Woman tries to return 2-year-old printer at Costco — then she finds a store employee with the same issue

Free food samples, cheap meals, and discounts are attractive perks that draw people towards Costco memberships, but stories about its retail policy make it the most tempting feature of all. The internet is filled with shoppers sharing how they returned products after years or even decades of use at Costco. While most items can be returned anytime, electronics can't be, but one shopper who wasn't happy with her two-year-old printer still gave it a shot and shared her experience.

According to Costco's policies, electronics must be returned within a 90-day window, thus, when Melissa Simonson (@realmelissasimonson on TikTok) decided to return her old printer, she did not expect it to go smoothly even though she had a valid reason for taking it back.

In the TikTok video captioned, “Trying to return a 2-year-old printer to Costco," Simoson explained that the $198 HP printer required a subscription to use, even though she had paid in full for the printer, ink, and paper. 

She filmed herself pleading her refund case with a store worker sharing that she hadn't used the printer in a long time as she stored it right after the purchase. She claimed that it refused to work without a paid subscription when it took it out after two years. “Even though I also bought ink, and paper and everything to make it work, you still have to have a subscription just to own it even though I already bought it," she added. 

She went on to add that she was really surprised to see that Costco even sold the model. "I wonder if they know that it has that kind of trap in it," she asked. At this point, a worker chimed in saying that she too has the same printer and can relate to the problem.

“I have to have a subscription and it pisses me off,” the Costco employee said off-camera. “They cut me off and I can’t print,” the worker admitted. Simson added that it was the "most ridiculous" thing she had ever heard and there was no way she would pay a subscription. 

After considering her case, the workers accepted the return and refunded the original amount in cash. Thus, it seems like the store made an exception for the customer, based on her reasoning. The Costco member then walked back to her car, recording herself. “Walking back without that printer feels almost as amazing as having this much money,” she said.

“I’m sorry Costco, I appreciate you returning it but I hope everyone takes that printer back so that you guys stop selling it,” she concluded. 

People in the comments section also expressed similar complaints about HP products. "My card on the account expired and my printer refused to work. For 2 months I couldn't figure out why. They can at least have the courtesy to let their customers know. I'll never get another HP," @marinaruiz2023 shared.

Some even suggested that their return did not go as smoothly as Simonson's. "I’m jealous. I tried to return a printer there a couple of years ago -not for this reason but there was a 90-day clause for printers at my store. No, go," @luckyshadow99 lamented. 

For more updates and entertaining content, follow @realmelissasimonson on TikTok.