Refund policy
Spring 2026 Term Return Updates:
Returns for in-store purchases may be facilitated at a W Store or W Store Essentials location during regular hours of operation. Please see below for details.
Returns for online purchases may be mailed back to W Store. We recommend that you use a traceable shipping method for your returned product. We are not responsible for lost shipments and shipping fees are not refundable. Please see below for details.
All returns must include a completed copy of the W Store Web Return Form (PDF) (if purchased online), along with the original invoice/receipt.
Important notice: Due to a large volume of orders, web order returns may take up to five weeks to be processed.
Please see below for list of exceptions.
Textbooks and Course Materials Return Deadline
Textbooks and study guides must be postmarked before the listed return deadline. The return deadline for the Spring 2026 academic term is June 1, 2026. After this date, refunds for special circumstances are at the discretion of store management.
Exceptions for returns of access codes are at the discretion of store management and subject to approval by the publisher. All digital course material returns are subject to the Textbooks and Course Materials Return Deadline and should be emailed to wstore@uwaterloo.ca with a completed copy of the W Store Web Return Form (PDF).
General Merchandise Return Deadline (Clothing, School Supplies, Dorm Essentials, Gift Items, etc.)
General merchandise items purchased online must be postmarked by or returned within 30 days of the first delivery attempt. After this date, refunds for special circumstances are at the discretion of store management. Items purchased in-store should be returned in-store within 14 days of original purchase.
Please see below for list of exceptions.
All web returns must include a completed copy of the W Store Web Return Form (PDF), along with the original invoice/receipt.
Refunds will be processed in Canadian dollars.
If your order was cancelled, or you received a partial shipment, a refund will be processed automatically.
Returns will be processed to the same method of payment used in the original transaction.
For items accompanied by a gift receipt refunds will be processed to a W Store gift card.
We will make every effort to process exchanges for items similar to the original purchase. If a similar item is not available, the returned merchandise may be exchanged for other in-store items of equal or lesser value, with no compensation for the difference. Please see below for exceptions.
Shipping fees are non-refundable.
Returns sent via mail/courier will be shipped at buyer’s expense. A shipment method with a tracking number is recommended.
All returned items are subject to inspection and at the discretion of W Store. Must include original tags, and be unopened in original selling condition. For online orders, please package securely to avoid damage in shipping.
Exceptions:
We cannot accept returns for the following items: drinkware, face masks, convocation hoods, faculty-approved calculators, courseware, redeemed access codes, e-books, course kits, custom orders, school rings, leather jackets, opened or used technology products (adapters, headsets, earbuds, etc.), diploma frames and any items marked final sale or clearance are not applicable to receive a refund.
Gift card purchases are final sale and are not redeemable for cash.
Some technology purchases may have warranty coverage that differs from above. Please consult the documentation that accompanied your purchase for details. For warranty information on these items, please contact the manufacturer directly.
To return orders bought online through the website, please ship the order to the following address:
W Store – Returns
University of Waterloo, South Campus Hall
200 University Ave W.
Waterloo, Ontario
N2L 3G1