Costco is one of the most visited stores in the country with a vast selection of everything from food to electronics to furniture.
They also stock the full range of gaming consoles such as the Playstation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.
If you’ve purchased a console from Costco but are looking to return it; perhaps it’s surplus to requirements, was ordered by mistake, or you’re underwhelmed with its performance, you’ll want to know what Costco’s official returns policy this.
This post covers what Costco’s returns window is, how to make a return, what to do without a receipt or box/accessories, and much more.
It also covers console accessories like controllers, memory cards, and headsets.
Keep reading to find out…
Costco’s Console Returns Policy in Short
In short, you can return a video console to Costco within 90 days from the date you received the goods for a full refund or exchange. You can do this using the online or return-to-store process which we’ve covered below.
Can I Return a Console to Costco for Any Reason?
Costco is extremely flexible in the way it handles returns meaning you can return your console for pretty much any reason such as:
- It’s a mistaken purchase
- It’s defective
- You’re underwhelmed with the performance
- It’s an unwanted gift
- You’ve decided you just don’t want it
The only time you’re likely to be refused a return is if it’s clearly been misused such as by modifying it or damaging it by dropping it etc…
Provided you’re within the 90-day window mentioned above, you should have no issue returning your console for a full refund or exchange.
How to Return a Console to Costco?
You have two options when returning a console to Costco.
You can either:
Return the console in-store by simply taking it to the front desk or checkout and presenting your Costco membership card with the console.
Use Costco’s handy store locator to find your nearest store – warehouse locator.
You can also use the online process by taking the following steps:
- Go to your Costco account
- Look for your order and select the returns option
- Complete the next steps
- Print off a copy of the returns label for USPS and drop the console at your nearest USPS drop-off point
Can I Return a Console for Free to Costco?
Yes, the label provided by Costco is a pre-paid shipping label from USPS so you won’t have to pay a penny to return it.
You can also return larger items using Costco’s pick-up service but this is generally reserved for larger items.
Speak to someone via Costco chat to see whether a console qualifies.
What if I Lost the Box/Packaging/Accessories – Will Costco Accept My Returned Console?
Costco is extremely flexible when it comes to lost packaging and boxes etc… so you should be still able to make your return without issue.
However, if you’ve lost accessories you may be charged for the missing items which will be deducted from your refund.
We’d suggest speaking to Costco chat first if you’ve lost key components before making your return.
Related Post:
Costco’s returns policy for gaming headsets and earphones
What is Costco’s No Receipt Policy for Consoles?
As Costco is a membership store, they should have no trouble locating your order on their system by tracing it through your membership card.
If you ordered online (which you can do without membership) you will be sent an invoice/receipt to your email address so you can also use this as proof of purchase.
If you have trouble producing your membership or an invoice then take along the credit or debit card you paid on and Costco should be able to trace the sale.
Related Post:
Costco Watch Returns Policy
What is Costco’s Returns Policy for Consoles After 90-Days?
By the strict wording of Costco’s policy, consoles must be returned within 90-days of receiving them.
However, we’d suggest speaking to a member of staff in-store or via Costco chat if the 90-day window has only just expired. Costco may be able to extend the deadline for a few more days or weeks in these circumstances.
Other options include:
- Claiming off your insurance. You can often claim from insurance policies for damaged or defective items and they even sometimes provide refund and accidental damage protection;
- Sell your console on eBay, Facebook Market Place, or online forums. Modern consoles tend to have good resale value, especially PS5’s which are still fairly difficult to get hold off due to stock shortages;
- In the case of defective or faulty consoles you could rely on the manufacturer’s warranty which is as follows for the main brands:
| Console | Warranty |
| Xbox Series X | 1 year |
| PS5 | 1 year |
| Nintendo Switch | 1 year |
| Meta Quest 2 | 2 years |
How Does Costco’s Console Returns Policy Hold up Against Competitors?
If you’re in the market for a new console but you’ve not yet pulled the trigger and you’re the type of person who tends to return a lot of items, it might be worth taking a look at what Costco’s competitors’ returns policies offer.
To help you with that we’ve done a comparison:
| Competition | Returns Window |
| Amazon | 30 days from receipt |
| Walmart | 30 days from purchase |
| Best Buy | 15 days from purchase |
| GameStop | 30 days from purchase |
| Kroger | 30 days from purchase |
Even though Costco’s returns window is shortened to 90 days for electronic items like consoles and laptops, as you can see, it is still the best around at 3 times the length of most other stores.
You can check out Walmart and GameStop console returns policy articles for further details about their policies.
Final Thoughts
Costco’s console returns policy is one of the best in the business and is pretty hard to beat.
It not only covers consoles but all types of console accessories such as:
- Headsets
- Memory cards
- Controllers
Meaning Costco is a great choice to purchase consoles and related accessories.
With their free pre-paid returns delivery and flexible returns policy there are not many better places to visit if you’re looking for a new console.
