Amazon extends return window for most items bought this fall until January 31, 2021

If you're shopping for PC components or a whole computer right now, with all the hot new hardware from Nvidia and AMD out this fall, Amazon has a new perk: it's extending the return window for most items on the store to January 31st, 2021. This isn't just for electronics, either. Whatever you're buying on Amazon, if it doesn't work out, it probably has an unusually generous return window.

Amazon's support page for returns now states, "for the 2020 holiday season, most of the items shipped between October 1 and December 31 can be returned until January 31, 2021." That means you (or the person you're gifting something to) have loads of time to test whatever you might buy from Amazon before deciding to keep it. You can verify if something is included in the extended return policy by looking below the buy buttons on a product page.

This is especially good news in light of the hardware and software issues affecting Nvidia's newest graphics cards. If you actually manage to place an order for an RTX 2080 card, and it shows up broken or partially-working, all you'll have to do is print out the label Amazon gives you and drop it off at your nearest UPS store.

That's much better than Newegg's return process, which typically charges 15-30% restocking fees for items, and only accepts most returns for 30 days after purchase.

Amazon might still charge a small restocking or shipping fee for some items, like monitors, cases, and other large products, but that information should be visible during the return process. Generally speaking, Amazon is pretty good at returns—better than it is at preventing COVID in its warehouses, anyway.