Working in retail can be exhausting, from the long hours to constantly restocking merchandise and dealing with difficult customers. In a video with 102,000 views, a Costco employee vents about what frustrates him the most when processing refunds.
“So, quick little rant,” TikTok user Kirk Rodriguez (@elcptkirk) begins the video. “I work with all the departments pretty much, but specifically for refunds.” Costco is known to accept returns without receipts. So, Rodriguez says that when he asks customers who don’t have the receipt about the time of the purchase, they tend to mislead. “Why do you guys say, ‘Oh, a couple months ago’ that I’m looking for it, I don’t find it,” he says. “But it’s more like a couple of years ago.”
In fact, the content creator wants customers to be up-front about the date of the purchase. “OK, just be honest. Trust me, we don’t really care. We’re just trying to help find it so that we can give you money,” Rodriguez says. “Like, don’t be embarrassed. Trust me, we want to help you out, but we can’t help you out if we can’t find your purchase.”
Rodriguez declined to comment.
Viewers explain why this happens
“I have no sense of time, I confuse a few years with a few weeks way too often,” one viewer wrote.
“Man most days I don’t even know what day it is let alone when I bought something,” another echoed.
“Wife having panic attack when we are next in line to return something ‘what if they ask what’s wrong with it,’” a third recalled.
“Honestly, I’ve returned like 5 things since I’ve been a costco member in almost 20 years. why do I always get a hard time. they’re not even big ticket items,” a fourth remarked.
@elcptkirk Quick little PSA for Costco members :) #costco #membership #refunds #retail #retaillife #wegotyou #helpmehelpyou ♬ original sound – Kirk Rodriguez 🇲🇽🇵🇭
Is there a deadline for returns?
“We can’t go back more than 10 years, but it’s more like 9. If we try the system crashes,” Rodriguez said in the comments section.
What is Costco’s return policy?
Customers can return TVs, appliances, computers, cellphones, and more within a 90-day threshold. Other items include 1.00 carat or larger diamonds, tires, and batteries. However, some nonrefundable items are cigarettes, alcohol, gift cards, gold bullion, gold bars, and silver coins. The list of acceptable refunds is available on Costco’s website.
The Daily Dot reached out to Costco via contact form.
Update Oct. 31, 10:34am CT: During an interview with the Daily Dot, Long shared that this took place at a Goodwill in Elverson, Pennsylvania. Originally, she was there to furniture shop until she stumbled across the sweater in the video.
“I just bought a home and wanted to furnish it with as much thrifted items as possible to help save money and give it that thrifted look with unique items but they didn’t have much furniture and I was in need of winter sweaters so I found myself in that isle,” she shared via TikTok direct message.
The content creator ended up speaking to an employee about this which didn’t change anything.
“I did bring it to an employee attention but he didn’t seem too concerned but did take it to give it to another employee to deal with, I doubt they lowered the price, they probably took the $3 tag off and put it back on the shelf,” she said.
Ultimately, Long is done with Goodwill, vowing to never shop there again.
“I am done with Goodwill and will happily share that news with others. I would rather support other small businesses. I am willing to travel further to other thrift stores,” she said. “I’ve seen used, dirty and broken items from the dollar store selling for $7 at goodwill as well, it’s disgusting the up charge on stuff they’re getting for free.”
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