Costco TV Return Policy (What’s Covered, Online, In Store + More)

Do you know what Costco TV return policy is? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

You’re likely aware that Costco has one of the most generous 100% satisfaction guaranteed return policies when compared to other stores. However, they do place some time limits and other restrictions on certain items. If you’ve recently bought a TV and want to return it, you may be wondering how their return policy applies to you!

Costco allows TVs to be returned within 90 days from the date of purchase for a full refund. You don’t need your receipt, original packaging, or anything else other than your member card, ID, and the product itself.

In this article, we will discuss how Costco’s return policy applies to TVs, special considerations for TV returns, and the process of completing a return online or in-stores.

Table of Contents

What Are The Basics Of Costco’s Return Policy?

Costco is known for their return policy. They offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on most of their products, which means that they will accept returns for any period of time after purchase. So, if you purchased a cutlery set five years ago that you’ve never used, Costco will likely take it back!

They also generally accept returns for any reason. Whether the item is broken, not what you wanted, or in some other way not what you expected, they will accept the return, no questions asked.

They will offer a full refund for most products, no matter how much time has passed since the purchase or the reason you’re returning it.

However, Costco does set some limits on a few different items.

What Are The Limitations Of Costco’s Return Policy?

There are a few different items that Costco sets additional restrictions on, whether these are time restrictions, items ineligible for return, or additional stipulations for the return to be accepted.

The first category included in their limitations is electronics. Electronics include:

TVs,
Projectors,
Major Appliances,
Computers,
Touchscreen Tablets,
Smart Watches,
Cameras,
Drones,
Camcorders,
MP3 Players, and
Cellular Phones.

Electronics must be returned within 90 days from the date of purchase. If you purchased the item online, then the 90 day timeframe will start from the day the item was received.

This makes the time period for returns equal whether you purchased the TV online or in stores.

In addition, many items have additional warranties on them that can be used instead of making a return. Items such as cell phones will have a return policy that depends on the terms of their carrier service contract.

Since TVs are included in the electronics section, this is really the only area of interest to us for the purposes of this article.

How Does Costco’s Warranty Work For TVs?

If you miss the 90 day return window for your TV you aren’t completely out of luck! Costco offers an extended manufacturer’s warranty of up to two years for all:

TVs,
Projectors,
Computers, and
Major Appliances.

The manufacturer’s warranty that came with your TV will provide the specific terms for your product. Costco will determine whether they will fulfill the warranty through repairing the item, replacing the item, or refunding up to the full purchase price.

If the issue with the item is a broken piece or something else that can be repaired easily, it is likely that Costco will choose to repair the item rather than fully replace or refund it.

Once the 90 day period ends, the odds of receiving a full refund are slightly lower, especially if the item is damaged due to your own actions. Costco may only offer a partial refund for the item at this point.

Generally, exclusions from the warranty include data backup, software replacement, physical damage, and liquid damage. If the issue with your item is related to any of these it may not be covered by the warranty any longer.

This means if the TV has been broken due to your actions, such as it was dropped, water was spilled on it, or something similar, Costco has no obligation to honor the warranty and you may be out of luck.

However, it is always worth going into your local Costco to see what you can work out with the managers there.

What Do I Need To Make My TV Return?

The great thing about Costco requiring a membership to shop at their stores is that it makes returns pretty easy. Even if you don’t have your receipt, the item’s original packaging, and paid for the item in cash, you can still complete a return!

Costco has a database that includes the purchases made by their members. All they need to find the TV is your membership details!

So, if you unboxed the TV, recycled the packaging, and tossed your receipt, you aren’t out of luck!

Costco shouldn’t have any issue pulling up your purchase history and seeing that the TV was in fact purchased from their warehouse.

They can take the TV from you and process your return.

However, you do need to ensure that if your Tv came with additional accessories such as the remote or leg stands, you bring these items with you to complete the return.

If you fail to bring these items the item will not be complete and Costco may refuse to refund you or accept the return.

How Do I Get My Refund?

Refunds from Costco will be made back onto the original form of payment. This means that if you paid with your debit or credit card, the money will be refunded back onto there.

If you paid in cash or check, the money will be given in cash. And, if you paid with a Costco gift card, the money will be put onto a gift card.

One thing to keep in mind when receiving a refund back onto your debit or credit card is that your financial institution may take a couple of days to release the funds to your account. The refund may be pending during this time and will not be immediately available to you.

However, there are a few instances where a refund is denied, so that shouldn’t be an issue.

No matter what form of payment you use, you should be able to get a refund without much hassle.

Which Forms Of Payment Does Costco Accept?

Regarding refunds, one important piece of information to keep in mind is that Costco warehouses and Costco.com both accept different forms of payment. This will determine how your refund is handled.

For instance, a Costco Warehouse will accept all of the following payment methods from their members:

Visa Cards,
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi,
Most PIN-based Debit/ATM Cards,
Costco Shop Cards,
Cash,
Personal checks,
Business checks,
Traveler’s checks,
EBT cards, and
Mobile Payment.

However, Costco.com will only accept the following methods of payment:

Visa Cards,
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi,
MasterCards,
Discover Cards,
Most PIN-based Debit/ATM Cards, and
Costco Shop Cards.

How Do I Complete My Return?

There is a slightly different process for returning items purchased in the warehouse and items purchased online.

We will go over each process step-by-step to make sure that your process of returning your TV goes as smoothly as possible!

Costco TV Return Policy In Store

Making a return for an item purchased in the Costco warehouse is fairly easy! Simply bring your TV back to the warehouse, with or without its original packaging and receipt, go to the returns counter, and ask them to help process your return for a refund.

It is important that you bring any additional accessories that came with your item. So, if your TV came with cables, legs, and a remote, you need to bring all of these with you to make the return.

If you don’t bring all of the items that were included in the original purchase it is possible your return may be denied and you will not be offered a full refund.

But, if you have all the accessories, the Costco employee at the returns counter should be able to walk you through the rest of the return process.

How Do I Return An Item Purchased Online From Costco.com?

If you purchased your TV online from Costco.com you can return it within 90 days for a full refund if any of the following is true:

You don’t want the TV anymore,
You aren’t satisfied with the TV for any reason,
You accidentally purchased the TV by mistake,
You didn’t receive the correct TV that you purchased online,
You received two TVs when you only purchased one,
You refused the delivery due to visible damage to the box/TV,
An item is missing from your TV, such as the remote, or
The shipment was lost and never arrived.

Costco allows items purchased online to be returned online or at your local Costco warehouse.

If you are making the return in person to your Costco warehouse you would follow the same steps as above.

Just like with an item purchased in the store, you don’t need your receipt or packaging, just the item and everything it came with.

If you are making your return online, there are a few more steps involved.

First, you must log in to your Costco.com account, go to the Orders & Returns sections, choose the “Return Items” button next to your TV order and follow the prompts to complete the return.

Once you’ve followed the prompts you will either receive a return label or schedule a pickup at your nearest Costco location. For large items, like the TV, an email will be sent to you that includes any additional instructions.

Some items can’t be retired online, however, TVs are able to be returned online without issue.

Your refund for the online TV order will include the shipping and handling costs charged originally, and you won’t be charged for the return shipping fees.

Is There Any Reason Costco Would Reject My Return?

While Costco’s return policy is generous, they accept returns for a variety of different reasons and will usually not ask many questions, there are some limits.

If you are hostile to the Costco workers attempting to process your return or in so a way break Costco’s store rules, then they may decide not to process your return.

If it appears the TV has been purposefully destroyed, such as a shattered screen, liquid damage, paint, or anything else that can be linked to you tampering with the item, it is up to their discretion on whether or not they want to accept the return.

However, Costco will not reject a return simply because you’ve made frequent returns in the past. Although these returns may show on your profile, they don’t count against you in any way and will not stop you from receiving a fair refund.

What Does Costco Do With Returned TVs?

If the TV is returned in pristine condition, simply because it wasn’t the right size or you no longer wanted it, then it may be placed back on the warehouse floor for a discounted price.

However, if there is some damage to the TV in some way, or it just appears used, then Costco sells the merchandise in liquidation sales to discount retailers.

This is one reason it is important, to be honest about the reason for your return. Costco needs to know if it is broken or if the return is due to the functionality of the item in some way so they know whether they want to place it back out on the floor or not.

Final Thoughts

Although Costco does put some limitations on their return policy for TVs, it is still fairly generous.

All TVs can be returned within 90 days from the date of purchase/date it was received, as long as you include all accessories that came with the TV.

You don’t need your receipt or the TV’s original packaging to make the return either! TVs can be returned in stores or online for a full refund!

So, if you are displeased with your recent Costco TV purchase, and it hasn’t yet been 90 days, head over to your nearest Costco and initiate the return process.

If it has passed the 90 day period, check with Costco about the warranty on your TV!

References

https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/