The Costco price adjustment policy is similar to a price match policy with a 30-day window. If an item you bought goes down in price within 30 days of your purchase, Costco will refund you the difference in price.
Although Costco doesn't price match with other stores, they certainly stand behind their own prices to ensure you never miss a good deal.
Before you try to take advantage of the Costco price adjustment policy in Canada, there are a few details and exceptions you need to know about.
Key Takeaways
- If a product changes its price at Costco within 30 days of your purchase, you can receive a refund for the price difference.
- Price adjustment requests can be made in-person at a warehouse or online via Costco.ca.
- You don't need a receipt to request the price adjustment, but it might help.
- If it's been more than 30 days, you're likely better off returning the item for a full refund and then re-purchasing it.
What is the Costco price adjustment policy in Canada?
The Costco price adjustment policy is pretty simple – if a product changes price within 30 days of your purchase, Costco will refund you the difference in price.
For example, let's say you bought a two-piece Samsonite luggage set from Costco.ca for about $270. The order is delivered to your home, and you're happy with it, but the following week (15 days after the initial order), you notice that the same luggage set has a new, lower price of $200.
That's a $70 price difference, which is money you can certainly use elsewhere. Luckily, you can go online, click the "Request a Price Adjustment" button and fill out the form. As long as it wasn't a promotional item, your request will be approved, and you'll receive a $70 refund within 5 to 7 business days.
You can find more detailed information here: What is the price adjustment policy for warehouse items?
How to get a Costco price adjustment in Canada
If you notice that something you bought recently has gone on sale, it's pretty easy to get a Costco price adjustment in Canada. All you have to do is visit their website, click a link, and answer a few questions about the initial purchase.
You don't need to have your receipt when you make the price adjustment request online because Costco keeps a record of purchases made through your account. An employee in the warehouse can also look up your account and see your purchases, but it certainly can't hurt to have your receipt with you, as it might speed up the process a bit.
5 steps to get a Costco price adjustment for an online purchase
Let's get more specific about what will happen when you go online to request a Costco price adjustment. Here are the steps you'll have to go through, in order:
- Go to the Costco.ca Price Adjustment page.
- Select the "Request a Price Adjustment" button
- Sign in to your Costco account
- Complete and submit the form that pops up
- Wait for an email to confirm the adjustment has been approved
- Check for your refund in 5 to 7 business days
You can also call Costco at 1-888-467-7826 and request the price adjustment that way. Whichever method you use, it's quite a simple process.
Remember: You cannot request a price adjustment in person if you purchased the item online at Costco.ca.
4 steps to get a Costco price adjustment for an in-store purchase
There might not be much information online regarding how to request a Costco price adjustment in-store, but based on the information we do have, here are the steps you can take:
- Head to the Costco store location where you made the purchase
- Speak to a representative at the customer service desk to make your request
- Present your receipt (if you have it)
- Accept the refund
What to do if you’ve lost your receipt
Good news! Costco employees can still look up your purchases electronically even if you don’t have a receipt. That’s because your purchases are attached to your member record.
While having a physical receipt can definitely expedite the process, you do not need to have it on hand to ask for the Costco price adjustment.
You can get a Costco price adjustment within 30 days
You have 30 days from the date you purchased an item to request a Costco price adjustment in Canada.
If you're trying to submit the request online and it's been more than 30 days, you won't get very far – the first thing it asks you to do is choose the date of purchase from a dropdown menu, and there aren't any dates available more than 30 days before the current date.
If you're in person at a Costco warehouse location, and the purchase was made more than 30 days ago, it's still possible that they'll grant your price adjustment request. Be kind and patient, and the representative might have sympathy and give you the refund you're looking for.
If it’s been more than 30 days, return your item instead
Here’s a smart hack: If it's been more than 30 days and you're ineligible for a price adjustment, do a return and repurchase the item at the lower price.
The Costco return policy is fantastic. As long as they can verify that it's an item you bought at Costco, you can return pretty much anything at any time – with a few exceptions:
- Electronics can only be returned within 90 days of purchase.
- Alcohol and cigarettes can be returned where permissible by law.
- Diamonds (1.00 carats or more) are only returnable with positive verification.
- Products with limited specific warranties can only be returned if it's under the limited warranty.
Costco price adjustment exclusions
There aren't a ton of exclusions to the Costco price adjustments policy, but you should still be aware of what they are.
Online shoppers: You cannot get a price adjustment in person at the warehouse on a purchase you made online at Costco.ca. The inventory and prices on Costco.ca are different from what's available in-store, plus there may be shipping fees to consider. If you want to request a price adjustment for anything bought online, you'll have to do it through the Costco.ca website, not at a warehouse.
Promo price limitations: Price adjustments may not be made for any promotional items or prices. This includes online promos like "Spend & Get" and "Buy More and Save More" events. To be clear, the website says that price adjustments "may not be available" for these purchases, so you'll need to check the promotion details to double-check.
Holiday season: While not specifically mentioned online, you may not be approved for a price adjustment during the December holiday season. Some people report getting a price adjustment on Black Friday purchases, etc., but we'd still recommend being cautious about this. It can't hurt to ask for the adjustment, but don't expect it.
Tips to remember if you can't get a Costco price adjustment
If your request for a Costco price adjustment is rejected, or if you want our best tips and tricks for shopping at Costco, we have some ideas.
Return any items that can't be price-adjusted
As we discussed earlier, the Costco return policy has no real-time limit attached to it. You’re not restricted to the 30 days, 90 days, or other such limits that other stores require.
People have made some pretty wild returns at Costco over the years, including these:
- Bedsheets that had already been used for 5 years
- Dead Christmas trees
- A half-eaten pie
- Open packages of underwear
- Empty wine bottles
- 10-year-old mattresses
If someone can successfully return and be refunded for a 10-year-old mattress, you can certainly return that bag of dog food that your pup doesn't like, or whatever the case may be.
Shop with the right credit card
The CIBC Costco Mastercard offers 2% cash back for Costco.ca purchases, but otherwise it's just the regular 1% back on "all other purchases" – in other words, there's no bonus rewards offered for shopping at a Costco warehouse. And instead of a statement credit or any of the usual cash back methods, you'll get a Costco gift card.
These terms may be just fine for you, but if you'd like to weigh your options, here are a few of our top choices for Costco Mastercards:
| Card | Annual Fee | Cash back or rewards | Your possible earn rate at Costco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers Red World Elite Mastercard | $0 | Cash back | 2% |
| MBNA Rewards World Elite Mastercard | $120 | Rewards | 5 points for every $1 spent |
| BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard | $120 | Rewards | 2x the Miles for every $12 spent |
$75 GeniusCash + Unlimited transactions for $0 + Ding-free non-affiliated ATM usage.
$25 GeniusCash + $50 bonus for funding a new account, and $0 commissions on stocks & ETFs
$12 GeniusCash + Access trusted news coverage 24/7 + Digital and home subscription options.
$25 GeniusCash + Delicious meal choices with fresh ingredients + Front-door delivery.FAQ
Does Costco do price adjustments?
Yes, if prices drop, Costco offers price adjustments within 30 days of purchase, online or in-warehouse. After 30 days, adjustments are at the Costco rep's discretion but will likely be honoured, especially if the price change is significant.
Do I need a receipt to make a Costco price adjustment?
In general, no, receipts aren't necessary, but they can be helpful if you make the request in person. But since Costco swipes your membership card when you shop there, they have electronic records of all your purchases already.
What can I do if Costco denies my price adjustment?
You can try taking advantage of Costco's return policy instead. You can return almost anything, for almost any reason, which means you can return the item you purchased at the higher price, then buy it again at the lower price.
Do I get the Costco price adjustment in cash or as a credit?
At warehouse locations, you can receive the funds as a refund on any card, as store credit, or in cash (if that's how you paid). For online orders, funds are returned to the credit card used for the initial purchase.
Leave a comment
Comments