Costco's Electronics Return Policy: Can You Really Return Anything?

People who opt to get a Costco membership and maintain it get to enjoy a slew of perks, namely the ability to purchase excellent quality products, often at a lower cost. This includes not just the usual household goods, clothing, and pantry staples, but also computers, appliances, and the like that may have a higher price elsewhere.

Another essential shopping advantage you can get is access to Costco's relatively relaxed return policy on its merchandise. Most things sold by the company come with a risk-free, 100% satisfaction guarantee, giving you the ability to return any item for whatever reason, whether it's due to a product defect or your discontent over your purchase in general. You can also return most products at any time, but there are important exceptions when it comes to particular items.

For instance, if you recently got a Costco membership just to buy a TV or similar electronics, you may need to make your return a lot sooner than other products. Below are things you need to know before you bring back your purchase.

First of all, Costco has a particular list of electronics it can accept for either return or exchange. This includes televisions, projectors, computers, tablets, smartwatches, and mp3 players. The return policy also covers all sorts of camera types including drones and camcorders as well as major appliances like refrigerators above 10 cubic feet, freezers, ranges, cooktops, over-the-range and under-counter microwaves, range hoods, dishwashers, water heaters, washers, and dryers. Cellphones can also be returned, but policy coverage may depend on the carrier service contract included in the purchase.

Costco's return policy also has special stipulations for Apple products like Mac computers, Apple Watches, iPhones, or iPads. Before you actually make a return, you are required to perform a factory reset on the Apple device and to bring it back unlocked.

Those who have any of the abovementioned electronics have 90 days to return or exchange at Costco from the date they received the item, whether they bought it at a warehouse or through costco.com.

The 90-day return or exchange time limit generally applies to all electronics purchased from Costco. However, some customers may have availed the option to extend their purchase's warranty at the time they bought it. 

For instance, for some televisions, projectors, computers (not counting tablets), and major appliances, Costco's own technical and warranty services will extend the manufacturer's warranty for up to two years from the date of warehouse purchase or date of delivery for online orders. Additional extended warranty coverage can also be acquired via an Allstate Protection plan. If you avail of both options for qualified electronics, you can get up to five years total of warranty coverage.

If you require technical assistance with the electronics you purchased or are not sure if the item you have comes with an extended warranty, you can get in touch with Costco's Technical & Warranty Services department by calling 1-866-861-0450 between 5:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Pacific time. To ensure a more streamlined response, if possible, be prepared to provide your name, your Costco membership number, the Costco item number printed on your receipt, the item's model number or serial number, and the purchase date during the call.

There are two ways to make Costco product returns. All qualified electronics can be brought back in person to the returns counter of any Costco warehouse within the 90-day period, preferably with your receipt and the product's original packaging, if available. This is often the preferred method, as exchanges and refunds are immediately processed, including any fees you may have incurred from purchasing through the Costco website. In most cases, the refund will go back to the payment method originally used for the purchase.

If you ordered the item online, you also have the option of requesting a return or replacement via costco.com. Here's how:

1. Open a browser tab and go to costco.com.
2. Hit Sign In/Register in the top-right corner of the page and provide your login credentials.
3. Click Orders & Returns in the top-right corner of the page.

If an order is eligible for online processing, you should see a "Return or Replace Items" button next to it. Click it and follow the onscreen prompts to complete your request. You should instantly receive a return label for the product. In some cases, you may be able to schedule a pickup. If returning or replacing large items, additional instructions will be sent back to you via email.

Electronics that are covered by Costco's return policy will be refunded to the credit card used to place the online purchase, including shipping and handling fees. Customers aren't billed for the product return.

Some items may require additional time before you see the refund reflected in your bank statement. The time it'll take for you to get your money back may also depend on your bank or credit card issuer. If you don't see the credit within three to five business days, feel free to contact your financial institution.