Costco’s Return Policy Has Limits
Have you seen those videos online where people challenge themselves to try and return the most random things to Costco? It’s been a well-known fact that Costco’s return policy is one of the most lenient, and amazing, return policies on the planet! I personally may or may not know some people who’ve taken advantage of their return policy when planning their “Big Screen – Big Game” parties. Don’t worry, I’m not talking about myself, but I would be lying if I said I’ve never benefitted from their lax return policy.
A couple years ago I used an oscillating tower fan that I bought from Costco for a good two months before I got fed up with how obnoxiously loud it was. I’m telling you, that thing sounded like a motorcycle. Listen, I like white noise as much as the next person, but it was impossible to get sleep with that thing in the room!
“Why don’t you just return it?” my wife asked me. At the time, I wasn’t aware of Costco’s return policy, but she assured me that they wouldn’t give me a hard time if I returned it – and she was right!
I remember standing in line and being a little surprised at some of the things other people were returning. One guy was bringing back a mattress that looked “well used” and that’s me being polite. Another person was returning the same fan I was returning, but it was in pieces! I like to imagine the noise drove him into a destructive rage! But I also noticed that every single one of us got our money back, with little to no questions asked.
Some People Even Return Food To Costco
According to the Daily Mail, Costco is even known for allowing people to return half-eaten food! It’s not as gross as it sounds. If there’s a problem with the food, their website states that members don’t even need a receipt for its return.
However, even Costco has its limits. Here are some items that you cannot return.
Tires
There are a lot of perks to buying your tires at Costco, like free tire rotation, inflation checks and balance, but returning them isn’t one of them. Tires can’t be returned once they’ve been purchased.
Booze
There’s also a no return policy for any alcoholic beverage. This include wine, beer, and spirits.
Electronics… But There’s a Catch
Most electronics have a time window for returns, and it’s usually 90 days. However, there are some things like vacuum cleaners that fall under their general return policy, so use that information as you wish.
Cigarettes
Like the booze we mentioned earlier, cigarettes cannot be returned, even if unopened.
Gift Cards
One of the things I love about Costco is that you can usually buy gift cards for other businesses at a discounted rate. Pro-tip for gamers, you can regularly get a $100 PlayStation or Nintendo e-shop card for around 80 bucks. Which is a nice way to save money for an expensive hobby, however they’re non-refundable.
