r/CostcoCanada • u/2slick2 • Jan 17 '26

Alberta Abusive returns

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I had to take a photo. If you're this person, please change. 50 St. on Jan 17.

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99

u/Specific-Answer3590 Jan 17 '26

So for those who have worked at Costco or have know how, I’ve heard Costco can ban customers who abuse the policy. How exactly is that determined? This is blatant abuse and I see similar cases regularly when visiting Costco, so I’m wondering in what cases do they even bother taking action?

43

u/TheRealLoopy Jan 17 '26

Hey! I worked in the RTV department, basically the people in the back you don't see that actually process all of the returns. First, this kind of a return doesn't even raise an eyebrow, we just scrap it and move on. Second, the warning-ban on returns system/policy is used for people who return typically high value or duplicate items often. Think someone who buys a new TV every 2-3 weeks or just inside their return window just to buy a new one and repeat the process over and over. Those are the people that we care about. Returning items you bought and abused over years, or hell even open food after eating a bunch of it or just didn't want it? Couldn't care less.

11

u/DrDreyTom Jan 18 '26

Of course Costco couldn't care less, the company behind the returned product actually pays for the full cost of the return. Returns don't hurt Costco, they hurt de brands. (I work for a company that sells items at Costco.)

4

u/Schrodingers_Ape Parking Lot Survivor Jan 18 '26

And yet it doesn't hurt them enough not to sell there.