Costco returns have almost no deadline. The exceptions are the whole story.
The receipt is old, the box is open, and you want to know whether you have missed the window. Electronics get 90 days. A short list is flatly non-refundable. Everything else: no stated time limit, and we mean that as a fact from the page, not a guess.
The guarantee, in Costco's own words
Quoted from Costco
“Risk-Free 100% Satisfaction Guarantee”
Quoted from Costco
“On Membership: We will cancel and refund your membership fee at any time if you are dissatisfied.”
No window named for the membership at all: at any time
, full stop. The merchandise half is where the exceptions get introduced:
Quoted from Costco
“On Merchandise: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell, and will refund your purchase price*, with the following exceptions:”
Quoted from Costco
“*Limitations apply. See the membership counter or Costco.com for details.”
That is genuinely all the asterisk says. We are not going to write unlimited
either. Costco never does.
The exceptions, and what each one costs you
| Most merchandise | No stated time limit |
|---|---|
| Membership | Any time, no window |
| Electronics (TVs, computers, major appliances, cameras, phones) | 90 days from receipt |
| Diamonds over 1.00ct | No deadline; verified within 48h |
| Tires & batteries | May carry a product-specific warranty |
| Custom products | Not returnable, except warranty repair |
What runs a clock, drawn
No deadline.
90 days.
From the day you received it, not the day you set it up.
Never returnable: diamonds, cigarettes, alcohol, custom products, gift cards.
Electronics: 90 days from the date you received it
Quoted from Costco
“Electronics: Costco will accept returns within 90 days (from the date the member received the merchandise) for Televisions, 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, Touchscreen Tablets, Smart Wearable Devices, Cameras, Aerial Cameras (drones), Camcorders, MP3 players and Cellular Phones (return details will vary by carrier service contract).”
Costco names the items one by one. A refrigerator of 10 cu. ft. or less is not on the list, so the 90 days do not name it, and a phone tied to a carrier also follows that carrier’s contract.
Diamonds over 1.00ct: no deadline, but a process
Quoted from Costco
“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.”
A Jewelry Credit Memo, then, not cash on the spot.
Tires and batteries: they may come with their own warranty
Quoted from Costco
“Products with a limited useful life expectancy, such as tires and batteries, may be sold with a product-specific limited warranty.”
Custom products: no change of mind, but warranty failures still count
Quoted from Costco
“Custom product(s) manufactured to our member’s personal and unique specifications cannot be returned or refunded, except for warranty repair/replacement due to failure to meet specifications.”
What Costco will never refund
| Airline & live performance event items | No exceptions |
|---|---|
| Precious metals | No exceptions |
| Shop Cards | No exceptions |
| Gift cards & tickets | No exceptions |
| Cigarettes & alcohol | Where prohibited by law |
Quoted from Costco
“Airline and Live Performance Event items are non-refundable.”
Quoted from Costco
“Precious metals are non-refundable.”
Quoted from Costco
“Shop Cards are non-refundable.”
Quoted from Costco
“Gift Card and Ticket items are non-refundable.”
Quoted from Costco
“Costco does not accept returns on cigarettes or alcohol where prohibited by law.”
How to actually return something
- Take it to any Costco warehouse. Use the returns counter. It does not have to be the warehouse you bought from.
- Bought online? You have a second route. Return it at any warehouse, or start the return on Costco.com.
- Check the exceptions first. Electronics on Costco’s list get 90 days from the date you received them, and a diamond over 1.00ct needs its original IGI or GIA paperwork.
Quoted from Costco
“Products purchased at a Costco location need to be returned at the returns counter at any Costco warehouse.”
Quoted from Costco
“Items ordered online can be returned at any Costco warehouse -or- you can initiate a return through Costco.com.”
Any Costco warehouse works, not just the one you bought from.
This exact answer is on its eighteenth version
Costco's page carries its own metadata: Document ID CU2573, Version 18.0, Published Date 10/02/2025, still live when we re-read it on October 2, 2026, unchanged since our July 30 read. Version 18 suggests seventeen earlier revisions, and Costco publishes no changelog explaining what moved.
Costco return policy FAQ
What is Costco's return policy time limit?
No general one. Every deadline on the page belongs to a named exception; outside them, none is stated.
Can I return a TV after 90 days?
No. Televisions sit inside the 90-day electronics exception, running from the date received.
Can Costco refund my membership?
Yes, at any time if you are dissatisfied
, with no window attached.
Can I return a diamond over 1.00ct?
Yes, with original IGI or GIA paperwork, a Jewelry Credit Memo, and a 48-hour authenticity check.
Are gift cards and Shop Cards refundable?
No. Both are stated as non-refundable, no exceptions offered.
Where do I return something I bought at Costco?
Any Costco warehouse's returns counter. Online orders can also go through Costco.com.
A warranty repair, a carrier phone contract, or a state alcohol or tobacco law can all sit outside the general guarantee described here.
Second opinions
Other policies we have decoded
Every one of these is read from the company’s own document and dated. See all 66 questions we have answered.