DSW Return Policy: 60-Day Returns, Refunds, Exchanges, Fees & Exceptions

The DSW return policy generally allows most eligible merchandise to be returned within 60 days of the original purchase date at a U.S. DSW store or through dsw.com. To receive a full refund to the original payment method, merchandise must generally be unworn, in its original packaging, and accompanied by the original sales receipt or shipping invoice.

Important exceptions apply to final-sale merchandise, certain opened specialty products, DoorDash and Uber purchases, receiptless returns, and purchases returned after 60 days. Online purchases can generally be returned to a U.S. DSW store, while merchandise originally purchased at a physical DSW store cannot be mailed back through dsw.com.

This guide covers the current U.S. policy, including return methods, fees, exchanges, refunds, gifts, late returns, and major exclusions.

DSW Return Policy at a Glance

Understanding the DSW Return Policy

For most standard U.S. purchases, DSW provides a 60-day return window beginning on the original purchase date.

A return made within that period can generally qualify for a full refund to the original form of payment when the merchandise is unworn, remains in its original packaging, and is returned with the original sales receipt or shipping invoice.

The standard policy does not apply identically to every purchase. Final-sale products cannot be returned or exchanged, while DoorDash and Uber purchases follow a separate 30-day merchandise-credit policy. Opened specialty products also have specific restrictions.

DSW additionally reserves the right to limit returns or exchanges regardless of whether a receipt is provided.

DSW Return Windows by Purchase Type

The return clock for DSW’s standard policy is based on the original purchase date, rather than a separately stated delivery date.

What Condition Must Returned Items Be In?

To receive a refund to the original payment method under DSW’s standard policy, merchandise generally needs to be:

• Unworn
• In its original packaging
• Accompanied by the original sales receipt or shipping invoice

DSW’s return information also describes eligible standard returns as unworn and undamaged.

Keeping the shoe box, packaging, accessories, and other components together is therefore important when deciding whether you might return an order.

Some specialty merchandise has stricter requirements. An opened package or broken seal can make certain specialty products final sale even when the normal 60-day period has not expired.

Can You Return Opened or Used Items to DSW?

Standard merchandise generally needs to be unworn to qualify under DSW’s regular return policy. The policy should not be interpreted as allowing ordinary worn footwear to be returned simply because the purchase is still within 60 days.

DSW also identifies several specialty products that become final sale after they are opened or their original packaging or seal has been broken or removed.

These include:

• Fragrances
• Dry shampoos
• Nail polish
• Facial care products
• Products containing alcohol
• Rechargeable batteries
• USB rechargeable devices

Unopened specialty products with the original packaging and intact seal may be returned to a DSW store. DSW states that these specialty products cannot be returned through dsw.com.

Exceptions and Non-Returnable Items

Final-Sale Merchandise

Any DSW merchandise specifically marked FINAL SALE cannot be returned or exchanged.

This restriction applies regardless of the normal 60-day return period.

Opened Specialty Products

Certain specialty products are final sale after opening or once the original packaging or seal has been broken or removed.

An unopened qualifying specialty product with its packaging and seal intact can be returned to a DSW store, but specialty-product returns are not accepted through dsw.com.

DoorDash and Uber Purchases

Orders placed with DSW through DoorDash or Uber have different rules.

Unless marked final sale, merchandise purchased through these services may be returned within 30 days of the original purchase date for a DSW merchandise credit.

The merchandise must be:

• Returned to a U.S. DSW location
• Unworn
• In its original packaging
• Accompanied by a valid DoorDash or Uber receipt

These purchases therefore do not follow the standard original-payment refund process.

How to Return an Item to DSW

The correct return process depends primarily on whether the merchandise was purchased online or at a DSW store.

Returning an Item In Store

Returning eligible merchandise to a U.S. DSW store is generally the simplest option.

For a standard return:

1. Bring the eligible merchandise to a U.S. DSW store.
2. Keep the item unworn and in its original packaging.
3. Bring the original sales receipt or shipping invoice when available.
4. Present the merchandise and proof of purchase for processing.
5. If the return qualifies for an original-payment refund, DSW processes the return accordingly.

In-store returns are free.

Eligible merchandise purchased through dsw.com can generally be returned at a physical U.S. DSW store.

Returning an Online Purchase by Mail

For an eligible dsw.com purchase, you can initiate the return through DSW’s online return process and use the provided prepaid shipping label.

DSW charges $8.50 when its prepaid return label is used. The fee covers any number of items included in that return and is deducted from the refund.

Keep proof that the package was handed to the carrier until both the return and refund have been completed.

Paperless FedEx Drop-Off Returns

DSW also offers a paperless return option for qualifying returns.

Instead of printing the return label yourself, you can obtain a return code and show it to a FedEx associate, who can print the label.

The listed charge for the paperless drop-off option is also $8.50.

Can a DSW Store Purchase Be Returned by Mail?

No. DSW states that merchandise purchased at dsw.com can be returned to a DSW store, but merchandise purchased at a physical DSW store cannot be returned to dsw.com.

A qualifying store purchase should therefore be taken back through the appropriate store-return channel.

What Do You Need to Make a Return?

For a standard refund to the original form of payment, keep your original sales receipt or shipping invoice.

You should also retain the merchandise’s original packaging and avoid wearing the item if you may need to return it.

If you no longer have the original receipt or shipping invoice, DSW has a separate receiptless-return process. A valid ID is required for those returns.

Accepted ID types identified by DSW include:

• Driver’s license
• Passport
• Military ID
• State-issued photo ID card

The receiptless-return outcome differs from a standard documented return.

Can You Return an Item to DSW Without a Receipt?

Yes, DSW accepts some returns without an original sales receipt or shipping invoice, but the refund terms change.

A receiptless return is issued as a DSW merchandise credit equal to the current selling price of the merchandise, rather than automatically being refunded based on the amount originally paid.

A valid ID is required.

DSW also states that it may limit the number of returns permitted without an original sales receipt or shipping invoice.

Because the credit is based on the item’s current selling price, a price reduction after your purchase can affect the amount you receive on a no-receipt return.

Online vs. In-Store Returns

DSW’s online and physical-store return channels are not completely interchangeable.

Returning an eligible online purchase in store can avoid the $8.50 prepaid-mail return charge.

DSW Return Shipping Fees and Other Charges

In-store returns are free.

If you use DSW’s prepaid return label for an eligible mail return, DSW deducts $8.50 from the refund. The fee applies to the return shipment rather than separately to every item included in the same return.

DSW also lists $8.50 for its paperless FedEx drop-off return option.

Exchanges of an eligible item for the same item in another size or color are offered without an exchange shipping charge under DSW’s exchange process.

Refund Methods and Processing Times

A qualifying standard return made within 60 days with the required proof and item condition is generally refunded to the original form of payment.

DSW says to allow 7–10 business days after it receives the returned product for the return to be processed and funds credited to the original payment method.

This is DSW’s processing period after receipt of the merchandise. The exact time at which funds become visible in your account can also depend on the payment provider.

PayPal Refunds

When the full purchase amount was paid using PayPal, DSW states that the refund is credited to the form of payment used through PayPal.

If a purchase was paid using a combination of PayPal and a gift card, DSW states that the entire refund is issued on a gift card.

Rewards and Promotional Offers

If you return merchandise purchased using DSW Rewards or promotional offers, DSW refunds only the final purchase price.

The Rewards or offers used on the original purchase are generally not reissued or recredited. DSW identifies an exception for exchanges made on the same day as the purchase.

Does DSW Offer Exchanges?

Yes. DSW offers exchanges, but direct exchanges are limited to the same item in a different size or color.

If you want a completely different product, DSW instructs customers to follow the normal return process and place a new order instead.

Eligible exchanges can be made in store or through the mail, and DSW lists exchanges as free.

For an online exchange, DSW can ship the replacement after receiving confirmation that the original exchange merchandise has been dropped off at FedEx. No exchange shipping charge is applied, and tracking information is provided when the replacement ships.

The merchandise being exchanged must satisfy DSW’s applicable return conditions. If merchandise in an online exchange is not returned unworn, in its original packaging, and with the required original sales receipt or shipping invoice, DSW states that the customer may be charged for both the original purchase and the exchange.

DSW notes that its prepaid exchange label is accepted in most areas, with international and Puerto Rico orders excluded.

For purchases paid through PayPal, Venmo, or Afterpay, DSW recommends making exchanges in a store when possible.

What Happens After 60 Days?

Missing DSW’s 60-day standard window does not necessarily mean every documented return becomes impossible.

DSW states that returns made after 60 days with the original sales receipt or shipping invoice are issued as a merchandise credit, regardless of the original form of payment.

That is materially different from an eligible return completed within 60 days, which can qualify for a refund to the original payment method.

Exchanges made after 60 days similarly use merchandise credit for any difference owed.

Final-sale restrictions and other eligibility requirements still matter. The late-return rule should not be treated as permission to return merchandise that is otherwise non-returnable.

Gift Returns and Gift Purchases

DSW permits merchandise received as a gift to be returned or exchanged subject to the applicable return requirements.

The refund destination depends on how the return is completed.

For a qualifying gift returned or exchanged at dsw.com, credited funds are automatically issued to the original form of payment.

For a qualifying gift returned or exchanged in a DSW store, credited funds are issued as merchandise credit.

DSW’s return-policy information also states that returns made with a gift receipt are issued as merchandise credit or may receive an even exchange.

Sale, Promotional, and Final-Sale Returns

A discounted purchase is not automatically the same thing as a final-sale purchase.

BOGO Purchases

Merchandise purchased through a Buy One Get One, or BOGO, promotion remains eligible for return or exchange when it otherwise qualifies.

DSW processes the refund or exchange on a prorated basis consistent with how the BOGO discount was allocated when the merchandise was purchased.

Final-Sale Purchases

Merchandise explicitly marked FINAL SALE cannot be returned or exchanged.

Check the item’s designation rather than assuming every clearance, sale, or promotional purchase is non-returnable.

DoorDash and Uber Returns

DSW purchases made through DoorDash or Uber have their own return rules and should not be confused with ordinary store or dsw.com purchases.

Unless an item is final sale, an eligible DoorDash or Uber purchase can be returned within 30 days of the original purchase date.

To qualify, the merchandise must be:

• Returned at a U.S. DSW location
• Unworn
• In its original packaging
• Accompanied by a valid DoorDash or Uber receipt

The customer receives DSW merchandise credit, rather than a refund through the normal original-payment process.

DSW Holiday Return Policy

DSW’s currently displayed return information references an extended holiday policy for purchases made from November 1 through December 31, 2025, which received a 90-day return and exchange period from the date of purchase.

That published extension applies to the stated 2025 holiday purchase period. DSW’s standard current return window is 60 days.

A new holiday extension should not be assumed for a later holiday season until DSW officially publishes the applicable dates and conditions.

DSW U.S. vs. Canada Returns

The policy in this guide covers U.S. DSW purchases.

Merchandise purchased at a DSW Canada store or through DSW’s Canadian online operation must be returned through the applicable Canadian channels.

DSW’s U.S. operation does not accept returns or exchanges for merchandise purchased from a DSW Canada store or the Canadian website.

This distinction is important when an item was purchased while traveling or ordered through a different country’s DSW operation.

Mistaken Returns

Be careful when packing a mail return, particularly if you are processing several online returns at the same time.

DSW instructs customers to send the correct and complete merchandise because DSW must receive the appropriate returned item before issuing the applicable refund.

DSW states that mistakenly sent merchandise is not stored and may instead be donated or recycled when appropriate and possible.

If you accidentally send an unrelated item to DSW, contact customer service as soon as possible. DSW does not guarantee that the mistakenly returned item can be found and states that compensation is not provided for incorrect items sent to it.

How to Track Your Return and Refund

For mailed returns, retain your carrier or FedEx drop-off confirmation until DSW completes the return.

The proof of handoff can help establish when the package entered the return-shipping process if there is a delay.

Remember that DSW’s stated 7–10 business-day processing period begins after DSW receives the returned product, not necessarily on the day you hand the package to the carrier.

For an online exchange, DSW provides confirmation and tracking information when the replacement item ships.

Common Reasons a DSW Return May Be Denied

A return can fail to qualify when it conflicts with DSW’s published return conditions. Examples include:

• Merchandise marked FINAL SALE
• Standard merchandise that has been worn
• An opened specialty product that becomes final sale
• A specialty product submitted through an unsupported online return channel
• A store purchase being sent to dsw.com
• A DoorDash or Uber purchase that does not satisfy its separate return requirements
• An exchange involving merchandise that does not meet applicable condition requirements

DSW also expressly reserves the right to limit returns or exchanges regardless of whether the customer has a receipt.

What to Do If Your DSW Return Is Denied

First, determine why the return did not qualify rather than assuming every purchase follows the standard 60-day rule.

Check:

1. Whether the item is marked final sale.
2. Whether it is a specialty product with opening or seal restrictions.
3. Whether it was purchased from a store, dsw.com, DoorDash, Uber, or DSW Canada.
4. Whether you have the original receipt or shipping invoice.
5. Whether the merchandise satisfies DSW’s condition requirements.
6. Whether you are attempting to use the correct return channel.

If the issue remains unclear, contact DSW customer service and provide the available order or purchase information.

How to Contact DSW About a Return

DSW lists 866-DSW-SHOES as its customer-service phone number.

Its published customer-service hours are:

• Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.–10 p.m. ET
• Saturday: 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET
• Sunday: 12 p.m.–9 p.m. ET

DSW also provides customer support through live chat and email.

Because support details and operating hours can change, confirm current information directly with DSW when contacting the company about a time-sensitive return.

Tips for a Smoother DSW Return

• Return within 60 days when possible. That preserves eligibility for the standard original-payment refund when all other requirements are satisfied.
• Do not wear footwear you may return. Standard return eligibility generally requires merchandise to remain unworn.
• Keep the original packaging. It is part of DSW’s stated requirements for a standard original-payment refund.
• Save your receipt or shipping invoice. Without it, the return can be converted to merchandise credit based on the item’s current selling price.
• Return eligible online orders in store when convenient. In-store returns are free, while DSW’s prepaid mail-return method costs $8.50.
• Check for a FINAL SALE designation. Final-sale merchandise cannot be returned or exchanged.
• Do not open restricted specialty products unnecessarily. Opening or breaking the seal on certain specialty merchandise makes it final sale.
• Keep FedEx or carrier proof. Save the drop-off record until the refund is completed.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Days Do I Have to Return Something to DSW?

Most eligible DSW merchandise can be returned within 60 days of the original purchase date under the standard U.S. return policy. Different rules apply to final-sale merchandise and purchases made through DoorDash or Uber.

Can I Return Shoes to DSW After 60 Days?

DSW states that a return made after 60 days with the original sales receipt or shipping invoice is issued as merchandise credit, rather than refunded to the original payment method. The merchandise must still satisfy applicable return requirements.

Can I Return Something to DSW Without a Receipt?

Yes, qualifying receiptless returns can receive merchandise credit equal to the item’s current selling price. A valid ID is required, and DSW may limit the number of returns made without an original receipt or shipping invoice.

Can I Return a DSW Online Order to a Store?

Yes. Eligible merchandise purchased at dsw.com can generally be returned to a U.S. DSW store. However, merchandise originally purchased in a DSW store cannot be returned through dsw.com.

Are DSW Returns Free?

In-store returns are free. DSW charges $8.50 when its prepaid mail-return label is used, and the fee is deducted from the refund. Its paperless FedEx drop-off option is also listed at $8.50.

Can I Return Worn Shoes to DSW?

DSW’s standard policy requires merchandise to be unworn for the regular return process. Do not assume worn shoes qualify simply because they are still within the 60-day return period.

How Long Does a DSW Refund Take?

DSW says to allow 7–10 business days after it receives the returned product to process the return and credit qualifying funds to the original payment method. Shipping time before DSW receives a mailed return is separate.

Does DSW Exchange Shoes for a Different Size?

Yes. DSW permits direct exchanges for the same item in another size or color. If you want a different product instead, the standard procedure is to return the original item and place a new order.

Conclusion

The standard U.S. DSW return policy provides 60 days from the original purchase date for most eligible returns. For a full refund to the original payment method, keep the merchandise unworn, retain its original packaging, and bring or include the original receipt or shipping invoice.

In-store returns are free, while DSW’s prepaid mail-return and paperless FedEx options cost $8.50. Final-sale items cannot be returned, certain specialty products have strict opening restrictions, and DoorDash and Uber purchases follow a separate 30-day merchandise-credit policy.

Before returning an item, check its purchase channel, condition, final-sale status, and proof of purchase so you use the correct DSW return method.