‘Doesn’t look as good as Costco,’ Sam’s Club shopper criticizes after being refused refund for out-of-stock item

RETURNS can often be a source of frustration or relief, depending on where you shop.

Recently, a Reddit user shared their experience with a Sam’s Club return that left them perplexed as they were initially refused a refund for an item they purchased.

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On a publish titled “Return Policy Doesn’t Look Good Like Costco,” the user recounted how he tried to return two unopened SanDisk micro SDXC cards and encountered an unexpected snag.

Although the items were unopened, an employee told them that a manager needed to verify that the product was in stock before proceeding with the return.

This requirement created confusion, leading the user to ask more questions.

“To my surprise, they said, they do not accept returns of [an] item if not in stock,” said the user.

The user later edited their post and said they ended up being refunded for the item after it was initially declined.

According to some commenters on the thread, this part of the return policy is “not true” after the user asked if their interaction was valid.

“You can return literally anything with a receipt except gift cards,” one person commented.

“It feels really wrong,” another he wrote. “Basically it will take almost everything.”

A third commentator observed“Dude… I literally saw a woman bring food in bowls that were refunded. She said just throw the bowls. We didn’t even know what it was. My store refunded EVERYTHING.”

In turn, Sam’s Club’s return policy does not have a rule where only items that are in stock can be returned.

The US Sun reached out to Sam’s Club about this situation and whether its return policy prohibits customers from returning an item if it is not in stock, but has not yet received a response.

EXPLANATION OF SAM’S CLUB’S RETURN

Sam’s Club Web page states that customer satisfaction is paramount, supported by a robust return policy designed to accommodate multiple purchasing scenarios.

Members can return most items at any time, although certain categories have specific windows, according to the site.

Electronics and major appliances qualify for return within 90 days, while commercial heavy equipment and motorsports items must be returned within 30 days.

Cell phones, including prepaid and postpaid options, have a 14-day return period

Costco Return Policy

What are the details of the famous return policy?

“We guarantee your satisfaction with every product we sell and will refund the purchase price,” said the return policy States.

There are some exceptions to this 100% satisfaction guarantee, which are:

• Electronics – Returns will be accepted within 90 days from the date the member received the product.
• Diamonds – 1.00 ct or larger must be returned with all original documentation within 48 hours and will be inspected for authenticity.
• Cigarettes and alcoholic beverages – These items cannot be returned by law.
• Items with a limited shelf life, such as batteries and tires, cannot be returned.
• Special order kiosk and custom installed programs may only be returned or refunded if under warranty repair/replacement.
• Gold bars, silver bars and coins are non-refundable.
• Store Cards are non-refundable.
• Airline and live performance event items are non-refundable.

Costco memberships can be canceled and refunded at any time if the customer is dissatisfied.

However, not all purchases are eligible for return, according to the return policy.

Items such as gift cards, tickets, personalized products and prescriptions are non-returnable, ensuring clarity on what can be refunded or exchanged.

Specific policies apply to items such as beer, wine, spirits, automobile tires, batteries, eyeglasses and hearing aids, which vary by club location.

Returning an item is easy, with three convenient options.

Members can take items and their receipts to any Sam’s Club location, where refunds are issued to the original form of payment.

For online purchases, initiating a return is just as simple: access your account’s order details or contact the Member Service Center for assistance.

For more details on specific items or to initiate a return, members can visit their local Sam’s Club or access comprehensive information through the online Help Center, according to the website.

Meanwhile, a Sam’s Club customer expressed intent to cancel his membership after being denied a full refund.

And another shopper criticized Costco after finding it difficult to navigate crowds.