Ahh, Costco – our favorite superstore. What can’t you find there? There are deals for everything under the sun, from socks to patio furniture to protein powder.
Bulk tomatoes and chicken nuggets on your list? No worries! Shopping for a new phone? Costco has you covered. They even sell diamond rings.
And when something goes wrong and you need to return a product, Costco’s return policy also has you covered. You can return anything at any time — with just a few exceptions.
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- Almost anything can be returned to Costco, for any reason.
- Electronics have a 90-day window for returns, and the product doesn’t need to be damaged to get your money back.
- Diamonds can be returned at any time, but you need to have the certification paperwork.
- Gold bullion, tires, and batteries are not eligible for returns at Costco. Cigarettes and alcohol depend on your local state laws.
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What Can You Return at Costco?
Pretty much anything you buy at Costco can be returned to Costco. And in most cases, there isn't a time limit on when you need to return it.
You also don't need to be worried about a reason — even if you just don't like something or change your mind, you can take it back.
But there are a few things that have special caveats. Here's what to know.
Electronics
Costco promises a refund on the original purchase price of electronics, but it needs to be within a 90-day window. You can still return for any reason — the product doesn’t have to be damaged for you to get your money back.
Say you bought the new Apple Watch at your local Costco, but you aren’t happy with it and decide you want a Garmin instead.
You can take the Apple Watch back within 90 days and be refunded the entire purchase price, no matter the reason.
The 90-day window for returning electronics covers laptops and computers, TVs, tablets, phones, cameras, and lots more. It also applies to large appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, water heaters, and washers/dryers.
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Diamonds
Relationships don’t always work out. Or maybe the ring just didn’t fit and you need to return it for the right size.
Whatever the reason, there’s no timeline or return window to worry about. That means if you bought a ring there years ago, you can still return it if you aren’t happy with it.
But be warned that if the diamond is over one carat, you’ll need the original diamond certification paperwork (a GIA or IGI certificate).
Once you bring in the ring (or any other jewelry) and paperwork to Costco, you’ll be issued a refund and the diamond will be inspected for authenticity.
Hot tubs
One of the quirks of the Costco return policy includes a lifetime return policy for hot tubs.
They don’t fall under the electronics or appliances category, so they can be refunded at any time if you aren’t satisfied.
Did the jets die five years after you purchased it? You can still get your money back!
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What Can’t You Return at Costco?
While Costco’s return policies are pretty lenient, there are several categories of items you can’t get a refund for.
If you buy tires, batteries, or other products that have a useful life expectancy, they will have their own product-specific warranty.
Special orders from a kiosk or other custom programs or services are also not eligible for refunds beyond “warranty repair/replacement due to failure to meet specifications.”
Basically, if you make a custom scrapbook from the photo center, you cannot return it for a refund unless you receive it with the binding already torn or the incorrect pictures in it.
Live performance tickets and airline purchases are also non-refundable. Gold bullion? You can’t get a refund for that, either. And cigarette and alcohol returns are dependent on your local laws.
TL;DR: How to Get a Refund at Costco
Returns are pretty straightforward at Costco — the returns counter is normally right inside the doors and you can even return items you bought online to the physical warehouse.
With a few exceptions, like tires, airline tickets, gold, and possibly alcohol, you can return pretty much anything and everything at Costco, no reason required.
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