Back Market Return Policy: 30 Days to Change Your Mind — and a 1-Year Warranty Behind It
Back Market sells refurbished tech through independent professional sellers, and its published return policy has two layers. The first is simple: once you receive your order, you have 30 days from the date you received the item to change your mind for any reason and return it — Back Market’s own help pages call these 30-day free returns — for a full refund or an exchange, as long as the item is undamaged.
The second layer begins where the first ends: every item is covered by a 1-year warranty provided by the seller, starting on the date of delivery, covering defects in materials and workmanship in hardware or software. Under the warranty the seller repairs first, then replaces, and refunds in full only if neither is possible.
Refunds go back to the original payment method — 7 business days for cards, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay once issued. There are no stores and no receipts in the paper sense: everything runs through your Back Market account, and the one chore that really matters is logging the device out of your iCloud, Google or Samsung account before it goes back — skip that, Back Market warns, and your refund will be delayed.
RETURN PERIOD – 30 days from the date you received the item, for any reason — free returns
CONDITION – Undamaged, with all accessories that came with it, and logged out of your iCloud, Google or Samsung account and eSIM
WARRANTY – 1 year from delivery, provided by the seller — hardware and software defects, repaired, replaced or refunded
REFUNDS – To the original payment method — 7 business days for cards, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay; 10 for Klarna and Affirm
Return Windows at a Glance
| Category | Return window | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Change of mind | 30 days from the date you received the item | Free returns; full refund or exchange; item must be undamaged |
| Faulty or damaged-on-arrival items | 30 days, then the warranty | Start via your account > “Orders” > “Get help” |
| Warranty claims (defects) | 1 year from the date of delivery | Seller repairs first, then replaces, then refunds if neither is possible |
| Services bought with the device (insurance, mobile plans) | The provider’s own terms | The 30-day free returns do not govern these — the service provider’s cancellation terms apply |
| Refund timing — cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay | After the refund is issued | 7 business days, set by your payment method and bank |
| Refund timing — Klarna / Affirm | After the refund is issued | 10 business days; Affirm up to 45 days if paid with a virtual card |
How to Return an Item to Back Market
- Start inside the 30 days. Log in to your Back Market account, go to “Orders” > “Get help” and follow the prompts to open a service request. Back Market confirms your return details within 1 business day, and you receive an email with the return label and instructions.
- Photograph the device. Take clear, bright photos showing the item from all sides — for a phone or tablet, the screen on, the screen off, the back and every edge — and attach them in the same conversation, so there is no dispute about its condition later.
- Back up, wipe and log out. Sellers test returned devices and may fully restore them, so back up and remove your data first. Then disconnect the device from your iCloud, Google or Samsung account and delete any eSIM — Back Market is blunt that you must deactivate your accounts and eSIM to return successfully, and a still-active account significantly delays your refund or exchange.
- Pack it like it matters. Put a printed proof of purchase from your account — or a handwritten note with your name, order number and order date — inside the package. Include all the accessories that came with the device (charger, cables), remove your own case (it cannot be returned to you), and use a strong box with proper padding, never an envelope: Back Market warns that poor packing can cost you the refund.
- Ship it with UPS — within 14 days. The return label is a UPS label — drop the package at a drop-off point or schedule a pickup, and use the QR code to print the label at a UPS Store if you have no printer. Do not sit on it: the label is only valid for 14 days from when you asked for help. Keep your drop-off proof and send Back Market the tracking number so they can alert the seller.
- Let the seller work to their deadline. Once the seller confirms receipt, they must meet set deadlines to repair, replace or refund. If a deadline passes with no update, you are refunded in full — provided no signs of liquid damage, impact or third-party handling are found.
How Long Do You Have to Return Items to Back Market?
30 days from the date you received the item — not from the order date, and not from the shipping date. Inside those 30 days the reason does not matter: wrong colour, second thoughts, a device that simply is not for you. Two limits define the window. The item must be undamaged — the change-of-mind route is for items coming back as they arrived — and the window is a start line, not a shipping deadline: you must start the return by contacting Back Market Customer Care within the 30 days. Once day 30 passes, change-of-mind returns are no longer available at all. What survives is the warranty: if the item is defective and still within its 1 year from delivery, you may be offered a repair or replacement, or a refund if both are impossible. The one category outside both systems is services purchased with the device — insurance, mobile plans and the like follow the service provider’s own cancellation or return terms, which may differ from the 30-day returns.
What Condition Must a Back Market Return Be In?
Back Market’s condition rules are less about cosmetic perfection — these are refurbished devices, sold in graded cosmetic conditions — and more about damage and access. For a change-of-mind return the item must be undamaged: no new significant physical damage such as a broken screen, and no oxidation (liquid damage). For any return, three preparation rules decide whether it succeeds:
- Accounts disconnected. The device must be logged out of your iCloud, Google or Samsung account, with any eSIM deleted. A locked device cannot be tested, repaired or resold, and Back Market states your refund will be delayed if it arrives still signed in.
- Data removed. Back up and wipe the device before sending; sellers run a full series of tests and may completely restore it, and they cannot back your data up for you.
- Accessories included, your extras removed. Include all accessories that came with the device — charger, cables and so on. Remove your own protective case, because it will not be returned to you. (Leave a screen protector on: it protects the device in transit.)
The warranty applies the same logic more strictly. It does not cover significant physical damage, oxidation, or an item that has been opened, repaired or tampered with by anyone not authorised by the seller — and an out-of-warranty item sent in anyway is simply returned to you unrepaired.
What Can’t Be Returned to Back Market?
- Anything after day 30 on a change of mind — the free-return window closes completely; only warranty defects continue
- Damaged items under the change-of-mind route — the 30-day return is for undamaged items; a broken screen or liquid damage falls outside both the return and the warranty
- Items repaired or opened by a third party — unauthorised repair or tampering voids the 1-year warranty
- Devices still signed into your accounts — an active iCloud, Google or Samsung account or eSIM prevents the seller from processing the return and delays any refund
- Services bought alongside the device — insurance and mobile plans are governed by the provider’s own terms, not Back Market’s 30-day returns
- Your own accessories — a case or other extra of yours sent in the box cannot be returned to you
How Are Refunds Issued and How Long Do They Take?
A change-of-mind return inside the 30 days is refunded in full, and a warranty claim ends in a refund when the seller cannot repair or replace the item — in that case the refund is automatic. Either way, the money goes back to the original payment method: the credit or debit card you paid with, or the PayPal account you paid from. Once the refund is issued, the timetable belongs to your payment method and bank, and Back Market publishes the estimates openly: 7 business days for credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay; 10 business days for Klarna; 10 business days for Affirm, up to 45 days if you paid with a virtual card. Paid with a voucher or promo code? Contact Customer Care — Back Market generates a new code for the same amount. If a refund seems lost, it is traceable: every refund carries an ARN (Acquirer Reference Number) your bank can use to find it, available in your order conversation, and Back Market answers refund queries within 1 business day. One protection is worth knowing: if the carrier loses your return package, the seller is still obligated to send a replacement or issue a refund — keep your tracking number and drop-off proof.
How Do Back Market Exchanges and the 1-Year Warranty Work?
Within the first 30 days, an exchange is simply one of the two outcomes of a return: send the undamaged item back and take a full refund or an exchange. After day 30, the exchange idea is replaced by the warranty’s repair ladder, and it is worth understanding because it governs a full year of ownership. The 1-year Commercial Warranty, provided by the seller, runs from the date of delivery and covers defects in materials and workmanship, whether affecting hardware or software — and it is offered in addition to your legal guarantee rights, which it does not affect. When you open a claim through “Orders” > “Get help”, the seller works in a fixed order: repair first; if repair is not possible, replacement with the same item while they have one in stock; if the same model is unavailable, a full refund. The exclusions are the honest fine print of refurbished tech: wear and tear from normal use — expressly including a decrease in battery capacity — is not covered, and neither are significant impact damage or liquid damage, while an item tinkered with by anyone other than the seller loses the warranty altogether.
Back Market Contact Options
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| Start a return or warranty claim | Log in to your account > “Orders” > “Get help” — the only route Back Market publishes for returns |
| Return confirmation | Back Market is in touch within 1 business day to confirm your return details |
| Refund queries | Through the same order conversation; replies within 1 business day |
| Tracing a refund | Ask for the ARN (Acquirer Reference Number) in your order conversation for your bank |
| Full policy | The “Returns and refunds policy” and return guides are published in Back Market’s Help Center at help.backmarket.com |
| Customer Care by phone | +1 718 866 3427 or +1 855 442 6688 (toll-free) — Monday–Saturday, 8 AM–8 PM EST, closed Sundays, as published on Back Market’s official contact page |
| Support email | Back Market publishes no support email for returns on its US pages — contact runs through your account or the Help Center messenger |
Back Market has no stores, so there is no in-store or no-receipt route: your account, your order record and the proof of purchase inside it are the receipt.
Back Market on Social Media
Back Market’s official profiles, as shown in the footer of Back Market’s live US site, include:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backmarket_us
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@backmarket_us
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM6L7gHAZ7C9tN2I6T7nfw
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/back-market/
Back Market does not process returns through social media — every return and warranty claim starts in your account under “Orders” > “Get help”.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Guides
- Walmart Return Policy
- Target Return Policy
- Costco Return Policy
- Amazon Return Policy
- Best Buy Return Policy
- Home Depot Return Policy
- Lowe’s Return Policy
- Kohl’s Return Policy
- Nike Return Policy
- Apple Return Policy
Conclusion
Back Market’s policy is a tale of two clocks. The first 30 days are as generous as refurbished tech gets: change your mind for any reason, return the device undamaged on a supplied UPS label, and take a full refund or an exchange. Then the second clock — the 1-year, seller-provided warranty — takes over with a repair-first ladder that ends in a refund only when repair and replacement both fail, and a clear list of things it will never cover, from battery wear to liquid damage to a third-party repair. The practical rules follow from the design: decide within 30 days, photograph everything, wipe and log out before you pack, and keep your tracking proof. Do those, and Back Market’s own deadlines do the rest.
Disclaimer: Policy Return is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Back Market. Return policies can change at any time; always confirm the current policy on Back Market’s official website before making a return.
Checked against Back Market’s published policy on 1 November 2026. Policies change; the retailer’s official page is the final word.
