General Refund Policy

Any returns falling within the guidelines below are gladly accepted. Shipping costs are NON-REFUNDABLE.

All Returns & Exchanges Require a Cash Register Receipt

With each online order, you receive two receipts; one digital, when your order is processed, and one physical, enclosed in the box with your shipment. We recommend that you hold onto these receipts for your records. Please check your spam folder if you cannot locate the digital receipt in your inbox. If you are gifting the item to someone, you can also request a gift receipt during the checkout process so the recipient can exchange the gift if needed. The recipient will require a gift receipt or a copy of the original receipt to make an exchange.

If you paid for your Campus Store order using a chartfield account, we have a Chartfield Account Receipt Lookup request form.

  • TEXTBOOK REFUND DEADLINE:

    2025 Winter Term

    Last day to return Undergrad, Grad & MBA Fall Term textbooks 
    Physical textbooks must be returned (or postmarked if shipping) by

    Thursday, January 16, 2025

    McMaster Continuing Education (MCE) Text Returns
    Last day for MCE text returns is two weeks from the start of the first class.

  • CALCULATION OF RETURN TIMELINES:

    In-Store Purchases & Online Orders for Click & Collect Pick-up

    All of the return timelines noted below apply to both in-store and online purchases. The date of purchase is clearly marked at the top of your receipt (physical & digital). The date printed on the receipt is used to calculate return timelines for both in-store purchases and online purchases for click & collect pick-up in-store.

    Online orders for shipment

    Return timelines for purchases made through the Campus Store website for shipment are calculated using the date the purchaser receives the shipment to the date the return package is postmarked, or the goods are physically returned in-store. This date can is referenced in the tracking information provided when a package shipped.

    Holiday Refund Extension

    To accommodate holiday purchases, the refund deadline for Clothing, Giftware, General Books and Stationery will be extended. All purchases made after November 15th will be refunded until the last business day of January.

  • REFUND POLICY - COURSE MATERIALS:

    Physical Textbooks

    Textbooks must be returned in original, unopened packaging and in new condition. Do not write in, mark or read your textbook or open any accompanying software until you are certain about your courses. Textbook refunds are limited to the beginning of each term. Course materials refund dates are posted online and in-store.

    Custom Courseware

    All custom courseware is FINAL SALE and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

    Digital Course Materials - E-Text & Access Codes

    All digital course materials are FINAL SALE and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

    Required Course Supplies & Medical/Surgical Supplies & Instruments

    All stationery and supply items required for a course, as well as medical/surgical supplies and instruments, are FINAL SALE and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

  • REFUND POLICY - STATIONERY, CLOTHING, COMPUTERS, ELECTRONICS & GIFTWARE:

    General stationery, office supplies and merchandise from the Computer Department may be refunded/exchanged within 14 days from the date of purchase (or date shipment of an online order is received), provided it is unused and in the original unopened packaging. In some circumstances, a 10% restocking fee will apply.

    Clothing may be refunded/exchanged within 14 days from the date of purchase (or date shipment of an online order is received), provided it is in the original condition, tags are attached, and it is unwashed and unworn.

    Personal items such as earphones, hats, footwear and undergarments are FINAL SALE and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

    Software is FINAL SALE and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

    All special order merchandise, including regalia, custom size degree frames, configured-to-order, personalized or other customized product, is FINAL SALE and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

    Defective merchandise will be handled in accordance with the manufacturer's warranty. It is the customer's sole responsibility to forward the defective products to the original manufacturer.

  • REFUND POLICY - GENERAL BOOKS & CLINICAL REFERENCE:

    General Reading and Clinical Reference Books may be returned within 14 days of purchase (or date shipment of online order is received), provided that the book is in new condition and HAS NOT BEEN READ. All special order merchandise and test preps are FINAL SALE and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

  • REFUND POLICY - SALE, CLEARANCE & DISCOUNTED MERCHANDISE:

    All Sale, Clearance, or Discounted items are FINAL SALE and cannot be exchanged or refunded. 

  • WHERE CAN I MAKE A RETURN ON CAMPUS?:

    Main Store Service Window: Gilmour Hall (GH) B-101, GPS Coordinates: 43.26320456736503, -79.91851676891689.

    Campus Store Merchandise purchased at this location, online or at pop-up shops around campus can be returned at our Main Store service window located inside our exterior entrance in the basement of Gilmour Hall. Please be sure to check our hours of operation before visiting to ensure we are open.

    If driving to campus, the closest parking lot to our service window is Lot "B," adjacent to the McMaster Student Centre. This lot fills up quickly, so space may not be available; feel free to use any lot that offers visitor parking. For parking rates and additional parking details, please visit the Parking Services website.

    From parking lot "B," the Campus Store exterior entrance is located behind the Student Center (to the west) in the basement of Gilmour Hall. It shares patio space with both the Student Centre and Mills Library, and there is a large BOOKSTORE sign running down the front of Gilmour Hall just above the Campus store exterior entrance in which the service window is located.

  • HOW DO I RETURN MERCHANDISE PURCHASED ONLINE?:

    As noted in the question above, we offer in-person returns at our Main Store location during our hours of operation. If you cannot return the goods in person and need to ship them back to us, you are responsible for covering the shipping cost back to the store. In the case of an exchange, the store will cover the cost of shipping any replacement goods back to you.

    1. Prior to returning your item, please review the information provided on this page to ensure the goods are eligible for a refund and that you are within the return timelines. If shipping a textbook, your box must be postmarked on or before the refund deadline. Anyone shipping an item back to us that is not refundable, as per the information provided on this page, will not receive a refund. These items may be picked up at our Click & Collect location, or you may pay to have them shipped back to you.
    2. If living locally, you can visit us on campus and utilize our in-person returns service during our hours of operation.
    3. If you cannot visit us in person, you are responsible for packing and shipping the merchandise back to the store:
      McMaster Campus Store, Gilmour Hall B101, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8.
      We recommend that you use recorded (trackable) delivery to return items to us as the goods are your responsibility until we receive them. Please include a note with why you are returning the item, in addition to your proof of purchase (receipt or order confirmation email).
    4. Return timelines for purchases made through the Campus Store website for shipment are calculated from the date your shipment arrives (as per tracking notification) to the date that your return package is postmarked. All of the return timelines noted above apply to online orders, so please note these when placing your order. Any returns falling within the guidelines are gladly accepted. Shipping costs are NON-REFUNDABLE.
  • AFTER MAKING A RETURN, WHEN WILL I SEE A CREDIT ON MY ACCOUNT?:

    Refunds processed in-store will generally take 2 to 3 business days to be refunded to the original card.

    If you are shipping a return back to us, the refund will be processed upon our receipt of the physical goods and will appear on your card within 2 to 3 business days.  Shipments arriving at campus may take a few days to make their way to the Campus Store if delivered to Central Receiving v.s. Campus Store receiving, potentially adding 2 to 3 business days to the timing noted above. 

  • HOW DO I EXCHANGE MERCHANDISE PURCHASED ONLINE?:

    Prior to exchanging your item, please review our refund policy to ensure the goods are eligible and that you are within the stated timelines.

    In Person Exchange:

    1. Place an order for the new item you would like to purchase and select the Click & Collect pick-up option during checkout.
    2. Wait to receive your Click & Collect notification via email.
    3. Check our hours of operation to ensure our Click & Collect service is open.
    1. Proceed to the Campus Store with the items you would like to return from your original order along with your receipt. Also, remember to bring your click & collect pick-up notification for your new order
    2. Upon arrival, please follow all COVID protocols.
    3. We will refund the original item for you at our service window and have your new order ready for pick-up at our click & collect location.

    Expedited Shipping Exchange:

    1. Fill out a web order inquiry form with the details of what you would like to exchange. Note: You will need to reorder this item in the correct size/colour on our website, but we will provide you with a free shipping promo code so that you don't have to pay for shipping on this order.
    2. In the case of an exchange, you are responsible for the packing and the shipping of the merchandise back to the store:
      McMaster Campus Store, Gilmour Hall B101, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8.
    3. We recommend that you use recorded delivery to return items to us as the goods are your responsibility until we receive them. Please include a note with why you are returning the item, in addition to your proof of purchase (receipt or order confirmation email). We will process a refund for this item upon receipt of the goods.

    Shipping Exchange of Items Received as a Gift:

    1. When receiving a gift, you did not make the original purchase and, therefore, would not benefit from a refund, eliminating the expedited exchange process. When exchanging a gift, the process is slower as we need to wait for the original goods to arrive back at the store prior to shipping out your exchanged item(s). Please fill out a gift receipt exchange form so that we can confirm that the item(s) are in stock prior to you shipping the items back.
    2. Once we confirm that we have the item(s) in stock, you are responsible for the packing and the shipping of the merchandise back to the store:
      McMaster Campus Store, Gilmour Hall B101, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8.
      We recommend that you use recorded delivery to return items to us as the goods are your responsibility until we receive them.
    3. Please include a copy of the gift receipt along with a copy of the email correspondence with the Campus Store, authorizing the exchange.
    4. Once we receive your shipment, we will send the exchanged item out to you, covering the cost of shipping.
  • WHAT IF COURSE MATERIALS ARE DROPPED FROM THE COURSE BY MY INSTRUCTOR?:

    If your Instructor has dropped a book from their course, then the store will provide you with a prepaid return shipping label so you can send the goods back to us. Please fill out our web order inquiry form with details of the materials affected, and we will contact the Instructor of the course to confirm.

    If you've dropped a course or no longer require a book, but the book is still associated with the course, then you are responsible for covering the cost of shipping the book back to the store.

  • THERE ARE ITEMS MISSING FROM MY ORDER, WHAT DO I DO?:

    If an item is missing from your order, be sure to check if you've been charged for it. If we have an issue with stock availability, we may have removed an item from your order. We do our best to reach out to customers regarding this but may have missed sending you an email. If an item does not appear on your receipt, then you have not been charged for it.

    Frames are shipped directly from the manufacturer and take 4 to 6 weeks to arrive. Merchandise ordered with frames is shipped separately from the store and normally arrives well in advance of your frame shipment. Don't worry, we have your frame shipment all organized, and you will receive an updated tracking number once the frame ships.

    Any error with your order must be reported within three (3) business days.  Please reach out to us using our web order inquiry form with details or the error and we'll contact you to resolve the issue.

  • ITEMS FROM MY ORDER WERE DAMAGED IN SHIPMENT:

    Please fill out a web order inquiry form. Be sure to take photos of any damage to the packaging as well as photos of the damaged merchandise itself. The staff member following up on your inquiry will request these images as they are used in our discussions with the shipping company.  

    Any merchandise damaged in transit must be reported within three (3) business days.  

  • HOW LONG DO YOU HOLD ONTO A CLICK & COLLECT PICK-UP ORDER BEFORE IT'S CONSIDERED ABANDONED?:

    Once an order is processed, an initial click & collect pick-up notification is sent to the email address provided with an order. Two additional contact attempts will be made reminding you to pick up your order; the initial attempt will be made by email with a follow-up contact attempt by phone. If we do not hear from you within 60 days of the final contact attempt, your order will be marked as abandoned and will be disposed of.  If you have any questions, please reach out to us using our online chat feature located on the bottom right-hand corner of this webpage.

  • CAN I CHANGE THE SHIPPING ADDRESS I PROVIDED ON MY ORDER?:

    Once an order is processed and shipped, we cannot alter the shipping address you provided with your order.  If the shipping address provided during the ordering process is considered insufficient by the courier, the shipment will be returned to our facility. You will be liable for reshipment costs once we have confirmed an updated address with you, or you can make arrangements to pick up the package in-store to avoid additional charges.  If your order has not been processed yet we may be able to cancel it so you can place a reorder with the correct address. Please reach out to the store using our online chat feature located on the bottom right-hand corner of this webpage to discuss.  You will need to provide your web order number (starts with a WS) so we can look up your order in our system.

    If you notice that a shipment is on its way back to us, you can reach out to us proactively using our web order inquiry form, providing us with your corrected shipping address or opting to pick up your package in-store.  We will then connect with you when the shipment arrives at our facility to arrange for payment of the reshipping costs or to notify you that you shipment is ready for pick-up.

    Once the shipment arrives at our facility, two (2) attempts will be made to contact you to confirm an updated address and arrange for payment of the reshipping charge; the initial attempt will be made by email with a follow-up contact attempt by phone. If we do not hear from you within 60 days of the final contact attempt, your order will be marked as abandoned and will be disposed of.

  • WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT CLAIM MY SHIPMENT AND IT'S RETURNED TO THE STORE?:

    Shipments that go unclaimed at the point of delivery are returned to our facility, and you will be liable for the cost of a reshipment.  Once the shipment arrives at our facility, two (2) attempts will be made to contact you to confirm an updated address and arrange for payment of the reshipping charge or of a pick-up in store for no additional charge; the initial attempt will be made by email with a follow-up contact attempt by phone. If we do not hear from you within 60 days of the final contact attempt, your order will be marked as abandoned and will be disposed of.  If you have any questions, please reach out to us using our online chat feature located on the bottom right-hand corner of this webpage.

  • I WANT TO RETURN A GIFT THAT I'VE RECEIVED:

    If you would like to return a gift that has been sent to you, you will need to ship the item back to the Campus Store, or if living locally, bring it back to our service window. Please note that when a gift is refunded, the credit will be processed against the original card, in this case, compensating the person that originally purchased the gift. If the gift is a garment and sizing is the issue, then you can return the item, requesting a different size garment. If shipping is involved, the Campus Store will cover the cost of sending the correct size garment back to you. Please note that we can only do exchanges for items that are the dollar value as the item originally purchased.  Details on exchanging your gift can be found in our refund policy.

    If you decide you want to return your gift:

    1. Prior to returning your item, please review our refund policy to ensure the goods are eligible and that you are within the return timelines. If shipping a textbook, your box must be postmarked on or before the refund deadline.
    2. If living locally, you can visit us on campus during our hours of operation. 
    3. If you cannot visit the campus, you are responsible for the packing and shipping of the merchandise back to the store: McMaster Campus Store, Gilmour Hall B101, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8. We recommend that you use recorded delivery (package tracking) to return items to us as the goods are your responsibility until we receive them. Please include a note with why you are returning the item, in addition to your proof of purchase (receipt or order confirmation email).
    4. Return timelines for purchases made through the Campus Store website are calculated from the date you receive the goods to the date that your return package is postmarked. All of the return timelines noted above apply to online orders, so please make a note of these when placing your order. Any returns falling within the guidelines are gladly accepted. Shipping costs are NON-REFUNDABLE.