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Best Buy is one of the biggest electronic retailers in the world, second only to Amazon and Apple. And it still operates many brick-and-mortar locations. With that kind of sales volume, having a solid returns channel, with well-defined and easily understood policies and procedures, is critical. And if that policy includes varying tiers of service, hefty restocking fees, and a long list of nonreturnable items, it’s equally critical for you to understand that policy before doing business with Best Buy.

Keep in mind that consumer protection laws are mostly decided at the state level, and that they supersede any company’s policy. (For instance, Best Buy’s policy lists eight states where you can return without a restocking fee, because the laws in those states do not allow them.) Make sure you check what rights you have as a consumer in your state before attempting a return at Best Buy or any other retailer.

Read more: How to return Amazon items

To return an item to Best Buy, log in to your online account and print out a pre-paid shipping label. Box up your return and drop it off at the nearest UPS location within 15 days of receiving the product.

For everything except cell phones and other items that need activation, the return period is 15 days. (By comparison, Amazon’s return period is 30 days.) Those items requiring activation (phones, tablets, hotspots) must be returned within 14 days of receiving the unit. The big exception to this 14-day return period is for items from Verizon, which carry their 30-day return period.

Cell phones (except prepaid ones) carry a $45 restocking fee. There is a list of product categories that incur a 15% restocking fee. These include:

Unopened items do not carry a restocking fee. In addition, there are eight states where consumer protection laws do not allow Best Buy to charge a restocking fee. These include:

Municipalities can also ban restocking fees, so make sure you check your local laws as well.

There is another long list of item categories that cannot be returned at all. Most of them are consumable items, or items that are not returnable for reasons of hygiene. They include:

Major appliances are eligible for return within the standard 15 days, but since pickup might be necessary, there is a special procedure for returning them. If you discover something wrong with your appliance within 15 days of purchase, call 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) with your order number, and you will receive instructions for your return.

All returns to Best Buy have to be in like-new condition. Basically, if there is anything wrong with it (cracked, dirty, defaced), they reserve the right to deny your return. Clothing cannot have been worn or laundered, and must still have the tags attached.

Best Buy has a subscription-based service you can join called Totaltech. It costs $199.99 a year, and provides extensive benefits. Unlimited Geek Squad support, free shipping, extended warranties, discounted repairs, and a dedicated phone line are included. And if you need to make a return to Best Buy, membership in Totaltech extends your return period from 15 to 60 days. It might seem like an expensive membership, but if you’re planning on having a tech-intensive year (say, if you’ll be moving into a new home, or setting up a home office), it might be a real bargain.

Items purchased online at bestbuy.com can be returned at any Best Buy location. Bring your receipt/packing slip, the card used to make the purchase, and photo ID. You can use the store locator at www.bestbuy.com to find the nearest store.

Items bought at a brick-and-mortar Best Buy store can only be returned to that store. Items shipped to you through bestbuy.com can be shipped back using a pre-paid shipping label that you can print out from your bestbuy.com account. Best Buy uses UPS, so you will have to drop it off at a UPS location unless you want to pay for a pickup. There are some items you cannot ship back, such as:

Even if you brought your appliance home yourself, you can call 1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289) to schedule a pickup. If you prefer to bring it back yourself, this may be possible, but you might have to go to a specific location rather than the one closest to you. So you should consider a pickup.

Read more: How to get an Apple App Store refund

Richard Michael Schulze started the company in the 1960s. Corie Barry is the current CEO.

Best Buy operated in China until 2011 and in Europe until 2012. It currently operates in the US and Canada.

No, their electronics recycling costs $29.99 per item.