B&H’s general new-product return window is 30 days from delivery with an RMA and complete new-condition merchandise. Opened TVs/monitors 37 inches and larger and selected opened products are excluded. Missing or transit-damaged items must be reported within two business days. Ordinary return postage is paid by the customer. Used gear uses a separate purchase-based policy.
How to start a return
In a store
- Bring eligible complete merchandise and purchase proof to the NYC SuperStore Returns Department.
- Use the 34th Street return entrance and confirm current hours and handling for bulky items.
- Keep the completed return receipt until the payment credit appears.
Online or by mail
- Find the order or use guest lookup, then submit the RMA request.
- Pack the item, invoice, original materials and included extras in a protective outer carton.
- Use the RMA destination, insured tracked shipping and retain proof of acceptance.
What is B&H Photo Video’s return window?
B&H’s general policy allows an eligible return within 30 days of delivery, subject to its condition requirements and exclusions. Use the delivery record for a new-product purchase rather than assuming the clock starts at checkout or when you first use the equipment.
The separate used-equipment policy is different: it gives 30 days from purchase after obtaining an RMA. Check whether your invoice identifies the item as new or used before calculating the deadline. A manufacturer warranty is also separate from the store’s return period.
Inspect the order promptly. Missing items and transit damage have a much shorter reporting deadline of two business days after receipt, so the general 30-day headline is not the right deadline for reporting a damaged carton. Save the invoice, delivery information and packaging while deciding, especially for a product category that becomes nonreturnable when unsealed.
| Decision | Rule to check |
|---|---|
| Return window | 30 days from delivery; used gear from purchase |
| Shipping or fees | Customer-paid return postage; RMA-label cost deducted; verified defect/damage postage reimbursed |
| Main exceptions | Opened TVs/monitors 37 inches+; opened software/consumables; downloads; custom-built computers; submerged underwater gear; selected special orders |
How do you get a B&H return authorization?
Start in My Account/My Orders, filter for orders eligible for return, open the order details and choose Start a Return. B&H also provides a guest-order lookup for a single order placed online, by phone, chat or in the store. You can initiate a return or exchange by phone or live chat as well.
Complete the Return Merchandise Authorization, or RMA, request before sending the parcel. The authorization connects the merchandise, reason and destination to your purchase. Keep the RMA confirmation and follow its packing and label instructions rather than using an address copied from a different manufacturer’s warranty page.
A camera may include several separately identifiable accessories or promotional items. Check the invoice against the authorized contents before packing. If the order is not shown as eligible or the product has a special restriction, contact B&H’s customer-service team with the order information instead of shipping without an identified return.
What condition and packaging does B&H require?
The general policy requires the merchandise to be in new condition, in its original unaltered box, with packing materials, blank warranty cards, manuals, accessories and accompanying free items. Keep the retail packaging intact and use an outer shipping carton so labels and carrier handling do not alter the product box itself.
This is more specific than merely having the main device. A missing cable, manual, accessory or bundle piece can change the result, even when the item is inside the deadline. B&H may refuse a return that does not meet the conditions or apply a restocking charge.
Check everything before packing: the item, its identifying information, accessories and invoice should match the RMA. For electronics holding personal data, the policy also requires a factory reset or password-unlocked state. That data requirement is separate from physical condition; both matter when preparing the return.
Does B&H charge a restocking fee?
B&H reserves the right to refuse a return or charge a minimum 15% restocking fee if its general return conditions are not met. That is not the same as saying every ordinary compliant return automatically incurs 15%, or that 15% is the maximum deduction.
For illustration, a 15% charge on a $1,000 item would be $150. The actual decision and basis depend on the returned item and the applicable terms; the example is not a quote for an RMA. Returning incomplete packaging or equipment that no longer satisfies the required condition can expose you to refusal instead of just a predictable fee.
Used equipment has its own wording: a condition different from the condition as sold can lead to refusal or a 15% fee. Check the correct new-versus-used policy and ask about any identified missing part before mailing it, when you still have the opportunity to locate that piece.
Can you return an opened TV or monitor to B&H?
B&H lists TVs and monitors 37 inches and larger as nonreturnable when the original packaging is unsealed or opened. Do not treat an opened large screen like an ordinary small accessory simply because the purchase is less than 30 days old.
Check the exact screen size and keep the seals intact until you understand that category’s rule. The exclusion is tied to opening or unsealing, so having every cable and stand afterward does not automatically restore an ordinary change-of-mind return.
If a screen arrives damaged, retain the shipping materials and report the actual transit issue promptly. The separate policy for damaged or defective merchandise gives B&H discretion over the remedy; it does not justify promising a normal preference refund for an opened excluded product. Photograph the carton and screen condition, and obtain instructions before repacking or arranging a carrier pickup.
Can opened software, ink or other consumables be returned to B&H?
The nonreturnable list includes computer software and consumables once the original packaging is opened or unsealed. B&H’s examples include film, tapes, paper, bulbs, CDs, DVDs and ink cartridges. Educational tapes and books are also listed in that opened-or-unsealed group.
Electronic software downloads have a separate outright exclusion. Do not assume a downloadable license can be refunded in the same way as an unopened physical product, and do not activate or unseal a purchase while still deciding whether it is the right version.
Check the item listing as well as the general policy. A product can carry an explicit nonreturnable notice, and a manufacturer’s support or warranty process can differ from B&H’s refund route. If the item is defective or the wrong merchandise arrived, report that precise problem to customer service; selecting an ordinary preference reason does not explain the separate issue.
What other B&H products are nonreturnable?
The general exclusions include computers built or modified by B&H to customer specifications, underwater equipment that has been submerged, selected special-order merchandise, and items identified on the website as nonreturnable. Electronic software downloads are also excluded.
Those details matter before you customize a system or take underwater gear into the water. A standard 30-day return headline should not be interpreted as an opportunity to use a product in a way that triggers its specific exclusion. Read the individual listing and order confirmation before committing to an unusual configuration or special order.
If you need equipment for a particular camera, workstation or installation, check compatibility before opening or modifying it. For a defect concern, contact B&H about the appropriate remedy rather than assuming the standard return program accepts every excluded category. Keep the invoice and original listing information so the customer-service team can identify the purchase terms.
How quickly must you report B&H shipping damage or missing items?
Claims for missing merchandise or items damaged in transit must reach B&H within two business days of receipt. That reporting period is much shorter than the ordinary new-product return window. Inspect the parcel and contents as soon as practical instead of waiting until you are ready to use the gear.
Keep the shipping carton, label, packing material and invoice. Photographs can help show whether the carton was damaged or which advertised components are absent. Contact customer service with the order and explain the actual shipment problem before sending back only part of a kit.
For verified defective or damaged items, B&H says return-shipping fees will be reimbursed. Verification matters: the policy does not make all buyer-preference returns free. Preserve the RMA, shipping receipt and tracking in case you need to show the expense associated with the authorized damage return.
Will B&H refund or replace a defective item?
B&H says a defective item may be repaired, exchanged or refunded at its discretion, with the same model or a manufacturer’s equivalent model used where applicable. A defect therefore does not promise that the buyer alone can select cash back, a brand-new different model or a particular replacement outcome.
Describe the fault accurately when requesting the RMA. Include useful details about what fails, which supplied parts were tested and whether the problem appeared on arrival. Keep the equipment complete and avoid a repair or modification that could change its condition before B&H explains the route.
The two-business-day rule separately applies to transit damage and missing-item claims. A later manufacturer warranty issue should not be confused with that initial shipment-reporting requirement. If you are beyond the ordinary return period, ask which warranty or service process applies rather than assuming the store return window starts over when you discover a problem.
Who pays for a B&H mail return, and where should it be sent?
For an ordinary return, the customer pays return shipping. You can use the label supplied with the RMA, with its shipping cost deducted from the refund, or buy a label from your chosen carrier. The policy does not publish one flat return-label price for every product.
B&H recommends insured ground shipping with tracking and says it is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged return packages. Pack the item and invoice in the original product packaging inside a protective outer carton. Keep your acceptance receipt and tracking rather than treating label creation as proof of shipment.
The general mail-return address is B&H Photo Video Inc., Attn: Return Department, 290 Daniels Way, Burlington, NJ 08016-2141. Confirm the address on the current RMA. The mail warehouse is different from the New York walk-in returns entrance, so choose the destination that matches your authorized route.
Can you return a B&H online order in person?
B&H permits in-person returns at the Returns Department of its New York SuperStore. The return entrance is on 34th Street, around the corner from the main entrance. The used-equipment instructions identify the side entrance at 366 West 34th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.
Bring the complete eligible item and invoice or order information, and check current store hours before traveling. A walk-in visit does not override the product’s condition requirements, the deadline or the exclusions for opened large screens and other restricted categories.
This can be a practical alternative to paying parcel postage when you are near the store. Keep the completed return receipt so you can distinguish acceptance at the counter from the time a bank takes to display the credit. For bulky or restricted equipment, ask customer service about handling before transporting it to an entrance that may not suit that item.
How long does a B&H refund take?
The general policy says B&H credits the account after receiving and inspecting the return, and asks customers to allow five to seven days for the credit to appear. In most cases the refund uses the original purchase method. That is separate from the time your parcel spends traveling to the return department.
Check purchases have an additional timing rule: a refund check is not issued sooner than 10 business days after purchase. Do not read that as a promise that a check always arrives on the tenth business day.
Used merchandise has its own page asking for seven to 10 days for a credit-card statement credit. Use the policy matching the item’s condition classification. If a refund seems late, have the RMA, delivery scan and completed return information ready when contacting 800-221-5743 or official live chat, rather than opening a duplicate return for merchandise already received.
How do B&H exchanges work?
B&H allows an exchange request through its online, phone or live-chat return process. Its general policy asks customers to allow three to five business days for a mailed exchange to be processed. Shipping time to and from the return department is a separate part of the overall wait.
Identify the item and requested outcome when creating the RMA. A defective-item remedy can be subject to B&H’s discretion and may use the same model or the manufacturer’s equivalent, rather than any different product you prefer.
Check availability before assuming a replacement is reserved. If you need equipment for a scheduled event or work commitment, ask how the exchange will be handled before sending away the only item you have. Keep the original order, authorization and replacement paperwork together so you can track which transaction represents the return and which represents the outgoing replacement.
Do you need to return B&H’s free gifts and bundle accessories?
Yes, return the associated free items if you want the full eligible refund. B&H deducts the retail value of promotional items you keep, as well as applicable shipping charges. Refunds are limited to the original purchase price, and ordinary shipping fees are nonrefundable.
For illustration, keeping a bundled accessory can make the net refund smaller than the main product’s invoice price. The actual deduction depends on the promotional item and transaction; do not assume the accessory has zero value just because its line was advertised as free.
Before sealing the parcel, compare the RMA and invoice with the whole kit: chargers, cables, manuals, blank warranty cards and promotional extras should be accounted for. If one item was missing at delivery, report that promptly rather than trying to return an incomplete kit without explaining why it is incomplete.
Does B&H use a different policy for used equipment?
Yes. The dedicated used policy gives 30 days from purchase, after obtaining an RMA, and requires the merchandise to be in the same condition as sold with all included accessories. That differs from the general new-product policy’s delivery-based deadline and new-condition requirement.
If the returned condition differs, B&H may refuse it or charge a 15% restocking fee. Used equipment also carries a stated 90-day parts-and-labor warranty, but a warranty period is not an extension of the preference-return deadline.
For a used return, call customer service or use live chat to obtain the RMA, include the invoice and reason, and keep tracking. Missing or damaged merchandise still has the two-business-day reporting rule. Keep the used item’s condition description with the purchase record so you and the retailer can distinguish its original disclosed wear from a change after purchase.
What should you do with personal data before returning B&H electronics?
B&H requires electronics containing user-profile data to be factory reset or password unlocked before return. Back up information you want to keep and remove personal files and account access as appropriate for the device. Follow its official reset instructions rather than leaving private material on the product for someone else to remove.
The retailer disclaims responsibility for personal data and items left in returned merchandise. Check memory-card slots, attached storage and the box for your own belongings before packing. Return the accessories that came with the order, while keeping personal extras that are not part of the authorized return.
A data reset does not fix a physical eligibility problem or make an opened excluded product returnable. Complete both parts of preparation: the device’s data state and the package’s condition and contents. If it cannot be reset because it is defective, explain that issue to customer service before shipping.
Need help with a return?
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Citations
Sources reviewed October 21, 2026. If B&H Photo Video updates its rules, its current policy applies. See how we verify.