7 Credit Cards That Shield You From Strict Store Return Policies

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With one retailer’s return policy varying from the next, it can be hard to remember how long you have to return anything. One simple solution might already be at hand, though — a credit card.

About half of consumer credit cards that are not co-branded offer a return-extension perk, according to a new WalletHub report. Such a perk generally enables you to get your money back when a retailer won’t take your purchase back.

WalletHub notes:

The specifics vary by issuer and card, however. So it’s important to determine if you are covered, which items can be returned and how much you can get for them — among other things …

To that end, the financial data site analyzed and scored all credit cards that are not co-branded from the 10 largest issuers based on their return-extension benefits.

Discover cards ranked No. 1 for the third consecutive year.

The seven highest-scoring personal credit cards are:

  • All Discover cards: A score of 96.5 percent
  • Citi Prestige: 92.5 percent
  • Chase Sapphire Preferred: 88.5 percent
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve: 88.5 percent
  • J.P. Morgan Reserve: 88.5 percent
  • Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard: 88.5 percent
  • Barclaycard CashForward: 88.5 percent

Other findings of the report include:

  • 94 percent of credit cards that offer a return-extension benefit enable you to make returns for up to 90 days from the date of purchase. The other cards have a 60-day window.
  • 100 percent of cards offering the benefit have an annual limit for the dollar amount you can claim. The most common limit is $300 per returned item.
  • 74 percent of cards offering the benefit exclude jewelry from the types of purchases covered by the benefit, making jewelry the most common exclusion. It’s followed by video games and watches.

If you’re in the market for a new or better credit card, check out “Finding the Perfect Plastic.”

Have you ever used a credit card’s return-extension perk? Let us know about your experience below or over on our Facebook page.

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