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There's no general federal 14-day return right for ordinary U.S. purchases. If you simply changed your mind, the seller's published return policy usually decides whether you can send the item back, how long you have, who pays return shipping, and whether a restocking fee applies. Late shipment, non-delivery, a defective product, unordered merchandise, and a credit-card billing error sit under different rules. Mixing those up can burn the deadline that actually helps.

Figure out which situation you're in before you contact anyone. Save the confirmation, listing, promised delivery date, tracking, photos, chats, and case numbers. Then ask for one specific remedy in writing: cancellation, refund, repair, replacement, or removal of a charge. EU and UK cooling-off rules don't apply to a typical U.S. checkout.

Start with the problem, not the retailer

Problem Rule or policy that may control First step
You changed your mind The seller's published return policy, plus any applicable state law Check the return deadline, exclusions, and return-shipping terms
The order was late or never shipped The seller's shipping promise and the FTC Mail Order Rule Request cancellation and a refund in writing
A credit card was charged for goods you never received The Fair Credit Billing Act process Send a written dispute within 60 days of the first statement showing the error
The product is defective The written warranty, sales contract, and state warranty law Collect proof and request the remedy promised
You received merchandise you never ordered Federal rules and FTC consumer guidance Don't pay merely because the package arrived; document and challenge any charge
You used a debit card, ACH, wire, or payment app Different laws, contracts, and provider procedures Contact the payment provider immediately

A store return policy isn't a legal refund right. A chargeback isn't automatic. An FTC report can help flag a pattern of unlawful conduct, but it usually won't settle your individual claim.

Refunds for online and store purchases

Federal law doesn't force most retailers to take back an unwanted item. Read the policy before you order, and keep a copy of it with the promised delivery date.

After something goes wrong, hang on to:

When an online order is late

The FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule guidance generally requires a seller to ship within the time it advertised. If it stated no shipping time, the rule generally uses a 30-day deadline.

Miss that window, and the seller generally has to give you a real choice: agree to a delay, or cancel for a prompt refund. Repeated "we're looking into it" messages are not that choice. Name the order, say you're canceling because of the delay, and ask for written confirmation of the refund.

If the seller says a credit already went out but nothing has posted, get the refund date and reference number. Give those to your card issuer or payment provider if you need the missing credit investigated.

When the item is defective or different from the listing

Describe the problem accurately. Damage, a product that doesn't match the listing, or one that doesn't work as promised may be a warranty or misrepresentation issue, not a change-of-mind return.

Ask for a specific remedy: repair, replacement, refund, correction of the order, or reimbursement of an agreed return cost. Don't ship expensive merchandise back without tracking or confirmed return instructions. Keep the shipping receipt and photos of the package.

Credit-card billing errors: the 60-day written-dispute rule

A credit-card charge for goods or services you didn't accept, or that weren't delivered as agreed, can qualify as a billing error. That federal process is separate from the merchant's return desk and from a card network's voluntary chargeback program.

The FTC's guide to using credit cards and disputing charges walks through the basics.

How to dispute the charge

  1. Check the statement and merchant details. Rule out a delayed posting, a different billing name, or a purchase by someone allowed to use the account.
  2. Contact the merchant in writing. Say what was promised, what went wrong, and what you want. That can fix the problem faster, but it doesn't replace the formal dispute.
  3. Send a written dispute to the card issuer. The letter must reach the issuer within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. Use the billing-dispute or billing-inquiries address on the statement; it may not be the same as the payment address.
  4. Include useful evidence. List the account, transaction date, amount, merchant, and reason. Attach copies of the order, cancellation request, delivery records, and messages. Keep the originals.
  5. Pay the undisputed balance. During the investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges. Keep paying everything else.
  6. Track the issuer's deadlines. The issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved the issue. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, and no later than 90 days after receiving the letter.

Use a delivery method that proves when the issuer got the letter. A phone call or online form may open a case, but written notice is the safer way to invoke the federal billing-error procedure.

If the issuer says the charge is valid, ask for the explanation and supporting information. Some issuers may still review a late request, and some may extend the 60-day window when a shipment was delayed, but don't count on the same Fair Credit Billing Act protection after the deadline.

Don't use the credit-card deadline for every payment

That procedure covers qualifying open-end credit accounts, such as credit cards. It isn't a universal chargeback rule for debit cards, prepaid cards, ACH transfers, bank wires, cash, or most peer-to-peer payments.

Contact the bank, app, or payment provider as soon as you notice the problem. Deadlines differ, especially for unauthorized transactions. Say whether you're dealing with fraud, non-delivery, a duplicate charge, a canceled subscription, or a merchant dispute.

For a recurring charge after you canceled, keep the cancellation date and confirmation. Ask the merchant to stop future billing, then go to the payment provider if another charge posts.

Product warranties and defective goods

A warranty is a promise about the product's condition, or about the remedy if it fails. It isn't a promise that a retailer will take the item back because you no longer want it.

Read the document for the coverage period, what's included, required maintenance, exclusions, who handles service, any repair or arbitration steps, and whether the remedy is repair, replacement, refund, or something else.

The FTC's federal warranty guidance explains that federal warranty rules require written-warranty information and disclosure. Those rules also cover disclosure and pre-sale availability for written warranties on consumer products costing more than $15. They don't create a universal one-year warranty or guarantee a cash refund.

Implied warranties can still apply under state law when there's no written warranty, but the scope and any disclaimers vary. If a seller says every defect is excluded, ask it to point to the exact warranty term behind the denial.

A practical warranty claim

Stop using the product if continued use could create a safety risk. Photograph the defect, model number, serial number, and packaging. Find the receipt, warranty, and purchase date, then contact the seller or manufacturer through the process the warranty names. Describe the defect and ask for the remedy the warranty actually provides. Keep service reports, shipping records, and every reply. If the claim is denied, get the denial and the reason in writing.

For a vehicle, keep every repair order, the dates and mileage of each visit, the defect description, and how many days the car was unavailable. Lemon laws are state-specific. Coverage can depend on the vehicle's age, purchase status, warranty period, number of repair attempts, and the type of defect. There is no single U.S. rule that guarantees a buyback after a fixed number of repairs.

Unordered products and items you were billed for but never received

The FTC has consumer guidance on merchandise you never received and unordered products.

First check whether someone in the household placed the order or whether the package was a gift. If nobody ordered it, don't hand over payment details or agree that you owe money just because merchandise arrived. Keep the shipping label, photographs, and any invoice.

If you're billed for an item that never arrived, say the merchandise was not received and ask that the charge be removed. On a credit card, that may be a billing error, so send the written dispute within the 60-day window. On another payment method, contact that provider immediately and ask which dispute process applies.

How to escalate a consumer complaint

Match the path to the problem:

  1. Seller or service provider. Send a short written complaint through a channel that leaves a record. Identify the transaction, the defect or error, the evidence, and the remedy you want.
  2. Payment provider. Use the credit-card billing-error process when it applies. For other payment rails, follow that provider's fraud or transaction-dispute procedure.
  3. Government agency. Report deceptive or unlawful business conduct to the FTC. Contact the CFPB for problems involving covered financial products, or your state attorney general and the relevant state regulator for state-law and licensed-industry issues.
  4. Contract-based resolution. Check the purchase agreement for arbitration, mediation, notice requirements, and filing deadlines before starting a formal claim.
  5. Small claims court. Consider it only after checking your state's dollar limit, filing rules, service requirements, and the contract's dispute provisions.

The FTC collects reports for enforcement work; it isn't a personal refund department. A complaint to a private group such as the Better Business Bureau may prompt a reply, but it isn't a government order and doesn't replace a legal dispute.

A complaint message you can adapt

Keep it factual:

Skip a long account of unrelated problems. A clear timeline is easier for the seller, card issuer, or regulator to act on.

Common questions

Is there a federal 14-day return period in the United States?

Not for most ordinary online or store purchases. The seller's return policy usually controls a change-of-mind return. Late shipment, defective goods, fraud, and some specialized transactions can involve different rules.

Can I dispute a credit-card charge after 60 days?

Contact the issuer immediately. It may still review the transaction under its own process, but you shouldn't assume the Fair Credit Billing Act procedure still applies in the same way.

Will the FTC get my individual refund?

Usually not. The FTC uses reports to spot patterns and pursue enforcement. Ask the seller for the refund, use the correct payment dispute process, and contact the right state or federal regulator if you need to escalate.

Can I use the 60-day credit-card process for a debit-card purchase?

No. That Fair Credit Billing Act process isn't a general debit-card or bank-transfer remedy. Contact the bank or payment provider promptly and ask for its applicable dispute procedure.

Does a written warranty guarantee a replacement?

No. The warranty's terms control the covered defect and the remedy. Ask the warrantor to explain a denial in writing, then check state-law options and any required dispute process.

Pull the statement or tracking number first, then send one written request that names the order, the problem, and the remedy you want. If you paid by credit card and the goods never arrived as agreed, calendar that 60-day billing-error deadline before you wait on another merchant email.