9 Costco Items You Can’t Return
Written by
Jordan Rosenfeld
Edited by
Somnia Keesey
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The Costco return policy is known for being customer-friendly and protective of its shoppers. For example, most items can be returned without question for a full refund. This includes many popular purchases if you are not feeling the store’s promised 100% satisfaction guarantee.
However, that doesn’t mean just anything you buy can be brought back in for your money back. Here are several items Costco won’t let you return.
Cigarettes and Alcohol
You can indulge your vices at Costco quite easily, but don’t expect to be able to return cigarettes and alcohol. Not only is this against store policy, but Costco also does not accept returns on cigarettes or alcohol because it is often prohibited by law based on location.
Tires
Tires might seem like a perfectly reasonable item to return, but much like shoes, once you take them out for a spin, they’re yours. This is because they are no longer viable, as even a little bit of use enacts wear and tear.
So do your research before you buy tires to make sure you’ve got the correct ones for your car, because Costco won’t take them back. In general, products with a limited useful life expectancy, such as tires and batteries, may be sold with a product-specific limited warranty.
Batteries
Speaking of batteries, though they power a variety of items in your home or office, it doesn’t mean you recharge your card if you are unhappy with the purchase. Simply put, batteries don’t last forever, and unless you have the original packaging, it’s almost impossible to tell the age of a battery, and Costco doesn’t want to resell duds.
Costco doesn’t bother risking it — you can’t bring these back. As a Costco customer, make sure to purchase product-specific warranties to cover purchases that come with batteries, so you’re covered if there’s a problem.
Paper Products
It should be pretty obvious that toilet paper and paper towels, items that interact with people’s bodies, are not a welcome item for return. However, since people buy these items in bulk, they may think they can return the unused portions. Alas, Costco doesn’t want your extra paper products. If you have too much, donate them to a shelter or a school instead.
Rotten Food (or Any Perishable Items)
What seems obvious to some people is clearly not to others, as more than once a customer has tried to return food that has spoiled at Costco. Not food they discovered was rotten immediately after purchase, either, but food they let rot at home — such as old stinky salmon and a moldy bag of oranges.
Don’t be that person who makes the Costco employees question whether you have common sense. Yes, food costs are skyrocketing thanks to tariffs and economic volatility, but unfortunately, sometimes life just gives you rotten lemons.
Used Underwear
Some things really shouldn’t have to be spelled out. You may be able to return some used items, but logic and common courtesy should be enough to know that used underwear is not among them. Yet that’s what someone reportedly tried to do once — with a 7-year-old pair!
Soap
It’s natural to be picky about the kind of soap you use, as soaps can vary in texture, viscosity, scent and more. What may look great in the packaging may smell or feel weird when you finally get it home and try it out.
Nevertheless, Costco isn’t too concerned about your soap preferences. If you bought it, you keep it; no returns allowed.
Diamonds, One Carat or Larger
While Costco does have a 90-day jewelry return policy, so long as the jewelry is in good condition, there is one exception. If you want to return diamonds larger than one carat, you need to have all the paperwork it came with, and your receipt, or it’s a no-go. Even then, you only get store credit, not a full refund, so purchase your bling wisely.
According to Costco’s return policy, “Members returning a diamond over 1.00ct must also present all original paperwork (IGI and/or GIA certificates) at which time they will receive a Jewelry Credit Memo. Within 48 hours, our Costco Graduate Gemologist will inspect for authenticity.”
Final Take To GO: Costco’s Return Policy
In general, Costco’s customer service offers a generous return policy that comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee on most items if returned within 90 days. It allows returns anytime with a few exceptions, including non-refundable items like gift cards and cigarettes.
You can return items to any warehouse with your membership card, and while a receipt helps, it’s often not necessary since purchases are tracked on your account. Online purchases can also be returned in-store or online via your Costco account.
Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.
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