Costco is one of the US’s largest and most popular stores with a massive annual turnover of close to $250 billion.
They stock and sell almost any household item you could ever want, including a wide selection of plants, flowers, trees, bushes, bulbs, and seeds, including indoor and outdoor varieties.
They also stock a wide range of faux plants and flowers.
If you’ve purchased any of these items from Costco, you might be wondering what their policy is if you need to make a return.
Being familiar with a store’s returns policy can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars every year.
To bring you up to speed with Costco’s returns policy for plants and flowers we’ve examined it in detail and will cover what the returns window is, whether you need a receipt, how to make a return, and much more.
Keep reading to find out more…
What is Costco’s Plant and Flower Returns Policy? The Short Answer
Plants and flowers purchased from Costco (whether online or in-store) are covered by Costco’s 100% satisfaction guarantee which means you can return them at any time for a full refund or exchange.
We’ve covered their policy in more detail below.
Are There Any Restrictions With Costco’s 100% Satisfaction Guarantee if Returning a Plant or Flowers?
Surprisingly there isn’t and you can return a plant or flower even if it’s died.
There are plenty of examples of weird and whacky items that have been returned to Costco – even a Christmas tree that was returned in January because it had died.
In fact, the only real restrictions on returns at Costco are in respect of electronics like laptops or air conditioners/fans that must be returned within 90 days.
For everything else, you pretty much have a lifetime returns window.
This means you can return your plant or flowers:
- If they’ve died or failed to grow (for seeds/bulbs)
- If they were an unwanted gift
- If you ordered them by mistake
- If you’ve changed your mind
- If you’re not satisfied with them
However, it’s important to be sensible when it comes to Costco’s returns policy. If you’re returning numerous items a week, you’re likely to have your membership flagged and could even lose it.
How to Return Plants and Flowers to Costco?
For most people, the easiest way to return flowers or a plant to Costco is by doing it in person.
You can return these items to any of their warehouses you want for a full refund or replacement and that’s even if you ordered online.
Simply take the item(s) to the front desk with your membership card and your return will be processed.
However, some people will want to return items using the online process which is equally easy:
If you purchased your product online and want to return it using the online process follow these steps:
- Log in to your Costco online account
- Go to Returns and Orders
- Complete the form
- Print off the free returns delivery labels
- Stick the label to your plant/flowers and drop them off at your local USPS drop-off point
Can I Return Plants and Flowers to Costco With No Receipt?
This isn’t a problem at Costco.
As it’s a membership service, your purchases are tracked so just take along your membership card to your local Costco with your plant/flowers and they will process the return straight away.
If you ordered online and want to return your item(s) using the online process then, again, this won’t be an issue as all orders are tracked within your Costco account.
Can I Return Damaged or Broken Plants and Flowers to Costco?
Yes, you can still return damaged or broken plants or flowers – this isn’t an issue.
The only time you’re likely to encounter problems is if you’ve clearly damaged the item through misuse (e.g. picking all the petals or leaves from a flower/plant).
As above, even dead plants and flowers can be returned on the strict wording of Costco’s policy.
How Does Costco’s Plant and Flower Return Policy Hold Up Against Competitors?
We’ve done a competitor comparison for you to see how Costco’s returns policy holds up against others:
| Store | Return Window |
| Costco | Return any time |
| Target | 90 days |
| IKEA | Returns are not accepted on live plants in US. Fake plants between 180-365 days. |
| Amazon | 30 days |
| Lowes | 365 days for shrubs, perennials or trees and 90 for others |
Basically, nothing can beat Costco’s returns policy.
It’s unlimited subject to you not abusing it so it’s pretty much impossible to beat.
Say no more!
Walmart’s policy comes out second with a generous 365 days.
Final Thoughts
Costco’s 100% satisfaction guarantee policy is hard to beat and covers a lot more than just plants. For example, it also covers all food items as we discovered when we looked at Costco’s meat returns policy.
It’s a shame they don’t have a bigger selection of plants and flowers but as a one-stop-shop for everything, they’re never going to have a huge range like a garden center will.
However, if you’re partial to changing your mind or can’t grow/maintain a plant to save your life, then Costco is an excellent choice.
