BuyHoldCollect

My toy arrived with a damaged box. What can I do?

Last updated October 5, 2026. Store policies checked October 5, 2026.

Short answer: photograph everything before you open it, keep all the packaging, and report it quickly to the store or seller you ordered from (Step 1 below shows which). Windows run from 7 to 90 days depending on the store. Most stores will replace or refund an item damaged in shipping, but not all of them treat a dented box on its own as damage, so if the box matters to you, say so.

Who wrote this: BuyHoldCollect is run by a collectibles reseller. We buy plenty of figures online too, so we've opened our share of crushed boxes. More about us.

What to do first, before you open it

• Take photos before you unbox. Get the outside of the shipping box, the label, the tape, the packing (or the lack of it), then every damaged corner of the toy's own box. Several stores ask for photos of both the product and the shipping carton.
• Don't open the toy's packaging. Opened items are often not returnable, and Amazon's return policy allows a restocking fee of up to 100% on opened collectible figures. Report the box damage first.
• Keep the shipping box and packing until the claim is settled. Carriers sometimes inspect it.
• Note the delivery date. Most deadlines count from it (GameStop's counts from purchase), and one store gives you only 7 days.

Why toy boxes arrive damaged

A toy's box is made to look good on a shelf, not to survive a delivery truck. In our experience, most damage is a crushed box caused by how the order was packed:

• Too little padding, so the toy slides around inside a shipping box that's too big.
• No shipping box at all. We've had toys arrive with the shipping label stuck straight onto the toy's own box, or sent in a padded mailer bag when they needed a box.
• Rough handling by the carrier on the way.
• Damage from the factory. Some boxes are bent before any store touches them, even inside a sealed case pack. WWE Main Event figures are a line where we see this often. If the whole batch looks like that, a replacement may arrive with the same bend.

If a third-party seller's item shipped from Amazon's warehouse, Amazon packed it, not the seller. The seller had no say in how it was boxed.

Step 1: find out who sold and shipped it

This decides who you deal with. Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy all let third-party sellers list items on their sites. Check your order details for the "Sold by" and "Ships from" lines.

How long you have to report damage

Most of these are the store's general return window. A few stores set a separate deadline for shipping damage.

How each store handles damaged boxes

Amazon

• Go to Your Orders and choose Return or replace items. Amazon may ask for photos that clearly show the damage.
• If you choose a replacement, you'll need to send the original back by the "Return By" date, and the replacement may not ship until you do.
• If the item is marked non-returnable or Final Sale and arrives damaged, contact Amazon customer service anyway.
• If a third-party seller shipped it themselves, see marketplace sellers.

Source: Amazon Return Policy, Replace a Damaged, Defective, or Broken Item.

Best Buy

• Within 15 days of delivery (a short window), use the self-service options in your order history to start a return. For items Best Buy sold, a store can arrange a replacement.
• Items listed "Sold & shipped by" another seller are Marketplace items; see marketplace sellers.

Source: Damaged or Incorrect Orders, Return & Exchange Policy.

BigBadToyStore (BBTS)

• An item damaged in transit can be exchanged for the same item if you ask within 30 days of receiving the order. If it's sold out, you get a refund.
• Package condition on its own isn't treated as a defect unless you paid for the BBTS Mint Pro packaging grade. If a crushed box is the problem, say clearly that it happened in shipping.
• Contact customer service for a return authorization. Return shipping is covered for damaged items if you use their prepaid label.

Source: BBTS Return Policy, Package Grading.

Entertainment Earth

• Its Mint Condition Guarantee covers the packaging of in-stock action figures, bobbleheads, Pop!s and statues, unless the listing says "not mint". If the carrier damages one, the store replaces it when it can, and refunds you if it's sold out.
• Preorders are different: the store posts the condition if stock arrives below collector grade, but still ships it.
• Get a return number (RMA) through the online Returns Department. Photos may be required. If the item arrived damaged, the refund includes original shipping.

Source: Mint Condition Guarantee, Condition of pre-orders, 90-Day Return Policy.

GameStop

• The 15 days count from purchase, not delivery, so shipping time uses part of the window. That covers new, unopened items, including collectibles.
• Opened collectibles are final sale. A defective item can be exchanged for an identical one within the window; if none is available, GameStop says it may offer store credit instead. The policy doesn't describe a separate process for shipping damage, so call customer service (1-800-883-8895) with your photos.
• Online orders can be returned in a store for free. Shipped returns carry an $8.99 fee, and the policy doesn't say whether that's waived for damage. Bring your order number; a government ID may be required.

Source: GameStop Return Policy.

Hasbro Pulse

• Contact customer service within 30 days of delivery, with photos of the damaged packaging and the shipping carton.
• An item damaged in transit can be exchanged for the same item. If it's sold out, you get a refund.
• You need a return authorization (RMA) before sending anything back. You don't pay return shipping for transit damage.

Source: Wrong item/Damaged item/packaging, Hasbro Pulse's Return Policy.

Mattel Creations

• Use the contact form on the site to report a damaged item. This applies to made-to-order items too, which are otherwise final sale.
• If an exchange isn't possible because the item sold out, you get a refund.
• Mattel says to allow at least 2 to 3 weeks for a return request to be processed.

Source: Mattel Creations FAQ.

McFarlane Toys Store

• You have 7 days from delivery. After that, the store says it can't refund or replace, because of carrier rules.
• Email store@mcfarlane.com with photos of the damaged item and the outside shipping box. The store files the carrier claim and offers a refund or replacement.
• Replacements may not be available for sale, sold-out, special edition, Gold Label, Platinum Edition or variant figures.

Source: McFarlane Toys Store Customer Support.

Target

• In Purchase history, open the order and choose Fix an issue to ask for a refund or a free replacement (if it's in stock).
• If you ask for a replacement, don't also return the original in a store. That cancels the replacement.
• Items sold by Target Plus partners also go back to Target, in store or by mail, within 30 days. You don't deal with the partner.

Source: How do I report a damaged or defective item?, What's the return policy?

Walmart

• Start in your Purchase History, in the app or online. A damaged item may be returned by mail or at any Walmart store, for a refund or a replacement.
• Purchase History shows the last date you can return or replace each item.
• If a Marketplace seller shipped it themselves, see marketplace sellers.

Source: Walmart Standard Return Policy, Marketplace Sellers on Walmart.

Bought from a marketplace seller?

When an independent seller shipped the item, go to the seller first. Each marketplace has a guarantee that steps in if the seller doesn't fix it.

• Amazon (sold and shipped by the seller): request a return in the Online Returns Center. If the seller hasn't approved it after 48 hours, you can claim under the A-to-z Guarantee, up to 90 days after the latest delivery date. For damaged items it covers the price, original shipping and return shipping.
• Walmart: use Contact Seller in your order details. Sellers must reply within 2 business days. If they don't solve it, Walmart steps in under the Walmart Marketplace Promise. You can also return most Marketplace items to a Walmart store within 30 days.
• Target Plus: no separate process. Returns go through Target; see Target above.
• Best Buy Marketplace: contact the seller through your Best Buy account and print the prepaid return label. Best Buy says it will work with you if the seller doesn't.
• eBay: an item that arrives damaged counts as "doesn't match the listing", so it's covered even if the seller doesn't accept returns. Accept the delivery, then start a return within 30 days (longer if the seller's own return window is longer). The seller has 3 business days to respond and pays the return shipping. If it isn't resolved, you can ask eBay to step in under the eBay Money Back Guarantee.

If the store or seller says no

• Ask again, politely, with your photos. Point to the store's own policy wording; the links are on this page.
• Use the marketplace guarantee if a marketplace seller was involved (above).
• A chargeback through your card is the last resort. Amazon says a chargeback makes you ineligible for an A-to-z refund, and eBay may close your Money Back Guarantee case if you file one. Use it only when the other routes have failed.

Replacement or refund?

• If you keep figures sealed, a replacement is a second chance at a good box, but it can arrive damaged too.
• If you open your figures, a dented box may not matter at all. If the toy inside is fine, a replacement may not be worth the hassle.
• On a limited or sold-out item, a refund may leave you paying aftermarket prices to replace it. Ask about a replacement before you accept a refund.

If you bought it to resell (online or retail arbitrage)

• Inspect when it arrives, not on prep day. A week of sitting in a pile can put you past a short window like McFarlane's 7 days, Best Buy's 15, or GameStop's 15 days counted from purchase.
• A damaged box can change how you're allowed to list it. On Amazon, damaged packaging can mean the item no longer qualifies as New. Check the condition guidelines for your category before you decide what it's worth.
• Multiple units have their own limits. Entertainment Earth, for example, doesn't accept returns on 4 or more of the same item.

How to avoid damaged boxes next time

• If you want a collector-grade box, buy from a collector-focused store. In our experience, BigBadToyStore and Entertainment Earth pack the best, and both back packaging condition in writing (see their sections above). Most of our crushed boxes have come from big general retailers: Amazon, Target and Walmart. The upside is that when something does arrive damaged from those three, we've rarely had trouble getting a return or replacement.
• For a figure you really care about, consider store pickup where it's offered.
• Have it delivered where it won't sit outside in the weather or get kicked around.

Quick answers

What should I do if my toy arrives with a damaged box?

Photograph the shipping box, the packing and the damage before you open anything, keep all the packaging, and report it to the store or seller you ordered from as soon as you can. Some stores give you only a few days.

Will a store replace a toy just because the box is damaged?

Often, but not always. Several collector-focused stores replace items damaged in shipping, while others don't treat packaging condition on its own as a defect. If the box matters to you, say so when you report it.

Should I open the toy to check it's okay?

Report the box damage first. Opened items often can't be returned, and Amazon's return policy allows a restocking fee of up to the full price on opened collectible figures.

Should I file a chargeback for a damaged order?

Only as a last resort. Filing a chargeback can end your claim under Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee or eBay's Money Back Guarantee, so give the seller and the marketplace's own guarantee a chance first.

Does Amazon replace toys that arrive damaged?

Usually. Go to Your Orders and choose Return or replace items, within 30 days of delivery for most items. Amazon may ask for photos, and the replacement may not ship until you send the original back.

Does BigBadToyStore replace items with damaged boxes?

It replaces items damaged in transit if you ask within 30 days, or refunds you if the item is sold out. Package condition on its own isn't treated as a defect unless you bought the BBTS Mint Pro grade.

How long do I have to report a damaged McFarlane Toys Store order?

7 days from delivery, with photos of the damaged item and the outside shipping box. After that, the store says it can't refund or replace it.

Which stores are best if I want a collector-grade box?

In our experience, collector-focused stores like BigBadToyStore and Entertainment Earth pack the best, and both back packaging condition in writing. We've had the most crushed boxes from big general retailers like Amazon, Target and Walmart.

Related: why was my preorder cancelled, and what can I do now?

Get new pages when they're published

Store policies change. We checked each one on the date above, and link to the store's own page so you can confirm the current wording. This page is general information, not legal or financial advice.