I’m a Costco super-fan and here are three secrets I found out when I asked employees for money-saving tips

COSTCO shoppers generally might be getting great wholesale savings – but they can still become victims of buying poor quality items.

TikToker Mary Allyson has discovered secrets regarding Costco’s refund policy to see if you can return items that aren’t too satisfied with, ranging from food to electronics.

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To get the most accurate information about the refund policy, Mary in a recent video walked up to the customer service and got the answers directly from a Costco employee.

She asked three questions, and here is how the employee responded.

Can you get refunded if an item goes on sale later?

It can be frustrating to purchase items for their full price, just to see them go on sale only a few days later.

However, if find out that this happened to you, it turns out your luck might not be the worst in the world after all.

The employee said: “You have 30 days from the date of purchase or until the end of the sale, whichever comes first.

“You are not required to have a receipt unless it’s a price adjustment. Having your receipt will just make the process faster.”

Can you return food items?

The next question Mary asked was if a customer was allowed to return food items.

This is important to know because the food comes in bulk at Costco, meaning it’s easy for one to purchase too much in quantity.

Plus, food items could turn brown in just a few days after purchase if they’ve been sitting on a shelf in the store for a while.

But luckily, if this happens to a food item that you purchased from Costco, there is no need to worry.

The Costco Employee said: “Food can be returned at any time within the expiration date.”

But, the employee did note that 50% or more of the food must be present.

Can you return electronics?

Costco may have great deals on electronics, but they can break easily, or perhaps the brand you purchased is not suiting your needs.

Regardless of what reason is for your return, the employee said, “You only have 90 days to return the item.”

How much does the Costco membership cost?

At the moment, there are currently two types of memberships: the Gold Star membership and Executive membership. 

The Gold Star membership costs $60 per year.

It includes two cards per household, and it gives you access to all clubs worldwide and Costco online.

The Executive membership costs $120, and the main difference is you can earn 2% back on all qualifying purchases and savings on vacations booked through Costco Travel.

Unfortunately, Costco does not offer free shopping day passes or trial memberships.

However, there is still a way you can shop at Costco under the radar if you do not want to commit to a membership right away.

Costco’s guest policy states that “anyone with a card can bring up to two guests to the Warehouse during each visit”.

So next time you want to go to Costco, you’ll need to shop with a friend or family member who has a membership.

For more on Costco shopping strategies, a former Costco employee has explained why should always buy items with prices that end in 97 cents.

Another expert has discussed how Costco gets you to spend so much cash every single time you go.

Plus, we show you five ways to reduce your grocery bill when you’re shopping for a big family.