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Costco’s Incredible Return Policy
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I know a lot of folks love Costco, I’m one of them. Did you know that their return policy permits you to return ANYTHING (except computers) with or without the receipt whenever you want as long as you still have the same membership. If you bought a pair of pants, as I did, and found that you didn’t really like them but tossed the receipt already… no fear, just go back and they have it all on record. Yes, I bought these pants two months ago and had been meaning to return them for two months. You can also use this as a (semi-free) extended warranty – buy a TV or DVD player and if/when it stops working after four or five years, just return it! The only exception to this rule is a computer purchase and that return period expires after six months.
Update: Costco recently amended their return policy. Televisions, projectors, computers, cameras, camcorders, iPOD / MP3 players and cellular phones can only be returned within 90 days of purchase.
Don’t believe me? My friend David bought a mattress from Costco and emailed them to find out their return policy on mattresses. In short, he could return at any time, at no cost, to a store or arrange with customer service for pickup if you can’t get it to the store because of size and weight. Pretty sweet.
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If it was possible to returned melted ice, I would return it.
And say it wasn’t that cold as I expected.
i called costco today to see if i can return a gps i bought in 2006, the alhambra store manager says i cannot. i thought they changed the policy in 2007. please confirm and advise.
paul
i have a question. i bought my dad a sleep innovations bed (the memory foam type for $600) 2 years ago. hes an older man, and i don’t live with him. recently i went to go and visit him and while fixing his bed i noticed that there is a crease in the middle of the bed where it was folded in the box it came in. the problem is, i no longer have that costco card member account, when mine closed we opened a new one a few months later under my husbands name. also, my dad cannot remember where he put the receipt. i dont want my money back, i just want to get the same bed. i also have the same bed and the crease went away in mine, so im thinking my dads malfunctioned or something. do you think they will let me exchange it?
Does anyone know if it’s possible to return a mattress back to Costco even if it’s been after 1 year? The mattress doesn’t hold up very well anymore and it causes my husband and I to get backache every night.
Costco has the best return policy. Six months ago I returned an office chair that I had for approximately eight months and Costco returned it with no questions. I love the Costco return policy I shop their at least twice a month. I have been going to Costco since I was a child with my parents. My parents are still members and I will be a member for life as well.
Hopefully they do not change their return policy to 30-days like they did with all electronics.
I bought a tv from costco under the old return rules. The tv gave out 2 1/2 years later, and we treid to get it fixed but found that it was un-fixable. does anyone know if Costco will take it back? its been 4 years now.
Most of you folks sound like children. ” I bought “blank” in 2006 will they take it back?….
My mattress has a crease , will they take it back?.. Oh Im not a member anymore.
People like this should shop at Sams instead. Stick with your Walmart quality life
Oh my God. Thank You for that post!! Do people just think Costco eats the cost(no pun), every time someone decides 4 years later that they don’t “like” something they bought? Uh…Hello? That cost gets transferred to you and all the other Costco shoppers in the form of higher prices on their products. C’mon people…do you really believe Costco can survive for much longer with this policy as long as people continue to abuse it? We’ve already seen the change in their electronics return policy. This country has become a melting pot for the “entitled ones” who cannot seem to take responsibility for their actions. If something breaks or malfunctions after 90 days, you should be seeking restitution from the manufacturers warranty, not Costco, who has for too long now, catered to these abusers of good will.
You read it here. When Costco just can’t maintain supporting all the whiners, cry-babies, and greedy folk, and change their return policy for all products purchased, don’t go looking for a refund for your membership fee!
I wouldn’t return anything unless it was unused. I couldn’t imagine returning a bed or t.v. After 4 yrs. Come on people! It’s time to buy something new, At Costco! Don’t take advantage of these policies.
Really? That is why you PAY for a membership! It is for Costco to act on your behalf and to negotiate prices. This includes their return policy!
I am not one to take advantage, but when you expect something to last 5+ years and it only lasts 2-3, you should be able to take it back!
Amen, I am with you on that, tired of these people trying to return everything after they used it for a few years!!!!
I guess if Costco thought like you, they would be you and if you thought like Costco you would be them,so they are crushing the competition without our advise! I can tell you that if they listened to me they would certainly not be where they are at today. Look at what you and I have and look at what they have.If they are more successful, that means they are smarter at running business but it is so hard for our mom pop mentality to understand that their policies wins customers.
This Is perfect!
You can always call Costco corporate for returns:
1-800-955-2292
As far as I know they will allow all returns even if the local stores will not… but best not to abuse this as they might change their policy!!
I cannot believe some of you people would consider taking something back to a store after you had used it for months? What gall! What lack of self respect do you people have? I’m sure you feel entitled because you “can” or they “will” but have you no shame? I’ve had this ______ for 6 months now, I’d like to return it. Really? People like that make the rest of us lose faith in humanity.
Luckily, people like that make up a very, very small minority of people who will take advantage, whenever they can, to selfishly & greedily take what they can to feather their own nests, even if it means hurting the greater good. They see the world through a narrow lens of what’s good for their interests and not beyond. I’m sure they justify it to themselves a million ways too. But Karma is a bitch and unfortunately, they know deep down what they’re doing is wrong and so I’ve seen these types of people cave themselves in, in other ways… they commit their petty crime at Costco and then wonder why their car breaks down or the water heater in the house blows or this or that happens in their life. Coincidence? I think not. It’s what a person does to himself when he knows deep down he’s ripping others off or harming the greater good. Don’t do it. Do the right thing – the morally, grown up, proper thing. You shouldn’t have to be told what that is or ask what that is. Use your own native common sense and good judgement and the answer is clear.
Do you really think that Costco passes this on the their customer? Costco buys in bulk, that is how discounts are created. Costco also has agreements with its vendors to take back product if its customers are not satisfied! With the amount of business that Costco has, they have the strength to do this. When you pay $50 for a MR. Coffee machine and it goes out in 3 years, when you could have paid $20 for a simular machine, of course Costco should take it back. If you were not satisfied with the length of time you got out of it. That is another reason for over paying for simular products. With your logic, you should never take advantage of car battery policies. Costco has a 3 year no questions asked replacement policy. If my battery goes bad in two years (common in AZ heat), Costco will refund my money to allow me to buy a new battery. You pay for your Costco membership for a reason. Part of that is the return policy!
I totally agree with David on this
Any store who offers a warranty like that is asking for people to return stuff, and saying that people have no morals because they do it is stupid…take Sears for example…Craftsmen tools warranty states that “for as long as you own it, if it breaks or becomes unuseable you can return it for a brand new item.” People bought tools at Sears for THIS EXACT reason, so you are saying that if a Store gives that warranty that you would not use it? Bollocks! If the store offers that kind of warranty, people will return their items when they are no longer usueable, and so would you. Hypocrite…Yes I know the post is old, but it still rings true…!
For those of you arguing that it isn’t ok to return something to Costco after you’ve been using it for months, consider the following: I bought two $160.00 Keurig coffee makers that I gave as Christmas gifts in 2010. Both failed within a couple of weeks of each other just prior to Christmas 2011. Do you think that a $160.00 coffee maker should only last a year? By the way, Costco won’t eat the cost, they’ll return them to Keurig and be credited. Return them for a replacement? You bet I will!
I worked for Costco before they changed the return policy. I was told by managers that they take anything back no matter how old and whether its working or not. That was the policy. Taking something back that is 3 years old is not wrong if its under their policy guidelines.
Inside the L.L.Bean catalog cover, it states:
“Our products are guaranteed to give 100% satisfaction in every way. Return anything purchased from us at any time if it proves otherwise. We do not want you to have anything from L.L.Bean that is not completely satisfactory.”
Not only that, the shipping is free. They repaired a hole in a favorite sweater of mine that was 10 yrs. old. No receipt, no questions asked and shipping was free both ways. They have earned the reputation for satisfying their customers.
I bought a Whirlpool washer, dryer and could not stand the sound of the washer during the washing cycle. I called Costco Customer Service to return the washer and dryer 2 weeks ago and have not heard back from them. I have made 4 calls and they keep telling me they have to get clearance! They also said it could be 15 business days (3 weeks) for the shipping company to call me to set up a time from the to come and pick up the washer/dryer.
And they can take another 2 weeks to do that.
Poor policy. I do not recommend.
Try to return a carton of Cigarettes. I was told you can if never left the store with them otherwise no deal.
Returning a bed used by some sweaty carcass is just plain wrong. Especially after 2 years. Even after 2 months. I watched another guy who bought a giant propane bbq who obviously used it at his baseball tourney or party of the century. Absolutely filthy and covered in grease from the grease burgers he cooked on it. They gave him a refund. A vacuum cleaner returned from another guy who said it had no suction. They pulled the bag which was ripped to shreds from the dryall and nails that were in it. Gave him a refund. Something has to be wrong with these losers.
Only in America