For all of Costco’s advantages, including all the car-related perks of having a Costco membership, you’d think price matching would be included. Unfortunately, the warehouse retailer has yet to offer it. On its customer service page online, the retail giant explains that its prices are already competitive, which apparently negates the need to match other stores.
Fortunately, Costco does honor price adjustments, which could help you save money on new tires, but only under certain circumstances. For instance, say you purchase a set of tires but find out later they have gone on sale. As long as it’s still within 30 days of your original purchase, Costco will adjust your total to reflect the sale price.
So, while the retailer won’t price match competitors, it also won’t stick you with a higher total on something that was just reduced. It’s important to highlight that these amounts aren’t insignificant pennies on the dollar, either. One poster on Reddit recounted how they ordered tires and a week later noticed a promotion for the same set, but now marked down $150. Fortunately, they provided an update explaining they were able to get a price adjustment and save a chunk of money.
Some things to note about Costco’s price adjustment
One mistake that’s easy to make when trying to get a price adjusted at Costco is not going through the proper channels. Meaning, if you purchased Costco tires online, you should also request the adjustment on the website. Similarly, if you purchased tires in a Costco store, you’d need to go back in person and visit the returns section. It’s also a good idea — and recommended by Costco – to return to the same store location where you purchased the tires.
In terms of price adjustments, some of the retailer’s fine print explains that it can deny an adjustment and can choose to approve or reject the request. Costco also states that, in the future, the adjustment policy could be limited, but any restrictions will be made clear prior to purchase.
The process is pretty straightforward online once you navigate to the Price Adjustment section of the customer service portal. Underneath the header, “How to Request a Price Adjustment,” you can click the option which will prompt you to sign into your account and fill out a form. When the request is approved by Costco, you’ll get credited the difference within a week or two. Even if you do need to go into the store to initiate the process, it’s not a bad idea to have the price adjustment page pulled up on your smartphone, in case a staff member is unfamiliar with the policy.
