How to Return a Gift Bought on Someone Else's Account
Learn how to return gifts bought on another account using gift receipts and store return paths.
You can return a gift bought on someone else's account without signing into that account. Ask the giver for the gift receipt or order details, then use that retailer's gift-return or store-return path. A gift receipt is the return slip tied to the giver's order.
The return window still runs from the day the giver bought it. Check that date early so you do not miss the cutoff.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 03, 2026.
What should you ask the giver for?
Ask for the gift receipt first. It lets the store trace the giver's order. If there is no slip, ask for the order number and purchase date.
About Amazon reports a giver can email a gift receipt after purchase through Share Gift Receipt, even when the item was not marked as a gift. That message can unblock a return when the box arrived without a slip.
- the gift receipt or 17-digit order number
- the purchase date and store name
- whether the order was online and needs account access
How do you return an Amazon gift?
For an Amazon gift, start in the Returns Center. Amazon Customer Service says a recipient can start the return there with the 17-digit order number Return a Gift. That number comes from the packing slip or digital gift receipt.
You do not need to sign into the giver's account. If the box arrived without a slip, ask the giver to send the digital receipt. About Amazon reports the giver can email it after purchase through Share Gift Receipt, even when the item was not marked as a gift.
Use that email to start the same Returns Center flow.
What if it was ordered on Walmart.com?
For a gift ordered on Walmart.com with another person's account, the online path starts in that account. Walmart Help Center explains the flow runs from Purchase History through View details and Start a return Start an Online Return. Without the giver's order access, you cannot start that online form yourself.
In that case, ask the giver to start the return for you. Or take the gift-receipt or store path instead. Do not create a second online claim for the same item.
How do store returns work without a receipt?
A store can sometimes take a gift without any receipt. Walmart Help Center states a recipient without a receipt must show valid government photo ID for matching against Walmart's secure return database before the return is accepted Refunds. If that check passes, Walmart Help Center lists three outcomes.
You can exchange the item, take a Walmart gift card, or, when available, send the item to the manufacturer for repair. The associate will tell you which option fits your item.
What are Target's gift return limits?
Target ties a gift to the original purchase date. Target states most Target-sold items have 90 days, while Target-owned-brand items have 365 days with a receipt Target Return Policy. Ask for the purchase date so you know which window applies.
Some items cannot come back. Target lists gift cards, trading cards, digital downloads, and open breast pumps as barred returns. For an in-store return without paper, the app Wallet barcode lets a recipient finish the return.