According to a post and comments on the Reddit forum r/CostcoCanada on June 29, a consumer recently shared their experience of repeatedly buying second-hand goods while shopping at Costco, which sparked heated discussions among many netizens.
A netizen posted that they bought a Miele vacuum cleaner from Costco a few months ago, and found that the machine had been used before when they got home – the body was covered in scratches, dusty, the dust bag was full, and the brush head was tangled with a lot of hair. After replacing it with a new machine, even after long-term use, it did not show such wear and tear, leading them to suspect that the original machine they bought had been used for a year before being returned to the shelf.
The netizen also said that when choosing a lunchbox recently, they found another obviously used product on the shelf. The plastic had scratches and small holes from knives and forks, and the fabric and zipper had food and stains. In the comments section, many netizens shared similar experiences—some found that the packaging of sunglasses they bought online was incomplete and that the lenses had oil stains; some bought beach umbrellas that contained sand; and some even found that the toilet seat and tank were old and stained when they bought toilets. So, why does this happen? Netizens: Someone lied when returning the item.
One netizen claimed that some people are very good at repackaging old appliances as new products and lying to employees when they return them, so these used products sometimes end up back on the shelves. In response, some netizens wondered why, given Costco’s lenient return policy, people would lie and simply return the item truthfully. One person shared their experience of purchasing a beverage dispenser from a Costco in Nepean, Ontario, where the company’s headquarters are located. Upon cleaning, they discovered mouldy juice and fruit residue inside, emitting an unpleasant odour. When returning the item, the clerk simply shrugged and said, “This kind of thing happens,” and processed the return smoothly, demonstrating that not all used items are sent for disposal.
Some netizens have pointed out that non-food items may be restocked if they are in good condition, but different stores have different standards for what is considered “available for sale.” Some stores may deliberately fake returns, while employees may mistakenly put used items into the available-for-sale basket. It is hoped that stores will carefully check before restocking, but this cannot be detected every time.
One netizen summarized that Costco processes many returns every day, and it’s inevitable that used items will be mistakenly classified as resaleable. This could be due to the returnee concealing the usage condition or an employee error. Some netizens also suggested that if you encounter such a problem, you should take the initiative to report it to the store manager or take a photo and contact Costco headquarters, which will usually result in a faster rectification. Costco has a returns and clearance centre.
Some commenters also believe that only tagged clothing and unopened items will be restocked, while other items are usually returned to the manufacturer or scrapped.
Some netizens pointed out that Costco has dedicated return clearance centres in Ontario and Quebec, where customers can purchase returned items at discounted prices. For example, about 75% of the inventory at Rideau Auction in Winchester comes from Costco. There are also online retailers (such as sourcedesaubaines.com). Netizens suggest searching “Costco liquidation” for more information. In fact, it’s common to see merchants selling Costco returns at low prices on Chinese social media. These returns are mostly used but undamaged items. The problem is that such purchases carry certain risks; after-sales service depends entirely on the merchant’s explanation, so please be cautious.