Gifts bought now at Amazon, Best Buy and Target can go back well into January, but the three stores set different start dates, different cutoffs and, at Target, a short list of covered categories. Apple products get less time at Amazon and Target.
Amazon's return policy page says most items bought from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 can be returned through Jan. 31, 2027. Best Buy started earlier: its holiday calendar covers most purchases made from Oct. 30 through Dec. 31, with a Jan. 15 deadline for most shoppers. Target's extension runs on a different clock, covering purchases from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24 and counting the return period from Dec. 26.
How the three windows compare
| Store | Purchases covered | Return by | Apple products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | Most items, Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 | Jan. 31, 2027 | Jan. 15, 2027 |
| Best Buy | Most purchases, Oct. 30 to Dec. 31 | Jan. 15, 2027; Jan. 31 for My Best Buy Plus and Total members | Not listed separately in the announcement |
| Target | Electronics, entertainment and most Target Plus items, Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 | Jan. 24, 2027 | Jan. 8, 2027, also for Beats and mobile phones |
The latest dates all fall in late January, so the practical difference is when the clock starts. An Amazon order placed on Oct. 31 falls under the normal 30 days from delivery, while the same purchase at Best Buy already counts for the holiday window.
Target's window starts after Christmas
Target's holiday return page applies only to qualifying purchases. Electronics and entertainment items, apart from Apple and Beats, get 30 days from Dec. 26, which puts the deadline at Jan. 24, while Apple and Beats products and unlocked or prepaid phones get only 14 days and must be back by Jan. 8. Most Target Plus items follow the same 30-day rule; seasonal holiday decor sold through Target Plus does not qualify.
Everything else already has more time. Target's return policy gives 90 days for most unopened items in new condition, so a toy bought in mid-November can go back into February under the regular rule.
Best Buy and Amazon
My Best Buy Plus and Total members get until Jan. 31, two weeks longer than other Best Buy shoppers. The chain is also running a holiday price match, so if the price of something Best Buy sells drops during the season, it will match the lower price. Marketplace products are excluded. Best Buy stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, though the app and website stay open.
At Amazon, Apple-branded products bought during the holiday period must go back by Jan. 15.
Outside the holidays, Amazon gives 15 days on new Apple products and 30 days on most other items. Items marked Final Sale and Amazon Pharmacy orders cannot be returned at all, and orders from third-party sellers that ship their own stock go back to the seller rather than to Amazon.
Before you buy
Apple's own store lists 14 calendar days from delivery for online orders, and its returns page showed no 2026 holiday extension as of Monday. An iPhone or AirPods bought as a gift in November or early December can go back to Amazon until Jan. 15 and to Target until Jan. 8.
Amazon shows each item's return eligibility on the product page and, after checkout, in Order History.
