Costco Return Policy: Satisfaction Guarantee & the 90-⁠Day Electronics Rule

Costco's return policy fits on one help page, but the details matter: electronics have a firm deadline, several product types can't be refunded at all, and where you return an item depends on how you bought it. Here is what Costco's own customer service page says.

The satisfaction guarantee

Costco's policy is built around a Risk-Free 100% Satisfaction Guarantee: it guarantees your satisfaction on every product it sells and will refund your purchase price, with a list of exceptions ¹. The policy does not publish a general return deadline for everyday merchandise, but it flags that limitations apply and sends members to the membership counter or Costco.com for details ¹.

In practice, anything that isn't on the exceptions list below falls under the guarantee ¹.

Electronics and major appliances: 90 days

The most important exception is electronics. Costco accepts returns within 90 days of the date you received the merchandise for these items ¹:

• Televisions and projectors
• Major appliances – refrigerators above 10 cu. ft., freezers, ranges, cooktops, over-the-range and under-counter microwaves, range hoods, dishwashers, water heaters, washers and dryers
• Computers and touchscreen tablets
• Smart wearable devices
• Cameras, aerial cameras (drones) and camcorders
• MP3 players and cellular phones – return details for phones vary with the carrier service contract

Because the clock starts on the date you received the item ¹, online and delivered orders get the full window from delivery. For technical support or warranty information on many of these products, Costco points members to its Technical & Warranty Services representatives ¹.

Recreational carts ordered online follow the same 90-day rule, counted from the date you received the product ¹.

What Costco won't refund

Some purchases are excluded from refunds entirely ¹:

Products with a limited useful life – Costco names tires and batteries – may come with a product-specific limited warranty instead ¹.

Diamonds, eyeglasses, hearing aids and contact lenses

A few departments handle returns differently:

• Diamonds of 1.00ct or larger: bring all original paperwork (IGI and/or GIA certificates). You receive a Jewelry Credit Memo, and a Costco Graduate Gemologist inspects the diamond for authenticity within 48 hours ¹.
• Eyeglasses bought in a warehouse: go to the Optical Department of your Costco warehouse ¹.
• Hearing aids: contact the Hearing Aid center at your warehouse ¹.
• Contact lenses and large, freight-delivered items have their own help pages on Costco's site ¹.

How to return an item to Costco

• Bought in a warehouse: return it at the returns counter of any Costco warehouse – not only the one where you shopped ¹.
• Bought on Costco.com: return it at any Costco warehouse, or start the return online through Costco.com ¹.

Costco notes that accepted payment methods differ online and in the warehouse ¹.

Membership refunds

The guarantee also covers the membership itself: Costco says it will cancel and refund your membership fee at any time if you are dissatisfied ¹.

Price dropped after you bought it?

That's a price adjustment rather than a return. Costco's separate price match policy covers purchases that drop in price within 30 days of the purchase date for non-reseller members ² – see our Costco price adjustment guide for the conditions.

Quick tips

• Check the 90-day date on electronics as soon as they arrive; the window counts from receipt ¹.
• Keep diamond certificates with the jewelry if you might return it ¹.
• If you shopped online, you don't need to ship the item back – any warehouse can take it ¹.