Petco Return Policy: Simplified

Petco is one of America’s largest pet specialty retailers, offering everything from pet food and toys to live animals and veterinary services. Whether you’re shopping online or in-store, understanding their return policy can save you time, money, and frustration.

Petco Return Policy Overview

Here’s a quick breakdown of the key details you need to know:

How Petco’s 60-Day Return Window Works

Petco gives you 60 days to return most items, but there’s an important twist. The type of refund you get depends on when you return your purchase.

Days 1-30: You’ll get your money back in the original form of payment. Bought it with a credit card? The refund goes back to that card. Paid cash? You get cash back.

Days 31-60: You’ll receive the full refund amount as store credit (merchandise credit). This means you can only use it to buy more stuff at Petco.

I think this system is pretty fair. It gives you plenty of time to decide if something works for your pet, but also protects the store from people holding onto items too long.

Returning Items to Petco Stores (For free)

The easiest way to return something is to take it to any Petco or Unleashed by Petco store. It’s completely free, and you don’t have to return it to the same store where you bought it.

Important Restrictions

Before heading to the store, know that prescription medicine and pharmacy products cannot be returned in-store or by mail. These items are completely excluded from the return policy.

What You Need to Bring

You’ll need one of these to process your return:

• Purchase Confirmation Email – The email you got when you placed your order works too.
• Store Return Receipt – You can print this at home or show it on your phone. Find it in your online account under Order History by selecting “View Details” next to your order. If you use the Petco App, you can easily view it under the My Orders section.
• New Self-Serve Returns Platform – Use the return portal for making your returns.
  • Mention the order number and Email ID and follow the instructions as shown in the screenshot below. Bring the return confirmation to the store.

Important Store Return Rules

Petco has some rules to prevent return abuse:

• You must show a valid government ID for all returns
• They’ll scan your ID and share the info with fraud prevention companies
• They can limit returns even if you have a receipt
• If the store doesn’t have enough cash, they’ll give you a corporate check instead

Don’t worry about the ID scanning – it’s pretty standard these days. Most major retailers do this to catch people who abuse return policies.

Shipping Items Back to Petco

If you can’t make it to a store, you can ship your return back to Petco’s warehouse. Here’s how it works:

Step-by-Step Return Process

1. Start your return online though Petco’s return page.
2. Enter the order number and email. Screenshot of the portal shared in the above section.
3. Select the items you want to return and how many
4. Tell them why you’re returning the items
5. Choose “Ship it Back” option
6. Print the shipping label they provide
7. Pack everything up and ship it back
8. Get email confirmation with tracking info

The Catch with Shipping Returns

Here’s something important: shipping fees will be taken out of your refund. So if it cost $10 to ship your return, they’ll subtract that from what you get back.

It takes about 10 days to process your refund once they receive your return. The same 30/60-day rule applies – items received within 30 days get refunded to your original payment method, while 31-60 day returns become store credit.

Special Rules for Different Types of Purchases

Live Fish and Aquatic Life

Petco has different rules for live animals, and honestly, they make sense given how delicate these creatures are.

Freshwater Fish (bought in-store):

• 30-day guarantee with receipt in a properly established habitat
• Need a water sample recommended for refunds or exchanges
• Ask a store partner for details

Online Aquatic Life:

• 7-day guarantee from delivery date for Live Fish, Invertebrates & Plants
• Must contact customer service at 1-877-738-6742
• Must contact within the 7-day timeframe – no refund if you contact after
• Email them a photo as proof of loss
• Never mail live animals back to Petco
• Refunds can only be given by contacting Customer Care, not at store locations
• Have your order number ready when calling

Saltwater Fish:

• No returns, exchanges, or guarantees at all
• These are considered too delicate and have unique requirements

Important Note: Returns or refunds cannot be offered on Live Fish, Invertebrates & Plants that you simply decide you don’t want. Make sure you really want them before ordering.

Prescription Items

You cannot return prescription medications or pharmacy products at all. If there’s a problem with your prescription order, call customer service at 1-877-738-6742. They might issue a refund for incorrect or damaged medications.

Prescription Food Products are different – you can return these within 30 days for a full refund, or 31-60 days for store credit.

Special Product Categories

Cali Vinyl Pet Flooring

• Minimum Return: For flooring, a minimum of five boxes is required.
• Time Frame: No returns after 60 days.
• Condition: Items must be unopened or in resalable condition.
• Restocking Fee: A 25% restocking fee applies.

Returning Ring/iRobot Products

• Cannot Be Returned to Stores: Ring and iRobot products cannot be returned to Petco stores.
• Contact Customer Care: For return information, call Petco Customer Care at 1-877-738-6742.
• Receive RMA Number: Customer Care will give you a Returns Merchandise Authorization Number (RMA) with return instructions.
• Original Packaging: All returns must be in the original manufacturer box.
• Expiration: Vendor-issued RMA numbers expire 60 days from being issued.
• Labeling: The RMA number must be written on the outside of the box, the packing slip, or the return label.

Pet Services Guarantee

Here’s something cool: Petco offers a “Head to Tail or It’s Free” guarantee on their services like grooming and dog training. If you’re not satisfied, they’ll make it right or give you your money back.

However, in-store services are generally non-refundable, so this guarantee is your main protection.

PayPal Purchase Returns

If you paid with PayPal, the same return rules apply, but your refund goes back to your PayPal account when you return items by mail. For in-store returns, you can choose to get the refund on any card or exchange the item.

How to Contact Petco for Help

If you run into any issues with returns or have questions, here’s how to reach them:

Customer Care Phone: 1-877-738-6742
Hours: 4 AM to 10 PM PST, 7 days a week

When to Call:

• Problems with prescription orders
• Live animal guarantee claims (within 7 days for online purchases)
• Ring/iRobot product returns
• General return questions

What to Have Ready:

• Your order number
• Email address used for the purchase
• Photos (for live animal claims)

Pro Tips for Hassle-Free Returns

After reading through all the fine print, here are my top tips for smooth returns at Petco:

Keep Your Email Confirmations: Even if you lose your receipt, that purchase confirmation email works just as well. I always screenshot mine and save them in a “receipts” folder on my phone.

Test Fish Tank Products Quickly: With the 7-day guarantee on online aquatic life, don’t wait around. Check your fish as soon as they arrive and contact customer service immediately if there are any issues.

Take Photos of Damaged Items: While the policy doesn’t require it for most returns, having photos can speed up the process, especially if you’re dealing with expensive items.

Consider Store Credit for Later Returns: If you’re past the 30-day mark but within 60 days, don’t let that store credit go to waste. Petco sells everything from food to toys, so you’ll probably use it eventually.

Common Questions

The Bottom Line

Petco return policy is pretty generous compared to many retailers. The 60-day window gives you plenty of time to make sure products work for your pet, and having both in-store and mail return options makes it convenient.

The key things to remember: keep your receipts or confirmation emails, return items within 30 days if you want your money back in the original form, and be aware that some specialty items like prescription medications and saltwater fish can’t be returned at all.

Most importantly, don’t be afraid to contact their customer service if you have questions. They’re available seven days a week and can help you figure out the best way to handle your specific situation.

Return policies can change over time. While this article aims to provide accurate information based on the policy at the time of writing, it’s always a good idea to double-check the return policy on official Petco website for the most up-to-date return policy details. For any specific questions or situations not covered here, the official website or contacting Petco Customer Service directly is the best resource.