- A new program makes it possible to return Amazon orders at some Kohl’s stores.
- The returns are free, but your items must be eligible under Amazon’s guidelines, which you should check before you go.
- Select Kohl’s stores in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas have launched the program, so we decided to check it out last fall.
In September, Kohl’s and Amazon announced a partnership that would make returning items bought on Amazon more convenient.
Eighty-two Kohl’s stores in the Chicago and Los Angeles areas have set up pop-up stores where customers can shop from a selection of Amazon devices and return any Amazon orders for free. These return centers accept any merchandise that’s eligible under Amazon’s guidelines, which you can check on your Amazon account.
According to research by the firm Gordon Haskett, the program has been a success for Kohl’s. Total visits to Kohl’s stores with Amazon’s return program outperformed nearby stores without the program by about 8.5%. Kohl’s stores with the program also saw a greater proportion of new customers, according to Gordon Haskett.
We tested the service at a Kohl’s store in Torrance, California last fall. Here’s how it worked:
For the sake of the experiment, I ordered a $9.99 clip for a Fitbit One. I had several options for shipping it, or I could pick it up at the Amazon@Westwood location. Short on time, I opted for the $3.99 one-day shipping.
When I was ready to return it, I had a few different options. Dropping it off at Kohl's for shipping is free, but you must designate this type of return on your account before heading to the store.
After I selected "Kohl's Dropoff," the screen showed me a Kohl's store about 10 miles away from my location. There are closer Kohl's stores, but the Amazon returns program doesn't currently include every location.
The screen then showed me what I would need to do to complete my return. Notably, the instructions included a note that I would need to package my return prior to bringing it in.
I decided to send it back in the same package that it had arrived in.
I printed out the shipping label, cutting it out from this page, which noted that I wouldn't need to return my items until February 1, 2018.
This slip also needed to be included inside the package.
Then, I drove over to the Kohl's store in Torrance. When the news about the returns program first came out, it was said that Kohl's stores would have a designated parking area for people making Amazon returns. I didn't see any of these parking spots, though it's possible they weren't immediately obvious.
When I walked inside the store, I saw an Amazon pop-up store immediately to the right of the doors. This was the first indication that I was in the right place.
There were all types of devices on display.
Signs advertised Amazon's tech installations.
I went up to the desk to the right of that to drop off my package. With scanning and taping the package closed, the whole process took less than a minute.
The cashier gave me a 25%-off coupon when my return was complete. It was valid for seven days. If you're a frequent Kohl's shopper, this would be a valuable perk. I got the refund when my return was received a few days later.
