We all know it’s a good idea to hang onto a receipt for as long as possible after buying a product, especially regarding tools or other supplies for a home construction project.
You never know when you may have a change of heart regarding your design aesthetic or want to return something you ended up not needing.
You want to prepare yourself properly, but you also don’t want to waste money on items you didn’t need, but what happens when you have lost your receipt from your Lowe’s purchase?
Lowe’s Return Policy Without A Receipt
For most unused products, you can return them for a full refund or store credit within 90 days.
Lowe’s may also accept some products in “like new” condition.
You can only get store credit if you paid using previous store credit, a gift card, or a Lowe’s credit card.
Refunds to your debit card or credit card may take up to 15 days to process.
Lowe’s return policy without a receipt states:
“For returns without a valid receipt, Lowe’s, at its discretion, may issue in-store credit for the item’s current selling price.”
You will also need to provide valid identification.
Without a valid ID such as a driver’s license or state-issued identification card, the store will not process the return at all.
The retailer’s internal system will store your identification information to track your returns.
Lowe’s may refuse a return if it notices an unusually high number of returns in your name.
Lowe’s has the right to refuse any returns without a valid receipt as well as returns for items without the original packaging/damaged items (with or without the receipt).
Refund Exceptions
Some items simply do not qualify for the standard 90-day refund policy for various reasons.
You can return the following items within 30 days of purchase:
- TVs and other electronics
- Refrigerators
- Freezers
- Washers
- Dryers
- Dishwashers
- Microwaves
- Ovens
- Mowers
- Chainsaws
- Pressure washers
- Wood chippers
- Generators
- Earth augers
- Log splitters
- Water heaters
- Liquid paint
- Hedge trimmers
- Highway trailers
All power equipment must be unused and in its original packaging.
If you need to rent power tools, talk to a representative to learn more.
If you are returning a highway trailer, you must return it to a store in the state where you purchased it.
To process the return, you will need to have all applicable paperwork with you, such as the title.
Lowe’s offers a variety of holiday items.
You can return these items up until the holiday in question.
Items bought after the holiday cannot be returned (although you can probably get a great deal).
Some products simply can’t be returned.
Items that Lowe’s will not accept for a refund or a replacement include:
- Installation charges
- Delivery charges
- Gift cards
- Safety masks
Finding Your Lowe’s Receipt
These days, it’s rather easy to find proof of the purchases you make.
Instead of worrying about not having a receipt, see if you can locate it somewhere.
If you paid in cash and didn’t provide your account information, you may be out of luck.
However, there are a couple of methods most people can use to find their receipt.
Method One: Credit Card Information
A representative can look up your receipt for you if you can provide the credit card information for the card you used to make the purchase.
The representative can only find the receipt if you request for them to look it up within a reasonable timeframe.
They may not be able to find a purchase from 10 years ago.
Records go back an average of three years.
However, if you’re within the refund period, the purchase will definitely still be on file.
You may also have an itemized record of the purchase through your financial institution if you prefer to look up the receipt yourself.
Method Two: Lowe’s Account
If you have a Lowe’s account, you can see all of the purchases you made that are connected to your account.
This allows you to locate the receipt yourself and easily show it to a representative when requested.
Create an account quickly and easily with only your name, phone number, and email address.
You can opt out of receiving emails by unchecking the box (unless you appreciate the savings in the emails).
You will have the option to create a personal account or a business account.
The features are similar but geared toward the account type.
Once you create your account, you can easily access all purchase information on your account.
You’ll also be able to accumulate rewards and gain access to exclusive deals.
Additional features available with a pro account include:
- Business replenishment
- MSDS search for advanced search features
- Pro member parking at Lowe’s stores
To access your information, simply sign in at the Lowe’s website or your app.
When you access your account page, click on “Orders and Purchases.”
Best of all, you can sign up for both a personal loyalty account and a business loyalty account FOR FREE!
How To Return Items To Lowe’s
Like most retailers, you can return items to the store itself or via the mail.
Keep in mind that you cannot return items that contain hazardous materials, including lithium batteries, through the mail.
You will need to return those items to a store location.
1. In-Store
To return an item to a Lowe’s store, you will package the item back into its original packaging, including all accessories and paperwork.
Verify that the product works, and you didn’t accidentally forget to put the charger or user guide back in the box.
Before you leave your house, verify that you have the receipt and your ID in your wallet.
When you arrive at Lowe’s, you will make your way to the customer service desk.
If you need help with a large item, ask for assistance instead of potentially causing damage to the product (or injury to yourself).
When you reach a representative, explain that you want to return the item and give them the receipt (if you have it).
Clarify whether you’d like a refund or store credit.
Explain why you want to return the item, but you don’t need to go into more detail than necessary.
The representative will complete the return process from there and provide you with a receipt of the return.
2. Mail
If you bought something from Lowes.com, you have the option to return it via mail.
You can’t return items bought in-store through the mail.
Log in to your Lowe’s account to find the product that you want to return.
Once you locate the product, you will have the option to process a return (assuming that you’re within the refund timeframe).
Once you put in a return request, Lowe’s will send you an email to the email address attached to your account containing two labels.
The interior return label allows Lowe’s to access information about the return quickly, facilitating a quick refund.
If you forget the return label inside the box, it may hold up your refund or the return may even be declined.
A second exterior label is the delivery label that tells the mailman where to send the package.
You do not need to pay for the shipping on mail returns.
If you plan to return your product through the mail, you will need to box up the item securely with the interior return label, attach the shipping label to the exterior of the box, and drop it off at the post office.
Benefits Of Shopping At Lowe’s
There’s a lot of competition out there when it comes to home improvement retailers.
Some of Lowe’s major competitors include Home Depot and Ace Hardware.
Walmart and Amazon also offer a lot of the products you will find at Lowe’s, increasing the competition even more.
Why shop at Lowe’s?
We will give you some of the benefits of shopping with Lowe’s instead of the other guys.
1. Wide Selection
Lowe’s offers just about anything you will need for your DIY project or commercial construction project.
The different departments you’ll find at a Lowe’s store include:
- Appliances
- Bathroom
- Building Supplies
- Cleaning & Pet Supplies
- Doors & Windows
- Electrical
- Flooring
- Hardware
- Heating & Cooling
- Home Accessibility
- Home Decor & Furniture
- Kitchen
- Lawn & Garden
- Lighting & Ceiling Fans
- Molding & Millwork
- Outdoor Living & Patio
- Paint
- Plumbing
- Storage & Organization
- Smart Home & Electronics
- Sports & Fitness
- Tools
Whether you need a small component or a large power tool, Lowe’s has everything you need to get the job done right (what you do with the tools and materials is up to you).
2. Knowledgeable Staff
We should all aspire to learn and grow at our favorite activities, including home improvement.
However, we all find ourselves stumped from time to time when we take on something particularly challenging.
The knowledgeable staff at Lowe’s can do a lot more than simply point you in the right direction of the product you’re looking for.
Associates get specialized training on the products they sell.
They can answer your questions and make suggestions for you if you need help.
Lowe’s also keeps up with an informative blog that may answer some of the questions you have before you get to the store.
3. Price Match
If you can find an item from one of Lowe’s qualifying competitors with a lower price, Lowe’s will match the price.
The product must be the exact same product as the one in the ad.
Not all retailers qualify, however.
4. Military Discount
Lowe’s doesn’t only help build buildings but also communities.
Lowe’s proudly supports the armed forces, and it offers a 10% military discount for active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses.
There is no cap on how much you can save throughout the year.
You must sign up for the military rewards program to get started.
They will verify your military status using ID.me.
Once approved, you will also get special veteran parking when you visit the store.
Lowe’s hires 20,000 veterans and offers a wide range of employment opportunities as well.
Saving Money At Lowe’s
Construction projects get expensive quickly.
You should consider ways to save from the very beginning of your endeavors, especially if you shop at Lowe’s for work.
Here are some ways to save money when shopping at Lowe’s.
1. Weekly Ad
Lowe’s puts out a weekly ad that highlights the best deals of the week.
The weekly ad is available to everyone on the website and in-store.
A new ad comes out every Monday, and the sales are good until the following Sunday.
2. Bulk Savings
When you buy in bulk, you save money.
While not appropriate for every situation, this is a great way for businesses to save money on products that they buy all of the time, such as salt or epoxy sealant.
Lowe’s can sell you one bag of salt.
However, if you buy salt every week, you may benefit from buying an extra-large bag for a lower rate per pound.
Bulk shopping only results in savings when you store the product properly and use it instead of forgetting about it.
3. Lowe’s Subscriptions
If you don’t want to buy in bulk at once, you can also save money by ordering subscription services through Lowe’s.
You will get 5% off subscription services as well as free delivery.
Never forget important items again, since they will be delivered on time every time without you needing to place new orders every week.
4. Lowe’s Credit Cards
Lowe’s offers several different credit cards for customers, each with slightly different features and benefits.
The Lowe’s Advantage Card offers a solution for personal expenses.
When you sign up, you get 20% off your first purchase (limited time offer).
There’s also no annual fee.
You will get 5% off of your purchases when you use your card, and you may qualify for special financing.
Lowe’s has numerous different business credit cards that extend the return timeframe to 365 days and 5% off all qualifying products as well as discounted delivery.
There’s also a prepaid card available for personal or business use.
All card holders can attend special cardholder events.
Lowe’s Business Reward Card allows you to earn rewards with every Lowe’s purchase (5% for the first 6 months and 2% after).
You can use the card anywhere American Express is accepted, and there is no annual fee.
Lowe’s Business Advantage Card allows you to download all information quickly and easily for up to six months, facilitating bookkeeping for your business.
You also get 0% interest for 60 days, and you can request multiple cards for different members of the team.
You cannot use this card outside of Lowe’s, and an annual fee applies.
A Lowe’s Commercial account gives you the most flexibility when it comes to payment.
You can pay every other month if that’s your preference.
You also get detailed invoices, and you won’t be charged until delivery.
5. Rentals
Do you only need a particular tool for one task?
You can rent the tool you need instead of paying to purchase the tool outright.
This is especially handy when it comes to expensive power tools.
When you rent from Lowe’s, you can trust that the tool you receive will work as expected.
You can’t say the same when you borrow tools from a friend.
If you want to rent a tool from Lowe’s, call your local store to learn more about the current availability.
Before renting a tool, especially if you need it for more than a single day, analyze the cost associated with the rental compared to the cost of buying the tool.
Weigh your options to determine if it makes more sense to just buy what you need and have it available for next time.
NEXT: Shoe Carnival Return Policy Without Receipt (Updated 2023)