Returns on Chase Freedom

[imaximous]

I don’t usually return stuff, so here’s my question: Let’s say you purchase an item for $500 under the 5% category. Then, you return it. Does Chase reset your quarterly bonus limit back to $1,500 or does it stay at $1,000 because you already bought $500 under the bonus category regardless of the return?

I tried to search here and Google but I was getting completely unrelated results.

[Anonymous]

I don't have a definitive answer but I believe they would. When I made returns on my Chase Amazon card, they subtracted the points I had initially earned from the purchases. I can't imagine they'd take the points back but not roll back the limit.

[imaximous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I don't have a definitive answer but I believe they would. When I made returns on my Chase Amazon card, they subtracted the points I had initially earned from the purchases. I can't imagine they'd take the points back but not roll back the limit.

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Yeah, they take the points back for sure. However, in my search for an answer, I found some old posts where some people were claiming that Chase would only claw back 1 UR and they got to keep the other 4 after the return. Not sure about the accuracy or if that was the case at some point. I think it’s fair that they take away all 5 URs per $1, but I’m not certain if they reset your quarterly limit. 

[Revelate]

Unless the Freedom is special I can tell you it does not work that way on the other Chase cards: they've always clawed the full monty back for things like fraudulent charges and what not over the last few years for me regardless of tradeline but I haven't used my Freedom in a while, not adjusting my habits for a credit card and the quarters just haven't been useful to me in a while.

[wasCB14]

On a related note, Freedom dropped return protection in August 2018, so you'd be subject to the merchant's policy.

As much as I like Chase for travel, I rarely use it for merchandise.

[Revelate]

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@wasCB14 wrote:
On a related note, Freedom dropped return protection in August 2018, so you'd be subject to the merchant's policy.

As much as I like Chase for travel, I rarely use it for merchandise.

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Well my FU still gets used quite a bit, though these days the bulk of my spend is travel up and back to SF: laid into my pimp today on that one, this tax code no longer being able to deduct unreimbursed expenses /sigh.

Sort of told them they needed to pay expenses as I wasn't getting paid nearly enough to move to the Bay Area haha.

[imaximous]

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@Revelate wrote:

Unless the Freedom is special I can tell you it does not work that way on the other Chase cards: they've always clawed the full monty back for things like fraudulent charges and what not over the last few years for me regardless of tradeline but I haven't used my Freedom in a while, not adjusting my habits for a credit card and the quarters just haven't been useful to me in a while.

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I never thought it’d work any other way. If I return an item, I figured they’d take back the entire rewards earned. I’m not really concerned about that, but it just came up in the some of the posts I was reading online. 

I asked about returns because I’ve pretty much maxed out our 2 Freedom cards for the quarterly bonus, and there are some items that need to go back to Home Depot, but I also have to pick up some other stuff (doing a house project). I’m wondering if Chase resets the quarterly limit for the amount of my returns, so I can buy more stuff at 5%. If they don’t reset the limit, I’ll only be earning 1% so I’d use another card to buy what I need.

[imaximous]

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@wasCB14 wrote:
On a related note, Freedom dropped return protection in August 2018, so you'd be subject to the merchant's policy.

As much as I like Chase for travel, I rarely use it for merchandise.

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In this case, I should be ok. Home Depot has a pretty good return policy.

[Anonymous]

Very interesting question! Never thought about it? Wonder what other credit providers do? As has been mentioned the deduction for points earned I have experienced but as to a reset on the quarterly ... hmm ...?

[longtimelurker]

It seems to me that resetting could be complex.    Sure, in month 1, if I return the item quickly it would make sense to reset.   But suppose I spend $1500 on an item, and also, in the same quarter, spend another $1000 on other category items, and all purchases are in month 3.

Shortly after the quarter ends, I return the $1500 item.   They remove the UR, but should they now give the 5xUR on the $1000 which were previously over the limit?   My guess is that they wouldn't.   Any volunteers to test!