Open-Box, Pickup and Returns: The Checkout Questions Worth Settling Before You Confirm
A hesitant buyer's Q&A on shopping Best Buy: what open-box means for returns, pickup versus shipping, return windows by membership, and how international orders work.
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Is an open-box item a risk I should take?
The worry with open-box is usually the same one: if it disappoints, am I stuck with it? At Best Buy, the return and exchange policy applies to new, clearance, open-box, refurbished and pre-owned products alike. The clock starts the day you receive the product, not the day you ordered it, so shipping time does not eat into your window.
Returns are handled the way you would want them handled. You can bring the item back to any Best Buy store, or ship it back with a prepaid UPS label. If something arrives damaged in shipping, arrives defective, or is not what you ordered, you can return it within the return period and Best Buy will arrange a replacement.
That is the doubt settled. The open-box price does not buy you a lesser set of rights, which makes the saving a straightforward one rather than a gamble on condition.
Should I wait and see if it goes on sale?
Waiting has a cost that is easy to overlook. BestBuy.com does not offer rain checks for products sold online. Stores may offer rain checks when an advertised product is out of stock, but that is a store matter, not a website one. Best Buy may also limit quantities per person, per household or per order, including orders placed from the same account or credit card. Stock is not a promise.
If price is the real sticking point, the membership route answers it better than waiting does. My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total members get exclusive member prices, deals and offers, plus exclusive access to sales, events and products, with member-only deals available every day in store, on the site and in the app. Members also earn 1% back in rewards on eligible purchases, or 6% back with the My Best Buy Credit Card, and can see available rewards in the cart and at checkout.
Pickup or shipping — which one gets it to me faster?
Both work, and the choice depends on how soon you want the box in your hands. For Curbside Pickup, you add items to the cart and select "Use Curbside Pickup" on the Review and Place Your Order screen for eligible products, then wait for the email telling you the order is ready. It is available for eligible products at participating stores.
You do not have to collect it yourself. A designated person can be selected during checkout using their name, email address and phone number; they are asked for the 4-digit code generated at check-in, and an ID may be requested. If the item is out of stock at your local store but sold by Best Buy and available online, Best Buy ships it to the store for free, excluding music, video games and select items.
Prefer delivery? The free My Best Buy tier includes free standard shipping, and Plus adds free two-day shipping. Sign in to your account first so availability shows correctly for your area.
How long do I have to change my mind?
Standard Best Buy members have a 15-day return policy on most products, and 14 days on activatable devices such as cell phones, cellular tablets, mobile hotspots and cellular wearables. Verizon products capable of being activated carry a 30-day return period for all customers.
My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total members get 60 days on most products, excluding Marketplace products, with the same 14 days on activatable devices. If your cart is large, that extended window alone is worth weighing before you confirm the order.
The policy covers purchases shipped from and sold by Best Buy at Best Buy, Best Buy Outlet, Pacific Sales, Pacific Sales Outlet, Magnolia Design Center, Best Buy Education and Best Buy Business. Unless noted otherwise, items from third-party Marketplace Sellers carry the same return policy. Refunds, with a few exceptions, are issued the way you paid, or you can exchange for the same item. Anything picked up at a non-Best Buy location, such as a UPS Access Point, is returned to Best Buy.
I am outside the US — can I still order, and who helps afterwards?
Yes. International customers can shop on Best Buy’s site and have orders shipped to any U.S. address or U.S. store. One point to plan around: Best Buy does not accept international return and exchange shipments, so mail-back returns need to start from within the United States, at the Returns Center in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, or go to a store.
For support after the purchase, My Best Buy Total costs $199.99 a year and includes product protection plans, AppleCare+ on Apple products, free in-store and remote computer and tablet services, 24/7 tech support, VIP member support with priority access to Best Buy’s expert services, and 20% off repairs. Total members get up to 24 months of product protection on most Best Buy purchases while the membership is active.
So the cart in front of you comes with a defined return window, free shipping or free store pickup, and Geek Squad help behind it. There is little left to wait for — place the order.
