Costco: item arrived damaged or defective

Collect

• photos of the item and box
• order number

Steps

1. If the item or box is damaged at delivery, you can refuse it.

2. Otherwise, start Return or Replace Items on the order, or return it at a warehouse.

   OnlineReturn or replace a Costco.com order (Orders & Returns) Sign-in required

3. For a defect after the return window, call Costco Technical & Warranty Services or the manufacturer.

   PhoneCostco Technical & Warranty Services +1-866-861-0450

More contacts for this issue

Rules in force

• Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
  15 U.S.C. 2302, 2310; FTC Disclosure and Pre-Sale Availability Rules

  Federal law for written warranties on consumer products. Warrantors must disclose warranty terms in simple language, may not void a warranty because the consumer used another brand of parts or service (unless those are free or the FTC grants a waiver), and may not disclaim implied warranties when they give a written warranty. Consumers can sue for breach and may recover attorneys' fees.

  Source: ftc.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  1 citable point

  • Policy

    Under a "full" warranty, service must be free, available to anyone who owns the product during the warranty period, and the warrantor must replace or refund if it cannot repair the product after a reasonable number of tries. It may not limit the duration of implied warranties or impose unreasonable duties, such as requiring return of a registration card.

    Source: ftc.gov, verified 2026-10-12

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

1. Customer service

   ChatCostco Customer Service contact page (phone and chat by topic)

2. Supervisor

   PhoneMembership and warehouse (Member Service Center) +1-800-774-2678

3. Written complaint

   FormCostco feedback form

4. Card or bank dispute

   Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)

   Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)

5. State agency

   Your state’s attorney general. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

6. Public complaint

   RegulatorBetter Business Bureau

Watch out

Related

• Item arrived damaged or defective at other companies
• Retail and online shopping — how complaints work
• Costco: refund request
• Costco: lost package
• Costco: cancellation problem
• Costco: warranty claim