Costco lifetime return policy

[TheLittleRoo]

So I bought a set of Circulon cookware (13 pc) a couple of years ago. The teflon is starting to wear off on my most frequently used pans, so I was online at Costco looking to see what they have currently to replace them. I noticed when I was reading the description that these pans are guaranteed for life not to lose their non-stick surface to chipping, peeling, flaking etc, or they'll replace it. I was planning to BUY a set but if they're warrantied for life, I thought I'd check it out!

Intrigued, I called my Costco and explained the above to the manager. I told him I bought these pans over 2 years ago and had no receipt, but he told me they had records - just bring the set in and they'd take care of it.

As it turns out, I had gotten disgusted with a pan a few months ago and donated it to Goodwill ( I thought it was an open stock piece, but it turned out to be part of this set). When I went to return my 12 pieces, the computer showed it was a 13 pc set and they refused to do anything in terms of returns, exchanges, or even a partial refund of 12/13 of the price.

Is there anything else I can do? Is this Costco policy that you MUST have every single part of a set, even if it's defective? On a side note, I also bought an 11 pc set at the same time for my mom. I could easily hold back the smallest skillet out of my 12 pieces and walk in with 11 pieces claiming it's the 11 pc set (the pc doesn't tell what sizes were in the set, they told me this). But I'm not going to because that would be lying, and I shouldn't have to lie to get the defective pieces replaced.

Anyone have experience in this area, either as a Costco customer or employee? Thanks!

 

[wmharley]

So I bought a set of Circulon cookware (13 pc) a couple of years ago. The teflon is starting to wear off on my most frequently used pans, so I was online at Costco looking to see what they have currently to replace them. I noticed when I was reading the description that these pans are guaranteed for life not to lose their non-stick surface to chipping, peeling, flaking etc, or they'll replace it. I was planning to BUY a set but if they're warrantied for life, I thought I'd check it out!

Intrigued, I called my Costco and explained the above to the manager. I told him I bought these pans over 2 years ago and had no receipt, but he told me they had records - just bring the set in and they'd take care of it.

As it turns out, I had gotten disgusted with a pan a few months ago and donated it to Goodwill ( I thought it was an open stock piece, but it turned out to be part of this set). When I went to return my 12 pieces, the computer showed it was a 13 pc set and they refused to do anything in terms of returns, exchanges, or even a partial refund of 12/13 of the price.

Is there anything else I can do? Is this Costco policy that you MUST have every single part of a set, even if it's defective? On a side note, I also bought an 11 pc set at the same time for my mom. I could easily hold back the smallest skillet out of my 12 pieces and walk in with 11 pieces claiming it's the 11 pc set (the pc doesn't tell what sizes were in the set, they told me this). But I'm not going to because that would be lying, and I shouldn't have to lie to get the defective pieces replaced.

Anyone have experience in this area, either as a Costco customer or employee? Thanks!

of course you need evey piece. You bought it as a set. if they allowed you to not include something, why not get rid of 12 items and return one, based on your question? That's not fair.

You bought 13 items and you must return 13 items. If you want to lie and put something else in, that is between you and whatever higher power you subscribe to and your conscience..

i've returned a DVD player and they opened it up and checked every item was included, and this was 2 yrs later.

I have an Aerobed I need to return too

 

[robinb]

Since you donated a pan to Goodwill, maybe you can find a replacement pan there to make up your 13 pan set.

 

[POOHDRMR]

I worked at Costco for 8 years in refunds and the store sends back the merchandise to get some credit from the manufacturer and they won't give credit if it is not a full product.Sorry but we have a really great return policy on everything but you have to have all the pieces.maybe you can contact the actual manufacturer and they can replace the pieces that are worn.

 

[Gantu]

Could you maybe pick the pan up on eBay? Then its the entire set~

 

[DMickey28]

Was it a basic piece? Can you check Home Goods or something like that for a matching piece? Personally, I would be tempted to go back with the 11 piece set the only problem with that is that if your mom has problems in the future you can't return hers which isn't fair to her.

 

[jessica52877]

What about contacting the manufacturer? I think Costco is going above and beyond since they don't offer the warranty, just have a great return policy. I am sure you would only have to send to the manufacturer the ones that are flaking.

On a side note, I am tired of every non stick pan flaking eventually! I do not use metal in my pans so they aren't scratched, yet my kitchenaid are finally starting to flake.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

I have thought about trying to find the 12" skillet on ebay, but of course, it's a different styled handle! Mine have black silicone sleeves that kind of roll (thin layer). Most on ebay are either all metal or have a thick club-like black handle, so they would be easily spotted as "different".

I think I'm going to kidnap my mom's 12" skillet at Thanksgiving, and return it with my set. Then, when I get my new set, I'll give her the new 12" skillet.

However, if I happen to come across a matching skillet on ebay in the meantime, I am poised to strike!

Like I said, I did consider using the 11 pc purchase on my history, but I didn't want to stand there and LIE; plus I hadn't thought about using up my mom's warranty! That would be bad too. Ugh.

 

[Tanzanite]

I returned a bissell carpet cleaning machine i had 2 yrs they gave me cash back.They are great.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Like I said, I did consider using the 11 pc purchase on my history, but I didn't want to stand there and LIE; plus I hadn't thought about using up my mom's warranty! That would be bad too. Ugh.

Respectfully, though, isn't that what you'll be doing anyway? You don't have the entire set so you're going to 'acquire' a thirteenth piece and deceive the store with the generous as it is return policy?

Wouldn't it make more sense to return JUST the defective pieces directly to Circulon and get them replaced?

 

[TheLittleRoo]

Okay, this could not have worked out better! I called my mom to see if I could "borrow" her piece that I'm missing, replace my entire set, and give her the new piece back. She says that's the ONLY piece she has had problems with Teflon flaking, and she was only keeping it because she was saving up a bunch of stuff for a Goodwill donation run herself!!

So, she's mailing it to me. It completes my 13 pc set perfectly, so I can return my set. In return, she gets a new skillet I'm mailing her, and I get my defective set replaced.

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

I wonder if Sam's Club has a similar policy. I have a Wolfgang Puck set that I purchased several years ago and the non stick is starting to wear off on my frying pans also. If I remember correctly, they had a lifetime warranty also. Just never really thought about them really being able to be replaced and figured I'd have to buy new frying pans. The rest of the pans are in perfect shape and I love them.

 

[mnrose]

I worked at Costco for 8 years in refunds and the store sends back the merchandise to get some credit from the manufacturer and they won't give credit if it is not a full product.Sorry but we have a really great return policy on everything but you have to have all the pieces.maybe you can contact the actual manufacturer and they can replace the pieces that are worn.

Costco does have a wonderful return policy...I'd hate to see it messed with! It's one of the reasons that I make any purchase that I can at Costco instead of some other store. And, because they can look up what you bought, they will do it without a receipt...love that!

 

[Chaoster]

I believe I read that non stick pans are not to be used on high heat. The high heat will cause the coating to come off the pan. If you must cook with high heat try buying a cheaper pan and replace every few years. Just FYI.

 

[tinatark]

I wonder if Sam's Club has a similar policy. I have a Wolfgang Puck set that I purchased several years ago and the non stick is starting to wear off on my frying pans also. If I remember correctly, they had a lifetime warranty also. Just never really thought about them really being able to be replaced and figured I'd have to buy new frying pans. The rest of the pans are in perfect shape and I love them.

Their policy is the same. The only thing is, if it's no longer in their system you may run in to problems. I have a "Sam's Club" receipt file - have receipts in there from every item I may return later.

 

[allison443]

Did you donate your flaking chipping frying pan to Goodwill? Is that what your mom was going to do with hers?

 

[TheLittleRoo]

Did you donate your flaking chipping frying pan to Goodwill? Is that what your mom was going to do with hers?

Yes, I donated mine to Goodwill a couple of months ago, not thinking about breaking up a set re: Costco. She's been frustrated with her skillet for the same reason as me, it's losing the non-stick and peeling. She only makes donations about 2x/ year so she had it sitting around not being used anyway but planned to give it to Goodwill when she had a bundle of stuff. So, she's sending it to me instead and that completes my set!

 

[irish_trip_mom]

Regarding Costco, I was recently disappointed with a purchase I made. I bought a camera that was tagged $699. I took it home and was anxious to start using it right away, but disappointed that the 2g SD card that was supposed to be included was not there. I went out the next day and bought one...no big deal, because the reality is it wasn't that much money. But I was in there the next week making another return, and I asked about it. To my surprise, when I looked at my receipt, my camera had been reduced from the display price to $499 (didn't notice at the time of purchase, because can you really leave Costco with a bill under $200 for ordinary purchases??)

This is the way the return manager worded it to me...."Someone else brought their same camera back yesterday CLAIMING that they also didn't have a SD card. Do you want to return your camera?" I replied, no, I did not want to return it, I just wanted to know if I missed the SD card in the packaging, or if it was to be given out separately. I just said I wanted the SD card if possible. His response was that I got a great price on the camera and should be happy with that, and that maybe I should contact Nikon directly. I was a bit stunned at that response, but due to a time crunch, left the store without saying anything else.

When I told my husband this, his response was that 1.) I paid the price that Costco was offering the camera for and 2.) The packaging says what was included, and there was something not there. Suppose it was the extra lens?

It was basically a $12 SD card, but after hearing for years how great Costco is for returns, I was really disappointed by that response. I was also disappointed that he was insinuating that I was lying about a card not being there. But I love my camera and my 4g SD card that I bought the next day!

 

[wmharley]

so the moral of the story is...

If you don't have everything in your set.. take it from someone else's, claim it as your own and get a new set. (don't bother justifying you are giving it back yada yada)...

I bet you all are using nonstick spray on these pans right??

 

[robinb]

so the moral of the story is...

If you don't have everything in your set.. take it from someone else's, claim it as your own and get a new set. (don't bother justifying you are giving it back yada yada)...

It's really not a big deal *sheesh*. She bought the pans and she gave one away before she knew about Costco's return policy. A lot of people learn new things on the DIS and I know that *I* didn't know about Costco's great return policy. I'm sure she would have held onto it if she had known that she could make the return so much later and that she needed all the pieces. She also bought her mom a set of pans from COSTCO and the SAME pan was damaged. Who cares if she gets her mom's bad pan replaced at the same time as her pans that are damaged?

I bet you all are using nonstick spray on these pans right??

Some people don't know you are not supposed to use nonstick spray (like Pam) in a non-stick pan. You could have taken the opportunity to educate DISers ... why be snarky about it?

FWIW, I also got tired of having my non-stick pans eventually peel two years after I buy them. I threw mine out, though. Why would anyone at Goodwill want a peeling pan anyway? I just bought another Calphalon "Everyday" non-stick pan to replace my peeling one at Kohl's because it was a great price. The non-stick coating got a gouge in it within only two weeks. I have had non-sticks for years so I know how to treat them and take care of them .... plus we hang our pots over the stove so they don't get bumped around. I returned it because it appears that the coating was defective and I didn't trust replacing it with another "Everyday" pan. Instead, I bit the bullet and bought a nonstick Calphalon One nonstick saute pan on recommendations here on the DIS. I hope that it lasts more than the 2 years that my last pan lasted ... it was 3 times more expensive! So far, I LOVE it .