How Costco Shoppers Get Refunds When Prices Drop

One look at Costco's flexible return policy would make you assume that price matching would also be in the cards. But despite all of the other perks like $2 pizza, wholesale deals, and a rotating slew of special discounts, the company does not guarantee the lowest prices. That's because its prices are already so competitive that, most of the time, it's not necessary anyway. There is, however, one workaround to this rule, and that's when Costco's own prices drop on a product after it has been purchased at the regular price by a customer. 

If a purchase is made and the item goes on sale afterwards, customers are eligible for a price adjustment, which means Costco will return the difference in cost. The drawback is that you must keep tabs on whether an item has had a price drop or not. Let's be honest, though, most people are always on the hunt for the latest deals at the warehouse. In fact, for Costco obsessives on the quest to save money, this diligence in finding deals can backfire, resulting in overspending on sales. If you happen to be one of these people, check out the Costco shopping tip that saves you money before you even step inside.

There are, of course, a few caveats to this rule, the first being that the purchase must have been made within the last 30 days. The second is that, if the purchase was made online and the price drops in store (or the other way around), it's not eligible for a refund. Similarly, if you made your purchase online and the price drops online, then the request for a price adjustment must also be done online. If the item was bought in store and then went on sale, customers must request the price adjustment at the returns counter in the warehouse. One more thing: The adjustment must also be done at the particular store that it was bought at, not another location. 

Costco does reserve the right to do price adjustments according to its own discretion, and the rule does not apply to gold bars. But aside from that, it's usually possible to get that money back, so long as you pay attention to the ever-changing sales, which is why it pays to track Costco prices after your purchases.