The return window on your receipt is rarely the whole story. Some retailers count days from delivery, not purchase; some pay for the label back and some don't; and a handful of product categories can void your refund no matter how many days are left on the clock. Nordstrom currently advertises no time limit at all, while Sephora and ASOS run on fixed windows with their own carve-outs for opened, worn, or hygiene-sealed items. Reading the actual policy page before you buy, not after, is the only way to know which rules apply to your order.
Below is what three retailers' own return pages say, as of August 20, 2026, with the deadlines, who pays shipping, and the items that get excluded even inside the window.
Does "30 days" mean 30 days from when I bought it, or when it arrived?
It depends on the retailer, and the difference matters if an order takes a week to ship. ASOS starts its clock at delivery: its policy states a customer gets a refund "if you return an item within 28 days of the item being delivered to you or made available for collection." Sephora's window is 30 days, and its policy frames it around the purchase rather than a delivery date. Nordstrom sidesteps the question entirely — its return policy page states plainly, "there are no time limits for returns or exchanges," and the retailer says it handles most requests case by case rather than against a fixed deadline.
Who pays to ship the item back?
This is where the three retailers diverge most, and it's the number most shoppers never check before ordering something they might send back. Sephora absorbs the cost: its policy says online orders "can be easily returned for FREE (no return shipping or handling fees)" through a prepaid label or an in-store drop-off. Nordstrom does the same, providing what its policy describes as "a prepaid shipping label to print at home" or a QR code usable at USPS and FedEx locations. ASOS puts the cost on the shopper — its policy states that "returned items are your responsibility until they reach us," and delivery charges are explicitly non-refundable, so a customer mailing something back pays for that postage out of pocket.
Will I get charged a restocking fee?
Not at any of the three retailers examined here. Nordstrom's policy answers the question directly with a one-word "No." Sephora's and ASOS's policies don't mention a restocking fee at all, which functions the same way in practice: nothing is deducted from the refund for the act of returning an eligible item. That's not universal across retail — plenty of stores outside this sample charge a percentage on electronics or furniture — so it's worth checking a specific retailer's policy page rather than assuming the rule carries over.
What items are excluded even if I'm inside the window?
Every one of these policies carves out categories that don't follow the general rule, and beauty and hygiene items are the most common trap. Sephora's policy allows "new or gently used products," meaning an opened lipstick or worn foundation is generally still returnable — but it lists "certain Sephora Favorites Kits and some intimate care items" as final sale, along with gift cards. ASOS is stricter on hygiene grounds: its policy excludes Face + Body products, underwear, and swimwear once a hygiene seal is broken, along with pierced jewelry and face coverings with tampered seals, plus anything marked "Final Sale" or worn. Nordstrom's exclusions run toward high-value categories instead — fine jewelry has to go back in a store rather than by mail, pre-owned Watchfinder & Co. items are ineligible for refund or exchange entirely, and special-occasion dresses and designer pieces must be unworn with tags and original packaging intact.
What's the actual process for sending something back?
- Find the retailer's return policy page — not a search result or a third-party summary — and confirm the window and any category exclusions before you start.
- Check the item against the excluded-categories list. A broken hygiene seal, missing tags, or a final-sale label can void the return regardless of how many days remain.
- Generate the return label through the retailer's own returns portal or order history, rather than guessing at an address.
- Note who's paying for shipping. If the retailer doesn't cover the cost, weigh that against the refund amount before mailing back a low-value item.
- Keep proof of postage or a drop-off receipt until the refund posts — ASOS's policy specifically notes the shopper is responsible for the item until it's received back.
How the three compare at a glance
| Retailer | Return window | Who pays return shipping | Restocking fee | Notable exclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nordstrom | No stated time limit | Nordstrom (prepaid label) | None | Fine jewelry must be returned in-store; pre-owned Watchfinder items are final |
| Sephora | 30 days | Sephora (free) | None mentioned | Certain kits and intimate-care items are final sale |
| ASOS | 28 days from delivery | Customer | None mentioned | Broken hygiene seals on Face + Body, underwear, and swimwear void the return |
None of this is a reason to skip a purchase — it's a reason to spend two minutes on the policy page for whichever retailer you're buying from before checkout, especially for beauty items with hygiene seals or anything marked final sale. The window that matters is the one written on that store's own page, dated the day you read it, since retailers do revise these policies.
For a related value perspective, read How to tell if that “was” price is actually real.
For more context, read How online returns actually work — and what the law requires.