12 Costco Membership Policies That Might Surprise You
Sorry, but your pup should probably stay home.
Costco is great for stocking up on bulk goods (and okay, maybe your favorite snacks, too!). But before you buy or renew that membership, you'll want to look at these Costco membership rules to know. The Costco membership comes with some perks you might not expect — like a flexible satisfaction guarantee and a free household card — but there are also some restrictions you should be aware of, like the fact that only customers with an Executive Membership can shop during certain hours.
Here are the Costco membership rules to know, whether you're looking to renew your membership or start one.
Costco has a risk-free 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.
If you decide a membership isn’t right for you, or you purchase an item you don’t love, Costco will refund your money.
There are limited exceptions; for example, items such as airline tickets and live performance event tickets are not included in this guarantee. For big ticket items, such as TVs and appliances, you’ll have 90 days for a return.
RELATED: These Are the Best (and Worst!) Times to Shop at Costco
You can get a free household card for one other person in your home.
You can always bring along two guests, though you’re the one who has to make the purchase. But if you’re the primary member, you can assign the free household card to one other person in your home.
They take their membership cards seriously.
In order to keep down fraud, Costco is serious about the member having a card with a “recognizable, unobstructed full face view” to be valid. If your card doesn’t have a photo, you’ll need to show a passport or another U.S.-issued photo ID to verify it’s you.
Costco doesn’t accept coupons.
Sorry if you love couponing because it’s not an option here. Costco doesn’t accept coupons because they already provide the lowest prices they can offer.
You should pay attention to when you renew your membership.
Memberships renewed within 2 months after your card’s expiration will be extended for 12 months from the expiration date (that means, if you didn’t shop during those two months, you’ve essentially lost them). But if you renew more than 2 months after expiration, the card is renewed from the renewal date.
You can buy wine and spirits at many Costco stores.
Many—though not all— Costco stores offer wine and spirits at amazing prices. Local regulations in states such as Pennsylvania prohibit these sales, but in the rest of the country, you can score some pretty awesome deals on wine and spirits.
You can return items you purchased online in the store.
There’s no need to spend money on expensive return shipping fees!
They only accept VISA cards for credit card transactions.
It’s fine to use cash, check, or mobile payment such as Apple Pay at Costco. But the only credit card they accept currently is VISA.
Non-members can shop online.
Some merchandise can be purchased online by members or non-members. But non-members will pay 5 percent more.
Costco includes plenty of perks for online appliance purchases.
If you’re in the market for a new fridge or dishwasher, it’s worth checking out the online store’s selection. Many things that cost extra at other retailers, such as delivery, installation, and haul away for the old appliance, are included when you buy online.
You can get a price adjustment if a price drops.
Although Costco doesn’t price match with other retailers or Costco.com, if you notice an item you bought has a price drop within 30 days of purchase, you can get a price adjustment.
Pets should be left at home.
Although some stores have been relaxing the rules in recent years—and you’ll often see pets in many big box retailers—you should leave your pet at home when you go to Costco. Unless you have a service animal, your pet isn’t permitted in Costco warehouses unless required by law.
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