The Popular Costco Gift Your Giftee Can't Return

While many folks shop at Costco solely to stock up on cheap grocery staples, some generous souls peruse the aisles looking for merchandise they can present to friends or family as a gift. From small kitchen appliances to seasonal, holiday-themed goods, the warehouse sells plenty of items people who don't shop there would be happy to receive out of the blue. But benevolence might backfire if you purchase something that someone doesn't want because not all items at Costco are refundable. 

Anyone considering taking the easy approach of snagging a Costco gift card for a loved one so they can buy whatever they desire themselves would do well to make sure they're interested in using it because they can't return it after it's been purchased. The discount warehouse has a reasonably accommodating return policy for most items it sells, yet certain commodities (such as precious metals, cigarettes, and alcohol, including Costco's rare Kentucky bourbon) can't be returned if folks are unhappy with their purchase. Gift cards (aka Shop Cards) also fall into the category of non-refundable items. They never expire, so someone could theoretically re-gift a card they don't want, but they can't return it for cash.

Costco gift cards may be non-refundable, but they do give folks a chance to see whether purchasing a genuine membership is worth the $65 price tag. The retailer has been cracking down on customers borrowing someone else's card to shop in recent years, making it more difficult for newbies to give the store a test run before committing to a membership. Using a Shop Card that a friend gave you as a gift is one of the few remaining ways to shop at Costco without a membership.

Even someone who isn't interested in joining the cult of Costco can benefit from using the card for a one-time trip. College students could use it to save on dorm accessories and cheap snacks, and people who want to fill up their chest freezer can stop by to stock up on Costco's USDA prime beef. The cards can be bought in $25 increments up to $500, so there's potentially a lot of purchase power for goods ranging from golf clubs to groceries.

Costco also offers a Gold Star membership gift card that people can redeem in-store for a membership of their very own. It's a terrific way to treat someone who's been on the fence about joining the program, and if you purchase two they can upgrade to an Executive membership, which gets them perks like 2% annual cash back on qualified purchases. Costco gift cards can't be returned, but even as someone who's never been sold on the discount warehouse, I can't imagine why anybody would want to with the value they hold.