You Can Make a Costco Return Without a Receipt—Here’s How

Costco shoppers know the warehouse is chock-full of bargains. Even though Costco has amazing deals on food, clothing and appliances, there are times you’ll want or need to return items. But what if you don’t have your receipt? Not to worry.

You may hold onto Costco receipts (especially for the occasional smiley face ), but not everyone does. It’s easy to lose receipts or throw them away by accident. I know I’ve done it.

Luckily, Costco has yet another member benefit for us. If you don’t have a Costco receipt, there’s a good chance you won’t need it for a return anyway. ( Find out what receipt checkers at Costco are looking for. )

What is the Costco return policy?

According to Costco’s website, “with few exceptions, Costco has a 100% satisfaction guarantee.” If members aren’t satisfied with a purchase, they can return it to any warehouse. Costco’s return policy is known to be incredibly generous, even accepting some returns years after the purchase date.

Can you make a Costco return without a receipt?

Yes, you can make many Costco returns without a receipt. It helps if you have the receipt or product packaging, but the receipt isn’t necessary. The chain tracks purchases on Costco membership accounts. So while you will need your membership card or number, you won’t need a receipt.

@investwithnat Get your money back from costco for items you didn’t like!! #costcoreturns #costcorecipt #budgettok #moneytok #returnpolicy ♬ Little Things – Tiqta

Gen-Z “finance bestie” Nat (@investwithnat) advises members to use this policy to return impulse buys or items you aren’t thrilled with. Don’t overdo it, though. Krazy Coupon Lady says she’s “heard of memberships getting canceled for too many returns.” And we wouldn’t be surprised as Costco has cracked down on other policies like membership card sharing.

Is there anything you can’t return to Costco?

There are some Costco items that you can’t return, as well as others that need to be returned within a specific timeframe. Tickets to “Live Performance Event Items” (yes, Costco sells tickets to concerts and sports events), gold bullion or gold bars and shop cards are all on the non-refundable list.

Electronics including televisions and other major appliances like refrigerators, freezers, microwaves and cooktops all need to be returned within 90 days.

For the most part, though, you can almost guarantee that if an item is Costco-bought, it will be returnable. If that doesn’t make it onto the list of why Costco memberships are worth it, I’m not sure what does.