The Surefire Way To Get Your Costco Membership Revoked

Buying in bulk can feel exhilarating. There's a certain thrill to filling your cart with a year's supply of toilet paper and paying next to nothing for it in the checkout line. Membership warehouse stores like Costco that require an annual cover payment to simply walk the aisles offer certain perks that regular grocery stores just can't compete with, according to Yahoo!Money. Copious free samples, a huge selection of merchandise, and freakishly low prices are just a few of the reasons people opt to buy in bulk instead of going to the grocery store. And, apparently, it pays off in dividends. The regular Costco membership fee runs $60 per year, but it's valid at every single store in the world — and this retailer has stores in eight countries. The executive membership, which costs $120 yearly, will score you extra rewards and benefits. The savings can add up if you're shopping frequently.

Costco loyalists are not quiet about their love for shopping bulk, Business Insider reported. Customers simply cannot get enough of this cornucopia of everyday items and novelty products at reduced prices. As of May 2022, the global-reaching store boasted 116.6 million members, Zippia indicated. The love doesn't stop there. People reportedly love to work at this major store, which offers the highest pay of all retailers at an average of $20 an hour.

If you need another reason to run out and purchase a membership card, check out Costco's return policy, which promises a "risk-free 100% satisfaction guarantee."

Costco's return policy was named by both Yahoo!Money and Business Insider as one of the greatest perks of shopping from this retailer. The policy states that Costco will issue a refund for the membership fee or for merchandise if customers aren't satisfied with their experience or purchases. Of course, there are exceptions, and certain items must be returned in a specific time frame. Electronics have to be returned within 90 days, and the surprising items you can almost never return at Costco are wine and cigarettes. 

Yahoo!Life reports that returns are easy to execute at Costco because the clerk can look the transaction up in your membership account. It's so easy to cash in on the system that you don't even need a receipt because Costco keeps it for you.

People get away with copious tomfoolery under this policy. There are plenty of tales about the craziest things people have returned to Costco. For example, one patron tried to return a Christmas tree in January after it died. Another turned up at a store with an empty bottle of wine, claiming that it made their head hurt and they needed a refund. A customer also brought cat food — in a different container — back to Costco, alleging her cat didn't like the taste. And don't forget about the half-consumed cakes people have attempted to get reimbursed for. Humans are a bold species, and it shows at the Costco customer service desk.

Costco is keeping sneaky shoppers on their toes. That's because people are scoring big by taking advantage of Costco's return policy. This large chain of bulk stores may have won the hearts of many shoppers, but it will not suffer fools. The return policy may entice customers and build loyalty with regulars, but if you get caught abusing the system, you might get the ax — for good, according to Cooking Light.

A 2018 report by Business Insider indicates that customers can get flagged for returning too many items, and their membership can get revoked. However, it's up to individual store managers whether returns are considered legitimate. So the rule isn't applied universally, but there is evidence to suggest that it happens frequently.

Business Insider cites a case in which a customer attempted to return a printer to Costco eight years after they purchased it. The customer's membership was revoked because they had a history of returning merchandise, and it was not given back after they pleaded with customer service that there was no ill intent behind the return.

Yahoo!Life reports that the user-friendly system for returning merchandise at Costco also allows the checkout clerks to detect suspicious patterns of activity. By scanning your card, they can see all your purchases and returns on screen. If you have multiple returns in your account, there's a chance you'll be flagged for abusing the system. Keep it up, and you might get the boot.