Woman’s Used Couch Return at Costco Wholesale Sparks Debate

In today’s age of online virality, a Seattle-based woman, Jackie Nguyen, has grabbed the internet’s attention by testing the limits of Costco’s famously generous return policy. The product in question? A two-and-a-half-year-old couch that had simply fallen out of her favor.

You might be wondering how Jackie managed this feat, especially given that she had misplaced the original receipt. Well, it turns out that having the exact purchase date was enough for Costco to identify the transaction and issue a full refund for the $900 couch, currently priced at $1,500 in the store, according to the Daily Dot.

This story took off after Jackie shared her experience on the social media platform TikTok, amassing nearly 3 million views. She candidly shared her initial apprehension about returning such a “giant purchase” and her relief when the Costco employee handled the situation without a hitch, issuing a full refund to her card.

Interestingly, in a later removed post, Jackie shared Costco’s behind-the-scenes process for returned items. According to her, such items are either resold, donated, refurbished, or returned to the manufacturer in exchange for a tax credit.

The attention generated by Jackie’s video wasn’t all positive. Her claims ignited a debate about the ethics of such returns. In this digital court of public opinion, creators and commenters weighed in, with many voicing different perspectives. While some labeled her move as an abuse of Costco’s return policy, others defended her, pointing out that Costco’s policy allows returns for up to eight years. Ultimately, she disabled comments on her video after she started getting threatening posts.

Another common theme emerged — while this generous return policy may be susceptible to exploitation, it doesn’t seem likely that Costco will tighten the rules anytime soon. The reason? Unlike many retailers who have adjusted return policies to curb misuse, Costco’s commitment to customer satisfaction continues to override such concerns.

Even in light of these debates, Costco’s bottom line doesn’t seem to be adversely impacted. In fact, in its latest earnings call, the company reported a sales increase of 6.1% compared to the first quarter of 2023 and announced a special dividend of $15 per share.