Amazing Return Protection with American Express

I’ve written about this benefit in the past, but I realize it has been awhile and it is always good to revisit some awesome benefits of simply having a credit card! I also have realized that the average person is not even aware of the amazing return protection you receive when making a purchase using an American Express credit card.

So let’s take this scenario: You purchase a final sale item online, it arrives in the mail, and you absolutely hate it! The pants do not fit they way you hoped and you are SOL. You could always resell them on eBay as there is no way in hell you are fitting into them! eBay can be a pain and ultimately you just wish you could return them. But no, FINAL SALE! While the pants were discounted, it’s still a waste of money if it doesn’t work out. That is where American Express comes into place! If you used your American Express credit card to make the purchase, you are protected and you can get your money back!

So what exactly is this American Express return protection benefit?

If within 90 days from the date of purchase a merchant will not take back an item, you can get a refund for the purchase price from American Express. This is valid for primary cardholders as well as any additional cardmembers on the account.

So what are the caveats? 

Like any benefit, there are some things to know:

• The item must have been purchased entirely with an American Express card. Using a store gift card for 99% of the purchase price and only putting $1 on your Amex card, for example, will not give you this protection.
• This is only valid for items purchased at merchants in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• You will only be reimbursed up to $300 per eligible item (excluding shipping and handing).
• This benefit is only up to $1,000 annually per card account (which means you can get up to $1,000 per Amex card you have)
• If your card account is past due for more then one billing cycle, or if your card is cancelled, you will not be eligible for a refund.

Are any items excluded? 

Yes, there are a few items where you will not receive a refund under this benefit. They include: animals and living plants; one-of-a-kind items (antiques, artwork, furs); limited edition items; going-out-of-business sale items; consumable or perishable items with limited life spans (such as perfume, light bulbs, non-rechargeable batteries); jewelry (including, but not limited to, loose gems, precious stones, metals, and pearls); watches, services and additional costs (such as installation charges, warranties, shipping, or memberships); rare and precious coins; used, altered, rebuilt and refurbished items; custom-built items, cellular phones; pagers; compact discs; digital video discs; mini discs; audiotapes; videotapes; computer software; firmware (such as console games, Nintendo, etc.); maps; books of any kind; health care items (such as blood pressure machines and diabetes equipment); formal wear; tickets of any kind; motorized vehicles (such as cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, or airplanes) and their parts; land and buildings; firearms; ammunition; negotiable instruments (such as promissory notes, stamps and travelers checks); cash and its equivalent; and items permanently affixed to home, office, vehicles, etc., (such as garage door openers, car alarms).

How do I file a claim? 

You can call 1.800.297.8019 or file a claim online. Remember, it must be within 90 days of the purchase date. Within 30 days of filing your claim, you will need to send in the original store receipt and the American Express card record of the charge. Although, Amex does not always ask for the merchants receipts. If they do not ask for the receipt, this will also help for those returns you want to make where you misplaced the receipt.

What do I do with the item? 

Technically, you are to send the item to American Express within 30 days of filing the claim. You are also responsible for paying shipping costs. The item must be in “like new” condition.

My personal experience: 

I have used this return protection benefit MANY times. I’ve used it for myself on clothing purchased at J.Crew Outlet online that is final sale, RueLaLa when I’ve missed the 30-day return window, clothing purchased for my daughter on Zulily which is usually final sale, ski clothes for my daughter that were final sale, furniture that was final sale, clothing at H&M when I’ve missed the 30-day return window, etc. Submitting a claim is super easy and literally takes less than 5 minutes. Typically within 2-3 days I receive an email that my claim was approved and the amount is credited to my card. In my experience, I’ve never been asked to submit a receipt or send back the items. The claims I’ve submitted also aren’t for a lot of money (max $70), so if you submit a more expensive claim your experience might differ.

Qualifying American Express Credit Cards

While almost all American Express credit cards come with this benefit, some popular ones include:

• Premier Rewards Gold Card from American Express
• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express
• American Express Business Gold Card
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• The Blue Business℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express
• Hilton Honors™ Surpass® Card from American Express
• Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express
• Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express
• Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express
• Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express
• Blue Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

You can learn more about these cards and their current offers here.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As always, thank you for your support and enjoy traveling on a deal!