Shipping & Returns

• At TWG, we offer most available shipping methods through UPS, USPS, and FedEx. Additional shipping methods are available by contacting us. We also have a special flat rate overnight delivery service for orders shipping within a 30 mile radius of TWG. In addition, free shipping is available on ALL orders over $20.00 that are being shipped within the United States (including Alaska, Hawaii, APO/FPO addresses, & territories). If you wish to use free shipping, please select the FREE Shipping option during checkout. No coupon code is required.
• If you select free shipping, your order will be shipped using the cheapest method available, which can take anywhere from 5 to 10 business days. If you need your order sooner, please select one of our expedited shipping methods.
• If you don't wish to use free shipping, then the shipping charges for your order (that is shipped to a U.S. address) are based on a combination of average rates from USPS, UPS, and FedEx, as well as miscellaneous related expenses (i.e. packing, printing, etc.). Rates for these orders vary based on the total weight of your order. Click here to view the shopping cart to find our shipping calculator and you can see the available methods and rates for your selected items before checkout.
• For our international customers, please note that international shipping times vary from country to country and may be impacted by customs delays (which TWG is not responsible for). International shipping typically takes anywhere from 7-28 days (about 1-4 weeks), depending on the exact location your order is being shipped to. It may take longer if there are customs delays or other shipping related delays beyond our control. International shipping charges are based on weight and location and use real-time rates from USPS and UPS.
  
  If you need your order sooner, please select one of the USPS Express methods or one of the UPS Worldwide Express methods.
• Please Note: Orders shipped via USPS international services may not have tracking updated that frequently, sometimes only weekly or bi-weekly updates will be available.
• If you live in a 30 mile radius from Hampton/Newport News, VA, you're also eligible to have your order shipped by our flat rate Tide Crasher Local Overnight delivery service. For a flat fee of just $5.00 per order (which is about what you would pay for Ground, a TWG employee will deliver your order overnight to a shipping address of your choice. Please note that in the event of inclement weather, your order may be delayed due to circumstances beyond our control. In other words, if we get a bad Winter storm, hurricane, flood, etc., we may not be able to deliver your order overnight, but otherwise it will be. If you live within 30 miles of TWG, Tide Crasher Local Overnight will be an available shipping option for you when you check out. Simply select it like you would any other shipping option and a TWG employee will deliver your order to the shipping address you provided (as long as it's within the 30 mile radius) within 24 hours, 7 days a week.
• Don't know what shipping method to pick to get your order in the time you wanted? Give us a call at 1-866-TWGAMES.
• Shipping costs are calculated during the checkout process. You can also view shipping costs before you check out by viewing your shopping cart and using the shipping estimator.
• TWG requires signatures for orders containing systems or other expensive items over $100.00. Why? Because this helps protects both you, the customer, and us, the retailer. Requiring a signature means that the shipping carrier will not leave your package unattended on your porch, in your mailbox, etc. This added service is only $4.50 per box. If your order contains multiple items that can be sent in one box, TWG will refund you for the unnecessary added signature fees (once your order has been shipped). Otherwise, you will be charged $4.50 per box for the signature as sometimes carriers will deliver multiple boxes at different times. In the event 2 or more of your boxes are delivered at the same time, TWG will refund you for the unnecessary added signature fees (once your order has been confirmed as being delivered).
  
  So for example if you had ordered four items priced $100.00 or more, but they can fit in two boxes, you'll only have to pay the $4.50 for a signature twice, not four times. In this example, your initial signature fees would be $18.00, but once your order has been shipped, TWG would refund you the $9.00 extra since your order only required two boxes, not four.
  
  Please be sure to have these items shipped to an address where someone will be available to sign.
• We also require package insurance for expensive items over $100.00. As with signatures, insurance helps protect us both. In the event your package goes missing or is damaged, insurance allows us to replace your missing or damaged items at no additional cost to you (beyond the initial cost of your order and the insurance). The amount for this service varies based on the item cost. You can see the insurance price on each item's page that insurance is required for (such as consoles for example). If your package goes missing or is damaged, you will need to contact us and we will file a claim with the shipping carrier.
  
  Once the claim has been processed and approved for reimbursement, we will either ship you replacement items, or refund your order, whichever you prefer. If the carrier denies the claim, we will be unable to ship you a replacement or offer you a full refund for your order, as we are a small business and cannot afford to send replacements for expensive items without reimbursement from the carrier.
  
  However, even if the carrier denies the claim, we may still be able to help you. Please visit our FAQ page for more info.
• At TWG, we want you to get the best products and services available. We also want you to get your order as quickly as possible. Orders are shipped out in the order in which they are received and within 24-48 hours unless your order contains backordered or pre-ordered merchandise. Orders with an overnight shipping method (i.e. Tide Crasher, Next Day Air, etc.) are bumped up to the top of the list and take priority over other orders. Transit Times are calculated in business days and as such, weekends and holidays are not included in these estimates. Please allow an additional 1-2 business days of shipping time on major holidays (i.e. New Year's, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.), as most carriers are closed on these days.
• When an order is returned to TWG as undeliverable (i.e. wrong house number, wrong or missing apartment/suite number, or any other undeliverable reason), we will cancel your order and refund you the cost of your item(s), shipping charges, and any applicable sales tax. If you still wish to purchase the item(s) on this order, you will need to place a new order with us as we cannot re-ship an undeliverable package. If for some reason you haven't received your refund and/or an e-mail confirmation that your package has been returned to us successfully within 4 weeks, please e-mail us or give us a call at 1-866-TW-GAMES.
• All prices on the TWG website are shown in US dollars.
• Please note, for international orders, TWG is not responsible for delays due to customs related issues. In addition, we are not responsible for any tariffs, taxes, or fees imposed by customs.
• If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about our Shipping Policy, please contact us.

Returns

• TWG offers completely free returns for most items. If you wish to return all or part of your order and not have to pay to return it, simply fill out our returns merchandise authorization (RMA) form on our website. To be eligible for a free return, an item must have been eligible for free shipping. In other words, any item priced $20.00 or higher is eligible for a free return label. Tidewater Games holds the final say on what is or is not eligible for a free return.
  
  If an item is not eligible for a free return label, you may still return it to us, but you will responsible for paying the return shipping charges. If you have questions or concerns regarding our free returns policy, please contact us.
  
  Please note, some items are non-returnable and non-refundable (see list below).
  
• Non-returnable items include:
• Any item that was shipped with a serial number or UPC that is no longer with the item
  
• Downloadable/digital software
• Online subscriptions after they have been used/activated
• Gift cards (except as required by local, state, or federal laws)
• Prepaid game cards (World of Warcraft, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, etc. [both physical and digital])
  
• Apparel, stickers, mugs, wallets, ornaments, and other items we do not sell as used that you return in non-new condition
  
• Once you receive your label, simply pack up your return along with your receipt/packing slip and your returns merchandise authorization (RMA) number/form, attach the label to your package, and take it to your local post office. Upon receiving and verifying your return, we will refund you for the purchase price, any applicable sales tax, and shipping costs.
  
• Please Note: Some items may be subject to restocking fees or other similar fees, please read on for more information.

So for example, if you returned a new release game to us after 30 days that was priced at $59.99 and wanted a refund, you would only receive a $30.00 refund because you returned to us it after the 30 day return window for new releases.

Please be sure that if you wish to return a new release, you do so within 30 days, as we don't want you to have to pay the 50% restocking fee.

New & Used Retro Releases Return Policy

Unlike new releases, retro releases have a much larger return window. Retro releases may be returned or exchanged for an item of equal or lesser value or for Store Credit within 180 days of your purchase. That means you have about 6 months from your purchase date in order to return your retro release for a refund, exchange, or Store Credit. This 180 day window for exchanges and Store Credit is valid on all retro games, systems, and accessories sold by TWG.

To be eligible for a full refund to your method of payment (i.e. PayPal, Check, Money Order, etc.), retro releases must be returned in their original condition (i.e. if your item contained a box, the box must be included, if it contained a manual, the manual must be included, etc.), and must be accompanied by the original receipt/packing slip. Returns/exchanges without a receipt/packing slip will not be accepted. These items may be returned to you, but you will need to pay the return shipping fee for these items, or if you don't wish to pay that fee, you may elect to forfeit these items to TWG. Retro releases not returned in their original condition will be subject to a 20% restocking fee, which will be deducted from your refund/exchange/Store Credit.

As with our new releases, TWG holds the final say on what is or isn't a retro release. We currently (as of December 2018) consider retro releases to be items that are available for platforms like the NES, Atari 2600, Genesis, GameCube, Xbox, Nintendo 64, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, etc. Basically any item you'd find in the Retro section of our website. You will have 180 days from your purchase date to return any retro release games, systems, and/or accessories to us for a refund, exchange, or Store Credit.

New & Used Non-New Releases/Non-Retro Releases Return Policy

We've covered new releases and retro releases, but what about games, systems, and accessories that aren't considered a new release (released within the past 30 days), and aren't considered a retro release (in the retro section of our website)? Well, these items are eligible to be returned or exchanged within 180 days of your purchase. Eligible items for this policy include any/all games, systems, accessories for the Switch, PS4, Xbox One, 3DS, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Vita, and PC.

To be eligible for a full refund to your method of payment (i.e. PayPal, Check, Money Order, etc.), non-new releases/non-retro releases must be returned in their original packaging, original condition (i.e. brand new/sealed items must still be sealed, used items sold with boxes must include their box, etc.), and must be accompanied by the original receipt/packing slip. Returns/exchanges without a receipt/packing slip will not be accepted. These items may be returned to you, but you will need to pay the return shipping fee for these items, or if you don't wish to pay that fee, you may elect to forfeit these items to TWG.

Items that were sealed when purchased and were later opened, may be returned for a refund to your payment method, but they will be subject to a 20% restocking fee, which will be deducted from your refund. This is because we can't sell these items as new once they have been opened.

If you'd rather exchange your item for another item of equal or lesser value or receive Store Credit, you may do so, but it must still be returned within 180 days. The same condition rules stated above also apply for exchanges and Store Credits. Opened new releases may be exchanged/receive Store Credit, but will be subject to a 20% restocking fee, which will be deducted from your Store Credit/exchange balance.

So for example, if you were to purchase a non-new release/non-retro release game that was priced at $59.99, opened it, and then decided later that you wanted to return it for a refund to your PayPal account/credit card, $12.00 would be deducted from your refund to cover the 20% restocking fee. 

New & Used Collectibles, Apparel, Guides, Magazines, Books, and Other Items Return Policy

For all purchases of collectibles, apparel, guides, magazines, books, and other items, you will have 30 days from the date of your purchase to return these items to us for a refund or exchange. Exchanges will be valid for items of equal or lesser value or Store Credit.

As with our new and retro releases, to be eligible for a full refund to your method of payment (i.e. PayPal, Check, Money Order, etc.), collectibles, apparel, guides, magazines, books, and other items must be returned in their original condition (i.e. new items must be sealed and/or include any tags, if your item contained a box, the box must be included, etc.), and must be accompanied by the original receipt/packing slip. Returns/exchanges without a receipt/packing slip will not be accepted. These items may be returned to you, but you will need to pay the return shipping fee for these items, or if you don't wish to pay that fee, you may elect to forfeit these items to TWG.

Please Note: Refunds or exchanges for apparel, stickers, mugs, wallets, ornaments, and other items we do not sell as used will only be accepted if they are still in brand new condition. Any tags that were on the item must still be attached. Any signs of use of these items (i.e. tags missing, holes, tears, cracks, stains, etc.), will cause your refund/exchange of these items to be denied. Any such items returned to us in non-new condition will be forfeited/surrendered to TWG and you will not receive a refund, exchange, or Store Credit for any such items.

This policy is in place to help protect everyone from any health related issues that sometimes arise with used apparel, drinkware, etc. and also because certain items are single-use only (such as stickers).

Services Return/Refund Policy

TWG also offers several services in addition to selling video games, systems, accessories and related items. Our services return/refund policy works a bit differently than our policies for products.

If you purchase a cleaning service, repair service, or a tournament entrance ticket from TWG, you may request a refund within 30 days of your purchase. Unfortunately, other services such as optional package services (insurance, signature, etc.) and parties, are non-refundable.

Other Returns Information

Items which have been broken or damaged during shipping, and/or ones that arrive defective, are not subject to restocking fees. However, you must contact us to file a claim with the shipping carrier in order to receive a refund or a replacement item.

Please Note: It is your responsibility to ensure that your returned items arrive safely back to TWG. If your items are damaged in transit during your return, we will assess a 50% repair and replace fee that will be deducted from your refund.

So for example, if you were to purchase a system priced $399.99 and wanted to return it but it was damaged when it arrived back to TWG, we will deduct $200.00 from your refund. This allows us to either have the item repaired or to replace it. Please be sure to pack your items carefully when returning them to TWG as we do not want you to have to pay this fee.

If you have paid for insurance with the shipping carrier for your return, you will not be assessed this fee, provided you assist us in filing a claim with the carrier and the carrier approves the claim. Return insurance is not provided by TWG and is your responsibility to purchase when you go to ship your return, should you choose to do so. Unfortunately, if the shipping carrier denies your damage claim, you will have to pay the repair and replace fee stated above.

If you wish to purchase return insurance through a shipping carrier, you will also have to pay for the return shipping as our pre-paid labels do not include insurance. If you provide us with your shipping receipt, then upon receiving and verifying your return, we will refund your shipping cost and the insurance fee. Please note that this refund only applies for items which qualify for free returns.



Once we have received and verified your return, we will send you a refund for the applicable amount, less any associated fees (see above).

If you chose to receive Store Credit for your return, it may be used in whole or in part on our website for future purchases. Store Credits are valid until they are used. Store Credits are issued as coupon codes and are unique to your account.  

If you wish to use only part of your Store Credit for an order, please contact us prior to placing your order and we will split your Store Credit into two coupon codes so you'll be able to use part of your credit on the first order and save the rest for later.

Store Credits are non-transferable and may only be used by the account to which it was issued. Store Credits have no equivalent cash value and may not be redeemed for cash.

Please DO NOT return merchandise to TWG AFTER your return window has elapsed. We will not be able to return these items to you if you return them to us after the return window has closed. And you will not be refunded for these items. In addition, restocking fees may apply (see above).

If you wish to return some or all of your order, please request a RMA number from our RMA request page or give us a call at 1-866-TWGAMES. A pre-paid label will be provided for most orders (consoles, large accessories, large collector's editions, and any other items and/or a combination of items weighing 1 lb. or more are excluded).

If you'd rather pay for return shipping yourself, please request a RMA number and send your return to:

Tidewater Games
c/o Returns

PO Box 7092

Hampton, VA 23666

Please note, TWG will not accept ANY return that does not include BOTH the receipt/packing slip AND your returns merchandise authorization (RMA) number/form. Once generated, your RMA number is valid for the return window specified in our policies above for the item(s) you wish to return.

If your return is not received within your return window, you may be subject to restocking fees and we may deny your return (see above for more info). As mentioned above, please don't try to make a return after your window has elapsed, as TWG is unable to return your items to you without having to charge you a return shipping fee.

TWG reserves the right to change, modify, alter any/all of these return/refund policies as the need arises. The latest information about our returns/refunds policies can be found right here on this page.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about our Return Policy, please contact us.