Regret Your Black Friday Purchase? This Credit Card Perk Might Save You

Everyone knows Black Friday can get a little wild, what with people fighting over TVs like they're the last cans of food in the apocalypse. So it's totally understandable if you made a snap decision to buy something without thinking it through. It happens. But now you have to decide what to do.

Ideally, the store you bought it from has a generous return policy and you can just take it back. But that's not always the case. That doesn't mean you're stuck with that impulse buy, though. If you have access to the following credit card perk, the store's return policy may not matter.

No returns, no problem

Return protection is one of the most underrated credit card perks around. It essentially enables you to get reimbursed for select purchases, even if the merchant refuses to take it back. But, of course, there are rules.

First, in order to qualify, you must have made the purchase with the credit card that has the return protection. There are usually per-item and per-year dollar limits, so you may not be able to use it for expensive items or to return a bunch of merchandise. And of course, the item still has to be in the original purchased condition.

Most credit card policies often exclude certain items from return protection, including:

• Live plants and animals
• Custom or one-of-a-kind items
• Perishable items
• Firearms
• Motorized vehicles
• Jewelry
• Tickets
• Medical equipment
• Items bought through online auction sites

You can view a full list of omissions in your cardholder agreement. It's a good idea to check this before you attempt to use your return protection, so you don't waste your time trying to return an excluded item.

How to get your money back

To use return protection, you must contact your credit card issuer and notify it of the situation. Typically, you must do this within 90 days of the purchase date. The credit card issuer will then request any documents it needs to verify your claim. This usually includes the following three items:

1. A receipt proving you purchased the item in the first place
2. A credit card statement proving you charged that item to your credit card
3. Proof that you attempted to return the item to the seller but were unable to do so

The credit card issuer will review all your documents and, if everything looks good, it will credit you the cost of the item to your card. However, you may be required to send the item to the card issuer, and the whole process could take a few weeks.

Credit cards that include return protection

Return protection isn't available with every credit card. If you want it for your future purchases, consider one of the following credit cards:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, see rates and fees)
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply, see rates and fees)
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (terms apply, see rates and fees)
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (terms apply, see rates and fees)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®

But before you apply for a new card, it doesn't hurt to check the cards that are already in your wallet to see if you have this protection. And if you have any questions about how return protection works, don't be afraid to reach out to the issuer with questions.