William Lipovsky
Short Answer
You can get a refund on a Costco Cash Card — Costco’s version of a gift card — if the card balance is less than $10. Some state laws also require that gift card balances be redeemable for cash.
Costco Cash Card Refund Policy
Costco Cash Cards with a balance of $10 or less can be redeemed for cash at a warehouse location, according to the Costco website.
If the balance on the card is greater than $10, you can only redeem the card for cash in states where a cash refund is required by law.
These states include:
- California: Any gift certificate sold after Jan. 1, 1997, is redeemable in cash for its cash value or subject to replacement with a new gift certificate at no cost to the purchaser or holder.
- Washington: If a purchase is made with a gift certificate for an amount that is less than the value of the gift certificate, the issuer must make the remaining value available to the bearer in cash or as a gift certificate at the option of the issuer.
Costco Cash Cards can only be purchased by Costco members, but they can be used by non-members to gain entry to Costco warehouse locations and to pay for Costco merchandise.
For more information on state gift card statutes, see our research on gift card return policies by store and state.
I received a computer as a gift from my daughter and family. I don’t care for this particular computer and would like to return it. I understand that the refund may be in the form of a cash card for use in the store. I am wondering if it can also be used online. I am not a member but also understand that the cash card gives me a temporary membership. I would return the item to a store (though it was purchased online and sent to me) but would like to order the computer I want online if possible?
Thank you,
Constance (Konny) Jorgenson
Hello, Constance! Unfortunately, you will only be able to use the cash card at a Costco store, not online. You can find more details about this in our article on Costco’s gift return policy. Best of luck with your transaction!