Stokes Return Policy: Simple Guide for Canada’s Kitchen & Home Store

Stokes (and its sister brand thinkkitchen) is a go-to spot across Canada for cookware, bakeware, tableware, and home gifts. When you’re picking up a new pan set, dinnerware, or an appliance, it’s reassuring to know what happens if it doesn’t quite work out once you get it home.

This guide explains the Stokes return policy in clear language: how long you have, what condition items must be in, how to return online orders, which items are final sale, and how refunds work.

Quick Overview of the Stokes Return Policy

Here are the key points up front for purchases from Stokes and thinkkitchen stores or stokesstores.com in Canada:

Return window: Most items can be returned or exchanged within 30 days of the purchase date.
Where to return: Purchases (in-store or online) can usually be returned to any Stokes or thinkkitchen store, not just the store where you bought them.
Receipt: You need the barcode receipt (printed or electronic) to get a refund or exchange.
Condition: Items must be unused, in their original packaging, with all parts and labels, and suitable for resale.
Online orders: Can be returned in store or by mail after contacting Stokes customer service for instructions.
Final sale: Certain clearance items (notably some prices ending in $0.94, $0.88, $0.44) are typically non-returnable.

Think of the policy as: 30 days, unused, original packaging, with a scannable receipt. If you hit those marks, returns are usually straightforward.

How Long Do You Have to Return or Exchange?

Stokes runs on a fairly standard retail timeline:

You have 30 days from the date on your receipt to return or exchange most merchandise.
This applies to both in-store and online purchases, as long as the items and receipt meet the conditions.

Once those 30 days pass, returns become much harder. Even if staff decide to help, you’re more likely to receive store credit rather than a full refund, and it’s entirely at the store’s discretion.

Where and How You Can Return Items

1. Returning In-Store Purchases

If you bought something at a Stokes or thinkkitchen store:

You can return it to any Stokes or thinkkitchen location within 30 days.
Bring:
- The product, unused and in original packaging
- Your barcode receipt (paper or digital)
Staff will scan the barcode and inspect the item.

With everything in order, they can typically:

Refund you to your original payment method, or
Offer an exchange or store credit, depending on what you prefer and how you paid.

2. Returning Online Purchases In Store

If you ordered from stokesstores.com, returning in-store is usually the easiest method:

Take your items and the online barcode receipt (on your phone or printed) to any store.
Ensure the items are in their original packaging and unused.
Staff can refund your online order back to the original card or help you exchange for something else.

This option saves you from packing boxes and dealing with couriers, especially for fragile or bulky items.

3. Returning Online Purchases by Mail

You can also send online orders back to Stokes by mail. The basic steps are:

Contact Stokes customer service (usually by email) to let them know you want to return an online order.
They’ll provide return instructions and may issue a return authorisation or reference number.
Pack the item securely:
- Use the original box and internal packaging if possible.
- Include your barcode receipt or a print-out of your order confirmation.
Ship the parcel using the method they specify.

Whether return shipping is free or not can depend on the situation (for example, whether the product is faulty or you simply changed your mind), so always check what the email from customer service says about labels, shipping costs, and refunds.

Conditions Your Items Must Meet

Stokes is strict about returned items being in a condition they can sell again. To be accepted, your item should:

Be unused – cookware should not have been cooked with, glasses should not have been used, and appliances should not show signs of use.
Be in its original packaging – boxes, sleeves, inserts, manuals and any protective materials.
Include all parts and accessories – lids, trays, cords, instructions, etc.
Be clean and undamaged – no chips, scratches, dents, stains or signs of wear from home use.
Be accompanied by a barcode receipt from Stokes or thinkkitchen.

In practice, that means you should open packages carefully when they arrive, check them over, but hold onto all packaging and paperwork until you’re certain you’re keeping the item.

Final Sale & Non-Returnable Items

Not everything at Stokes can be returned. A few categories are typically treated as final sale:

Clearance items with certain price endings – many sources note that prices ending in $0.94, $0.88, or $0.44 are often marked as final sale and are not returnable.
Items clearly labelled “Final Sale” on signs, stickers, or your receipt.
Products that are damaged after purchase or in visibly poor condition because of use at home.

On these items, staff usually can’t offer refunds or exchanges unless there is a confirmed manufacturing defect discovered immediately. When you’re shopping clearance, assume you’re keeping it—especially if the price tag has those special endings.

Faulty, Damaged or Incorrect Items

If something arrives broken, defective, or not what you ordered, the process is different from a normal “I changed my mind” return.

In-Store Purchases

If you discover a fault with a product bought in a store:

Bring the item and your barcode receipt back to any Stokes or thinkkitchen location as soon as you can.
Show staff the defect and explain when you noticed it.
Depending on the situation, they can usually offer a replacement, exchange or refund.

You’ll have a smoother experience if the product is still in its original packaging and you report the issue promptly.

Online Orders

If your online order shows up damaged, incomplete, or plainly wrong:

Take clear photos of the damage or the incorrect item and keep the packaging.
Contact Stokes customer service with your order number and photos.
They’ll typically:
- Offer a replacement for the damaged or missing item, or
- Arrange a return and refund, with details about shipping labels and timing.

Because Stokes needs to investigate shipping damage and defects, they may ask for extra details or ask you not to discard the packaging until the case is resolved.

Refunds: How Stokes Sends Your Money Back

When your return is approved, Stokes generally refunds in the same way you paid originally.

Credit or debit card: Refunds are sent back to the same card used for the purchase.
Gift cards: You’ll usually receive the amount back onto a gift card or as store credit.
Cash purchases: Stores may refund in cash for smaller amounts or by other means as per their in-store procedures.

The timing can vary a bit, but expect:

A short processing time for the store or online team to accept and log your return.
A few additional business days before your bank or card provider shows the refund on your statement.

Shipping Charges & Return Costs

There are two kinds of shipping costs to think about:

Original shipping: The fee you paid for the order to be shipped to you.
Return shipping: The cost of sending items back to Stokes when you return by mail.

Policies on these can vary with promotions and reasons for return, but in general:

For simple change-of-mind returns, original shipping charges are usually not refunded.
For returns because of a faulty or incorrect item, customer service may cover return shipping or provide a prepaid label as part of the fix.

Always check the instructions you receive from Stokes customer service or the wording on your order confirmation so you know exactly which shipping costs will or won’t be reimbursed in your situation.

What Happens Without a Receipt?

The barcode receipt is central to Stokes’ system. Without it, returns are more limited:

Staff might be able to find your purchase in their system if you paid by card and know the exact details.
If they can’t verify the purchase, they may:
- Offer store credit at the item’s current selling price, or
- Decline the return, especially for clearance or high-value items.

To avoid headaches, keep paper receipts somewhere safe and don’t delete online confirmation emails until you’re sure about your purchase.

Tips to Make Stokes Returns Easy

Open your items carefully: Keep boxes and protective packaging intact until you know you’re happy with the product.
Test fit and appearance quickly: For example, set dishes on your table or place décor near where you’ll use it, but don’t remove tags or wash things until you’re sure.
Hold onto your barcode receipt: It’s your ticket to a smooth refund or exchange.
Watch clearance labels: If the price ends in .94, .88, or .44, assume it may be final sale and check signs or ask a staff member.
Return sooner rather than later: Don’t push up against the 30-day limit; earlier returns are usually easier.
Use stores for fragile items: If an item is breakable, returning it in person is often safer than shipping it back.

Stokes Return Policy – FAQ

How many days do I have to return something to Stokes?

You typically have 30 days from the date of purchase to return or exchange items at Stokes or thinkkitchen, as long as they’re unused, in original packaging, and you have the barcode receipt.

Can I return an online order to a store?

Yes. Most purchases made on stokesstores.com can be returned to any Stokes or thinkkitchen store within 30 days. Bring the items and your online barcode receipt or printed order confirmation.

Can I return clearance or “final sale” items?

Generally, no. Clearance products, especially those with price endings like $0.94, $0.88 or $0.44, are often final sale and not eligible for return or exchange unless there is a confirmed defect discovered immediately.

Do I have to pay for return shipping?

It depends. When you return online purchases in store, there is no return shipping cost. For returns by mail, whether Stokes covers return shipping or not can depend on the reason for the return and the instructions you receive—faulty items are more likely to be covered than simple change-of-mind returns.

What if my item is damaged or defective?

If you receive a damaged or faulty product, contact Stokes customer service as soon as possible with your order details and photos of the issue. They can usually arrange a replacement, exchange, or refund, and may give special instructions or a prepaid return label if the problem is on their side.

Can I exchange instead of getting a refund?

Yes. Within 30 days and with your barcode receipt, you can usually choose to exchange your item for something else of equal or greater value (paying the difference if needed), as long as the original product meets the standard return conditions and isn’t final sale.

Summary

Stokes’ return policy is built to be reasonably flexible while keeping things fair. Remember the basics: 30 days, unused, original packaging, barcode receipt, and watch out for final-sale clearance tags. If you keep your receipts and check items quickly once you get them home, you’ll have a simple, low-stress experience fixing any purchase that doesn’t quite work out.