Shopping Discussion

Costco Employees b.s.'ing about Costco return policy

Jr. Member
Feb 13, 2009
192 posts
4 upvotes

Costco Employees b.s.'ing about Costco return policy

My husband returned an item to Costco today, because it was defective. It was a cordless phone that we've been having issues with for about six months. The problems started about a year after we purchased the phone, so we figured it was the rechargeable battery. Replaced batteries, still the same problems.

Costco employee at the service desk told my husband that their policy is to only accept returns up only while the manufacturer's warranty is valid, and she is unable to give him a refund.

My husband asked to speak with a Manager, who told him essentially the same thing. My husband pointed at the sign in the warehouse which read (may not be word for word) Items returned to customers satisfactions, except electronics (which have the 90 day return).

My husband asked the first Manager for a copy of their return policy. His reply was that it's on the membership sign up form.... my husband asked for a copy of the sign up form, and it actually says:

"We ask that you return it in it's original packaging within 30 days"

My husband then asked to speak with the Store Manager, who accepted the return.

It appears to me that Costco does not have a return policy, save for the clear 90 days on electronics. I am not arguing if we should have taken something back 18 months after purchasing it, that is subjective and everyone's opinion will vary. My concern is Costco Employees not knowing, or perhaps being dishonest about, or being mis-lead about their store's return policies, or lack thereof.

I don't actually even mind if there is no return policy, but I dislike being TOLD they have a return policy when indeed it appears they do not.

Has anyone here ever read an official copy of Costco's return policy?
73 replies
Deal Addict
Sep 22, 2007
4599 posts
121 upvotes
If you want to be literal about it, a cordless phone is an electronic device which has a 90 day return policy; so no you should not have been able to return it.
Sr. Member
Feb 10, 2006
743 posts
384 upvotes
Winnipeg
So, you were returning an electronic item, which you acknowledge they pointed out in multiple places has a 90 day return policy, after 18 months, and you're upset that they told you they would have returned it up until a year?
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Sep 3, 2006
5546 posts
3067 upvotes
Winnipeg
Costco has a lenient return policy. Although it says 30 days, as your husband found out, they'll take things back for ages. I don't really see the issue here? The policy says 30 days (except for electronics) but they stretch it to accomodate customers. It's not that they don't know the policy, it's that they have discretion to be flexible.
This isn't a blog.
Deal Fanatic
Mar 21, 2010
6737 posts
3998 upvotes
Toronto
Costco's return policy is 30 days. There's just the gentleman's agreement that in legitimate cases, the policy will be waived. They have to have the policy otherwise they couldn't stop people from "borrowing" stuff. I don't see a problem with it at all... I'm confident that if I really do feel that I have a legitimate reason to return something after 6 months or more, they will be reasonable about it and not hide behind a policy.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jan 30, 2007
3036 posts
219 upvotes
Surrey
Ardvark wrote: My husband returned an item to Costco today, because it was defective. It was a cordless phone that we've been having issues with for about six months. The problems started about a year after we purchased the phone, so we figured it was the rechargeable battery. Replaced batteries, still the same problems.

Costco employee at the service desk told my husband that their policy is to only accept returns up only while the manufacturer's warranty is valid, and she is unable to give him a refund.

So why didn't you contact the manufacturer and ask them to follow up on their warranty?
Deal Addict
Apr 25, 2006
1223 posts
60 upvotes
Mississauga
I think you should change the title of your thread because its mis-leading. Electronics is 90 days. Cordless Phone is in their electronics section is it not?

Just because they were nice and actually did the return which they didn't have to do.... and your still complaining?

:facepalm:
Banned
May 12, 2004
9756 posts
4136 upvotes
Ottawa
Ardvark wrote: My husband returned an item to Costco today, because it was defective. It was a cordless phone that we've been having issues with for about six months.

My husband pointed at the sign in the warehouse which read (may not be word for word) Items returned to customers satisfactions, except electronics (which have the 90 day return).

Did you even read what you typed before posting?
Jr. Member
Jan 5, 2008
179 posts
7 upvotes
New Westminster
Merchandise: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell and will refund your purchase price, with the following exceptions:

1. Electronics: Costco will accept returns within 90 days from the date of purchase for televisions, projectors, computers, cameras, camcorders, iPod®/MP3 players and cellular phones and other products identified by Costco from time to time.

2. Diamonds: When returning items containing a 1.00 ct diamond or larger, Costco will require additional time to verify the diamond, in which case a refund will be approved upon positive verification. This process may require two to five business days.

* Costco may in the future restrict its return policy regarding other products. Restriction will be shown at the point of purchase.

* We ask that you return all other merchandise within 30 days with a Costco receipt and in the original packaging.


I don't see anything about phones being limited to 90 days, unless it was specified when you bought it, should be returnable for 2 years based on costco doubling the manufacturers warranty.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Oct 2, 2010
3566 posts
1644 upvotes
Brampton
Scott84 wrote: I think you should change the title of your thread because its mis-leading. Electronics is 90 days. Cordless Phone is in their electronics section is it not?

Just because they were nice and actually did the return which they didn't have to do.... and your still complaining?

:facepalm:

+1
heck, browse thru their website and the phones are under electronics
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jun 25, 2004
4249 posts
825 upvotes
Pickering, ON
Scott84 wrote: I think you should change the title of your thread because its mis-leading. Electronics is 90 days. Cordless Phone is in their electronics section is it not?

Just because they were nice and actually did the return which they didn't have to do.... and your still complaining?

:facepalm:

+1

If anything, this should be a thread thanking Costco for not having a consistent return policy.
Member
Mar 17, 2009
203 posts
98 upvotes
Mississauga
Jump145 wrote: I don't see anything about phones being limited to 90 days, unless it was specified when you bought it, should be returnable for 2 years based on costco doubling the manufacturers warranty.


Costco doubling the manufacturer's warranty does not mean they will take it back up to two years. It is still 90 days return.

I had a PC that had problems after 90 days. I had to go through the costco "concierge" program wherein the PC got sent back to HP for repairs.
Jr. Member
Jan 5, 2008
179 posts
7 upvotes
New Westminster
I think you need to re-read that policy again, its states which specific electronics are limited to 90 days return.

I haven't had any problems with returns of defective electronics well over a year after purchase, but admittedly it's been a couple years since I've needed to return a defective item outside of 90 days.

I have returned both a ps3 and a Wii that were defective more than a year after purchase though.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jul 5, 2004
27438 posts
6807 upvotes
Jump145 wrote: I think you need to re-read that policy again, its states which specific electronics are limited to 90 days return.

I haven't had any problems with returns of defective electronics well over a year after purchase, but admittedly it's been a couple years since I've needed to return a defective item outside of 90 days.

I have returned both a ps3 and a Wii that were defective more than a year after purchase though.

And people wonder why stores are all being restrictive with their return policies these days. It won't be long before Costco will have the same return policy as FS and BB due to people abusing the current return policy.
Deal Addict
Mar 21, 2009
1235 posts
142 upvotes
Montreal
Ardvark wrote: I am not arguing if we should have taken something back 18 months after purchasing it, that is subjective and everyone's opinion will vary.
You don't want to discuss it, but that seems to be the elephant in the room here. Opinions *shouldn't* vary. I get the sense many RFDers rely on Costco's overly generous policy as the mother they never had. "Well if **** breaks, it's someone else's problem...and I'll get new ****!"

If you have to think about it, you're in the wrong.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jan 27, 2006
19792 posts
3421 upvotes
Woodbridge
I'm not a fan when I see Costco & Return in the thread title.

Once again, a member pushed and had no choice to allow the return.
"I'll put up color bars before I'll put you in front of our cameras."

- MacKenzie
THE NEWSROOM (HBO)
Jr. Member
Jan 5, 2008
179 posts
7 upvotes
New Westminster
easterclause wrote: You don't want to discuss it, but that seems to be the elephant in the room here. Opinions *shouldn't* vary. I get the sense many RFDers rely on Costco's overly generous policy as the mother they never had. "Well if **** breaks, it's someone else's problem...and I'll get new ****!"

If you have to think about it, you're in the wrong.

So what you're saying is even if a retailer has a policy we should avoid using it? why? so you will be able to when you need to?

Should people not price match as well?, what about SCOP?

It's not taking the high road to throw something in the garbage, or deal with the manufacturer, when the retailer has a policy of handling warranty claims in-store. They don't handle all warranty claims in store, but some items they do, and we pay a membership fee for that great service.
Deal Fanatic
Nov 11, 2008
8976 posts
2827 upvotes
Jump145 wrote: I think you need to re-read that policy again, its states which specific electronics are limited to 90 days return.

I haven't had any problems with returns of defective electronics well over a year after purchase, but admittedly it's been a couple years since I've needed to return a defective item outside of 90 days.

I have returned both a ps3 and a Wii that were defective more than a year after purchase though.

OK so ..if you think it doesn't fall under electronics, than it should fall under the "all other merchandise within 30 days with a Costco receipt and in the original packaging." right?

Again like other member have said, 2 year warranty != 2 year return policy.
And also, I thought the 2 year warranty only applies to TVs and Projectors and computers??
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Oct 7, 2007
7282 posts
1820 upvotes
Mississauga, ON
Ardvark wrote: My husband returned an item to Costco today, because it was defective. It was a cordless phone that we've been having issues with for about six months. The problems started about a year after we purchased the phone, so we figured it was the rechargeable battery. Replaced batteries, still the same problems.

Costco employee at the service desk told my husband that their policy is to only accept returns up only while the manufacturer's warranty is valid, and she is unable to give him a refund.

My husband asked to speak with a Manager, who told him essentially the same thing. My husband pointed at the sign in the warehouse which read (may not be word for word) Items returned to customers satisfactions, except electronics (which have the 90 day return).

My husband asked the first Manager for a copy of their return policy. His reply was that it's on the membership sign up form.... my husband asked for a copy of the sign up form, and it actually says:

"We ask that you return it in it's original packaging within 30 days"

My husband then asked to speak with the Store Manager, who accepted the return.

It appears to me that Costco does not have a return policy, save for the clear 90 days on electronics. I am not arguing if we should have taken something back 18 months after purchasing it, that is subjective and everyone's opinion will vary. My concern is Costco Employees not knowing, or perhaps being dishonest about, or being mis-lead about their store's return policies, or lack thereof.

I don't actually even mind if there is no return policy, but I dislike being TOLD they have a return policy when indeed it appears they do not.

Has anyone here ever read an official copy of Costco's return policy?

To quickly answer this, Costco's return policy has been thoroughly analysed in this very forum many many times before. A previous post has already stated Costco's official policy, which is basically 90 days for the electronics listed, and pretty much no limit for anything else. The "30 days" clause is not new nor it seemed to be actually enforced. It's more like a "nice if you follow it but doesn't really matter if you don't" sort of thing.

Still returning something after a year is really taking advantage of the system. In the end you did get your refund so no need to complain. Try this at any other store and see what happens.
There's a sucker born every minute.

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)