9 Things You Didn't Know About Costco's Return Policy

Costco is a warehouse store best known for selling products in bulk. This is great if you have a large family or don't live near a grocery store and need to stock up to last you between trips. However, there's a downside to this as well; shoppers may be more hesitant to spend money on bulk items if they don't know for sure that they'll like them. That's just one reason Costco has such a fabulous return policy.

Costco's return policy is pretty lenient, and it extends not just to bulk items but to clothing, books, premade food, tech, and most of the other numerous items that Costco offers to shoppers. Members know that in addition to getting their money's worth, they're also getting top-notch customer service if they need to make a return. That being said, even if you've been a member for a while, there may be some things you didn't know about Costco's return policy.

The first thing you need to know about Costco's return policy is that it's incredibly flexible and lenient. Costco advertises itself as having a "risk-free, 100% satisfaction guarantee." This means that you can return almost anything at any time, even years after you purchased it if you're not satisfied for any reason. This includes discontinued Costco products. Of course, some returns may be at the discretion of a manager, but overall, the policy is that they'll accept most things back if you're not happy.

There are, of course, a few exceptions. The company sets a 90-day return window on electronics, including appliances like refrigerators and ovens. Other items that have a "limited useful life expectancy," like tires or batteries, may have a limited return period as well. Additionally, the company does not accept returns on gold bouillon, gold bars, silver coins, tickets, and shop cards. And in states where alcohol and cigarette returns are prohibited, the company will not accept returns on those items.

Typically, Costco will also not accept returns on special orders or custom-installed items. The exception to this is if there is something actually wrong with the product, such as a manufacturer defect or if the product was not made to your specifications. However, you cannot return these products if you simply change your mind.

As we mentioned above, Costco has a 90-day window for returns on electronics. This includes televisions, computers, tablets, cameras, refrigerators, chest freezers, microwaves, ovens, and more. Cell phone policies vary by carrier but generally fall into this 90-day window as well. If you ordered your items online, that 90-day timeframe starts on the day you receive the item.

However, if you've had a product longer than 90 days and something happens that causes it to no longer work, you aren't completely out of luck. Costco has its own tech services department, which offers support for computers, televisions, printers, hearing aids, security systems, and household appliances. You can troubleshoot products and view product guides on the website, as well as coordinate warranty repairs.

Speaking of warranties, Costco extends the manufacturer's warranty for up to two years on most types of electronics. This allows customers to receive assistance on their electronics even after the 90 days have passed. Through this plan, Costco can choose to repair, replace, or refund the purchase price of a product. Customers who want additional coverage can add an Allstate Protection Plan to get up to five years of warranty coverage on their purchases.

For many people, one of the biggest frustrations of doing a return is ensuring that they hold on to their store receipts. The receipt proves that you purchased the item at that store and shows how much you purchased it for. For a long time, many stores would not accept returns without a paper receipt, and there are many places where that's still the case. But not at Costco!

Costco requires its shoppers to have a membership. It's part of the draw but can also be annoying for many. However, when you checkout with your membership, your purchases are stored in your member account. If you get up to the returns desk and don't have a receipt, the clerk can simply pull up your account and see your purchase history. Note that if you're a frequent flyer at the returns desk, you may be required to show a receipt anyway.

If, for whatever reason, you do need a receipt, you can access a digital copy of your receipt in the Costco app. To find your receipts and purchase history on the app, log in and go to your account. Tap "Orders and Purchases," and you'll be able to view past receipts, as well as the status of your orders. That's not the only thing you can do on the app either. The Costco app is a pretty great resource overall and can change the way you shop at Costco.

You may have noticed that food items weren't included on the list of return exceptions. This is because, generally speaking, you can return food items to Costco without issue. For example, maybe you took a chance on a new type of chip, only to discover a few bites in that you weren't a fan. You can take the bag back to Costco and get a return, seeing as you weren't satisfied. Since the company sells in bulk, this is a huge bonus for members. You can test out items and if you don't like them, you aren't stuck with a mountain of items you won't use.

Technically, you can even return items just because you didn't use them. Maybe you purchased too many Costco food platters for your party and there were a couple left over. It may not be ethical, strictly speaking, but if you return them right away, Costco will usually take them back.

There are exceptions, of course. You can't eat most of the bag of chips and try to return it with just crumbs and crushed bits at the bottom. You also need to return items within a reasonable time frame. Sure, your chips tasted off, but they expired three years ago, so you aren't getting a return. Moldy fruit? Depends, did you purchase it yesterday or two months ago? There's no hard and fast rule on this, however, and whether or not you can return expired food is usually up to the discretion of the clerk or manager.

Costco customers have two different ways to purchase items: in-store at one of Costco's many warehouses across the country, or online through the Costco website. Many items are available in both places, but some things are in-store only, and others, Costco only offers online. As a result, even if Costco is a regular stop on your to-do list, you may end up ordering from the website from time to time.

Returning online purchases can be a hassle. You have to print a return label, find a box, get it packaged up, and then either take it to whatever delivery service the company used or schedule a pick-up. But Costco does its best to make returns easy on customers. If you purchased an item online and don't want to go through the steps of shipping it back, you can also bring it to any Costco warehouse and process the return there. Note that the warehouses and online store accept different payment methods, so if you return an online item in-store you may not be able to receive your refund through the same method you used to pay for it.

Unfortunately, returns don't work the other way around. If you purchase an item in-store, you don't have the option to ship it back for a refund. You'll have to return to a warehouse for that.

Costco does not price match with competitors, but it does price match with itself. That is, if you purchase an item and notice that the price drops within 30 days of your purchase, you can request a price adjustment and receive the difference between prices. However, unlike some retailers, Costco does not price match between its website and warehouses. If you purchased an item in-store and see it go on sale online, you're out of luck.

To request a price adjustment for items purchased from the warehouse, you'll need to return to the warehouse and speak to someone at the returns counter. You don't need to have the item with you, and it's not an awkward process of returning and then re-ringing the product. If your price adjustment request is approved, you'll get a credit back through whatever payment method you used. If you purchased online, you'll need to go to the Costco website and navigate to "Request a Price Adjustment." You'll have to fill out a form, and, if your request is approved, you'll receive a credit within five to 10 business days.

Some items do not qualify for price adjustments. These include gold bullion, as well as items purchased for resale. For price adjustments on special order kiosks and home improvement installed products, you'll need to contact your Costco authorized dealer.

Costco sells a huge variety of items, such as clothes, electronics, appliances, food, and seasonal goods. It also sells some higher-priced items, like diamond jewelry. While diamond jewelry is returnable at Costco, if the diamond is over one carat, there is a specific procedure that the store has to follow.

We mentioned above that you typically don't need a receipt for returns, but if you're returning a diamond product over one carat, you will need the original paperwork containing the International Gemological Institute (IGI) and/or the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) certificates that you received when you purchased the gem. This gives the store extra assurance that the jewelry not only belongs to you but is certified as well.

When you return your diamond and present the paperwork, the store will issue you a Jewelry Credit Memo. Next, one of the Costco gemologists will inspect your diamond to ensure that it's authentic and hasn't been swapped out with a fake. The inspection usually takes 48 hours. If the diamond passes inspection, you'll receive your full refund.

Customer satisfaction is the highest priority at Costco. That's why its return policy is so lenient; it's willing to eat the cost of a few returns if its reputation remains intact and if its customers keep coming back. But even the customer-friendly giant has its limits and will end memberships over excessive returns.

If Costco feels you're abusing its return policy, it may choose to terminate your membership. There are no specific guidelines as to what makes Costco choose to close your account; managers usually make these decisions at their discretion. However, making an excessive amount of returns or returning obviously worn clothing, expired food, or old merchandise could get your account flagged. Depending on your store, they may issue a warning first or start requiring you to bring in your receipt.

Costco doesn't cancel memberships often, but when it does, abuse of the return policy is a common reason. However, there are a few other things that can get you kicked out as well, like stealing, refusing to have your receipt checked, or being abusive to staff. On the flip side, customers are also allowed to terminate their membership at any time for a full refund.

Customer service is one thing, but it can be hard to understand why a large corporation is willing to offer such a lenient return policy that could potentially lose them a lot of money. According to Costco employees on Reddit, Costco actually prefers that you return items that don't meet your expectations because it gives them insight into their products and customer wants.

Every time someone returns something to a Costco warehouse, the employee at the return desk needs to put in a reason why the customer returned something. Costco then uses that reason as feedback. For example, say you buy a box of personal-sized frozen pizzas. You cook the first one and find it to be disappointingly bland, and know you won't finish the rest of the box. You then go to return the pizzas and tell the clerk that you're returning the pizzas because they're bland. If enough customers return the pizzas and list that as the reason for their return, Costco then knows to either stop stocking the product or, if it's their own product, tweak the recipe.

In this way, Costco is essentially using returns to test products and gain valuable feedback on the items they offer. To them, the cost of returns is a small price to pay to fine-tune their selection and make customers happy.