoe box remains untaped and unlabeled inside. Putting the shipping label directly on the shoe box breaks the packaging rule.

Step 4: Drop the box at an authorized UPS location.

Take the sealed shipping box and QR code or attached prepaid label to an authorized UPS location. Confirm the parcel is accepted and keep proof of drop-off for your records.

Zappos advertises free return shipping for orders shipped to the US, US territories and APO/FPO. If you lose a label, the FAQ gives reprint routes: the return-confirmation email, account Orders and Returns, or the guest Order Number link followed by Print Return Label. Reprint the correct label rather than borrowing another box's label.

Can you use USPS instead of UPS?

Yes. Zappos's FAQ says Customer Service can provide a USPS return label on request, while UPS is the only self-service choice for most customers. Ask through the official contact page before sending the package by USPS.

Multi-box orders and returns from outside the US

Zappos requires a unique label for each box when returning an order that arrived in multiple boxes; match the selected items to each box. To use Zappos's prepaid labels, send the return from the United States; the labels do not cover international return postage. If you are outside the US, ask Customer Service which route to use. See the FAQ's prepaid-label rules.

For a territory, APO/FPO or another unusual return origin, ask support which carrier route works before shipping. Postage coverage and possible refund deductions are separate questions.

Zappos's documented UPS return shipping is free, but a return that fails the policy may be refused or charged a restocking fee of up to 50% of the item price. The policy does not publish how the percentage is chosen or a separate routine fee schedule.

Example: Assume $120 boots have their security tag removed and Zappos accepts the noncompliant return while applying the maximum percentage. The ceiling is $120 × 50% = $60; that is not an expected charge, and Zappos could refuse the refund instead.

Original standard delivery is free for covered US destinations, according to the shipping FAQ. Refundability of a paid shipping upgrade is not published; ask support before assuming that charge comes back with the merchandise refund.

Zappos separates the return window, refund processing and payment posting. Eligible fast refunds are issued at carrier scan; warehouse-route refunds can take up to 30 days after fulfillment-center receipt, sometimes longer, before bank or payment-provider posting.

Track receipt and refund status in Order History.

The main policy describes fast refunds; the return FAQ and Customer Service help describe warehouse processing. Do not add these stages into a guaranteed total.

Store credit or original payment: which do you get?

Zappos generally offers account holders store credit or original-payment refunds; guests receive original-payment refunds only. Program-specific terms can qualify those choices.

The FAQ says gift-card-funded orders refund to an e-Gift Card, with new codes emailed to the address on file. Allocation for combined gift-card/card payments is not published; ask support how your split payment will be handled. For Afterpay, the policy limits the refund to the amount paid at return time. Zappos does not say whether Afterpay installments pause while a return is processed; check the Afterpay app before skipping a payment.

What happens if Zappos refunds you before the item arrives?

Zappos may charge the original payment again if refunded merchandise is not received. Its policy specifies a warning email at 30 days and a possible re-charge at 45 days, but does not explicitly identify when either count starts.

The 45 days is not another return window. Keep tracking and contact support if delivery stalls.

Zappos's published routes depend on finding the order, rather than presenting a paper receipt. Use account Order History or a guest's Order Number email link. Whether a paper receipt or packing slip must go inside the box is not published; follow your order instructions or ask support.

For gift-return assistance, the FAQ directs recipients to 1-800-927-7671, with the giver's phone number, first and last name, tracking number or shipping address. The wording does not establish that every identifier is required together.

Gift returns normally refund the purchaser's payment, but Customer Service can assist a recipient and issue a gift card. When you call, ask for a gift card in your name; Zappos does not promise the purchaser won't be notified. Zappos publishes no ID-only or card-lookup route for returns without the order details.

Zappos publishes no longer return window, fee waiver or fast-refund entitlement for VIP or Prime-linked accounts in its VIP terms and general policy. Promotional value and work subsidies follow separate rules from ordinary cash refunds.

How VIP codes and points change your refund

Zappos's VIP terms refund the amount actually paid to original payment, excluding the code value and other discounts. Multi-item orders allocate the code proportionally; a used code and redeemed points are not restored.

Example: Assume $80 and $120 items share a $20 VIP code, with no tax or other discounts. The $80 item's share is $20 × ($80 ÷ $200) = $8, so returning it refunds $72. Actual order rounding is not published; check the order's allocation.

The VIP FAQ also says purchase-earned points are deducted on return or cancellation. If already redeemed, that reversal can leave a negative points balance.

Returning work shoes bought with a Zappos at Work subsidy

Zappos at Work uses account return labels and requires unworn items in original packaging. Its program FAQ says subsidy credit normally reissues when the return is created; allow up to 2 hours. That is employer-credit restoration, not cash-refund speed.

The subsidy does not reissue automatically for multi-item orders or expired subsidies, and prior-year subsidy credits may also need help. Contact 877-927-2332 or employer-provided support for assistance.

Zappos's general pages describe refunds without publishing direct or advanced exchange mechanics. One practical option is to return the eligible item and place a new order for the desired size; stock and price are not guaranteed.

For an unused product that is not as described, Zappos's Conditions of Use provide a return-with-refund-request remedy. A dedicated damaged/defective-on-arrival procedure, reporting deadline, evidence requirements and guaranteed replacement are not published. Contact Customer Service for instructions; the Contact page also offers live chat.

The FTC Cooling-Off Rule excludes purchases made entirely online, so it adds no three-day cancellation window to a Zappos web order. For product problems, the FTC's warranty guidance recommends contacting the seller, then the manufacturer if unresolved, and checking warranty coverage; repair may precede a refund.

A warranty claim runs separately from Zappos's 60-day return window.

Zappos's published rules make these errors consequential:

• Assuming a year-long allowance instead of checking the current 60-day window.
• Counting only from delivery despite the FAQ's purchase-date wording.
• Taping or labeling the shoe box, or omitting the outer shipping box.
• Removing security tags before deciding to keep the item; refusal or a fee may follow.
• Starting on day 59 and dropping off later, when the required deadline action is unspecified.
• Packing something unintentionally: Zappos says it cannot send returned items back.

This guide is based on Zappos's public pages, checked October 29, 2026; no order or return was placed for it. See how StoreReturners checks policies.