Lowe's Open Box and Scratch and Dent Rules
Lowe's sells cosmetically damaged and returned items at Lowe's Outlet stores, where sales are final except defective major appliances within 48 hours.
By Olivia HarperContributing writer. Policy checked .
On this page
Store policies change. This is a summary in our own words of the Outlet section of Lowe's Returns help page, its Lowest Price Guarantee page and its Everyday Military Discount page, read on October 26, 2026. The official pages are the ones that apply; check them before you buy.
Where Lowe's sells open box and scratch and dent items
Lowe's return policy has a separate section for Lowe's Outlet locations. Lowe's says items sold there may have cosmetic damage or may have been returned before, and it asks shoppers to inspect everything closely before buying. That is where Lowe's own pages place its scratch and dent and previously returned stock.
The pages we read do not list Outlet addresses or a separate open box section online, so call your local Lowe's or check the store finder on Lowes.com to see whether an Outlet is near you.
The Outlet return rules
| Rule | What Lowe's says |
|---|---|
| General rule | All sales are final, apart from the permitted return below |
| Permitted return | Major appliances with a mechanical or electrical defect that makes them not work |
| Time limit | Within 48 hours of taking possession of the item |
| Not accepted | Cosmetic damage, wrong size, or damage that happened after purchase or delivery |
| Where to return | Only the same Outlet, not a regular Lowe's store or another Outlet |
| Proof | A valid proof of purchase is required for a refund or store credit |
Lowe's defines major appliances here as refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, ranges, hoods, dishwashers, over-the-range microwaves, cooktops, wall ovens, and washer and dryer pedestals. Anything else bought at an Outlet, such as a grill or a vanity, cannot come back under these rules.
It works the other way too: items bought at a regular Lowe's store cannot be returned to an Outlet. Regular store purchases follow the standard policy, under which most new, unused items can be returned with proof of purchase within 90 days.
Discounts and price matching
- Lowest Price Guarantee: Lowe's does not price match discontinued, used, refurbished, open-box, clearance, closeout or damaged items.
- Military discount: Lowe's Everyday Military Discount covers full-price items only. It does not apply to sale items or to major appliances and their parts.
Before you buy a scratch and dent appliance
- Look over every side, door, shelf and control, since cosmetic damage cannot be returned.
- Measure the space and the doorways first; a wrong size is not a reason for a return.
- Plug in or test the appliance as soon as it arrives, so a defect is found inside the 48 hours.
- Keep the receipt; the Outlet will not take a return without it.
- For defects that show up later, Lowe's general returns page points to its Service Advantage line at 1-888-775-6937 and says repairs covered by the manufacturer's warranty cost nothing. Ask at the Outlet whether a warranty comes with the item before you buy.
Sources
Returns, Refunds and Exchanges, Lowest Price Guarantee and Everyday Military Discount, Lowe's. Policy checked October 26, 2026.