Costco’s Generous Return Policy Tested as Couple Return Five-Year-Old Mattress for an Upgrade

Clear Facts

• A couple made use of Costco’s return policy by returning a five-year-old mattress, claiming it was “uncomfortable”.
• The event was documented on TikTok, igniting a debate over the wholesaler’s generous return policy.
• The original purchase was identified using the couple’s Costco card, and the return amount was refunded on a Costco gift card, which they used to purchase a new king mattress.

A curious incidence put Costco’s return policy into spotlight. A couple decided to return a five-year-old mattress quoting discomfort. The couple, known as @purrfectreads on TikTok, filmed the process, expressing their doubts about whether the store would accept the item.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” the wife captioned the video. They decided to “test the theory of returning items several years old at Costco, and without a receipt…”. They navigated through the store, carting the old mattress and admitting their anxiety regarding the return.

Costco, however, did approve the return of the half-decade-old mattress. Even without the original receipt, their Costco membership card was utilized to trace back the original purchase. Subsequently, the couple waited as the mattress was taken to the back of the store.

The TikToker shared the successful return of their $499.99 queen mattress. As stated in her comments, “We didn’t have the [original] receipt, BUT they did look it up on our account tho”. The refund was issued onto a Costco gift card, which they utilized to upgrade to a king-size mattress.

@purrfectreads explained, “Of course we paid the difference for a king, so technically we paid $300 for a king bed. 3 people (husband, baby, and me) on a queen was getting uncomfortable”. The video attracted a varied response from other social media users, with some questioning the ethics of returning a five-year-old item.

In response to the criticism, @purrfectreads noted that the mattress brand Sealy offers a 10-year warranty. Some users found the return encouraging and considered doing the same with their purchases. One user humorously commented, “This is an ad because now I’ll be buying from Costco”.

According to a 2023 report, Costco ranks among the top six stores with a commendable return policy. Retail consultant Nick Gausling shared, “Costco has the most generous policy among big-box retailers, even allowing returns years later. Their membership system offsets losses from returns processing and encourages good relations between the store and consumers, which is a win for everyone.”

This isn’t the first time Costco’s return policy has caused a stir. Earlier this year, a woman returned her two-year-old couch, leading to debate on social media. Despite some backlash, the store’s return policy does not stipulate a specific time frame or condition for most product returns.

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