My Experience (and What You Should Know)

I get asked this a lot: “Can you return flowers to Costco?”
Short answer? Yes! Costco has one of the most generous return policies in retail. But… there’s a bit more to it than that—especially if you want to stay in good standing with your membership.

I’ve bought flowers from grocery stores, farmers markets, online flower delivery sites, florists—you name it. But Costco is still my go-to, hands down. I probably pick up flowers there at least once a month (more before I learned how to make them last longer). Their price-to-quality ratio is usually excellent, and they carry a wide range of roses and seasonal bouquets that I use for testing my new flower food products.

That said, even Costco isn’t perfect—and yes, I’ve returned flowers there before. Twice, to be exact, in the past year. Here’s what happened and what I learned.

My First Return: Roses That Died Overnight

This one was a no-brainer. I bought two dozen roses, got them home, trimmed the stems, added flower food—and by the next morning, they were completely wilted. Not just droopy. I mean obviously done.

Something was clearly wrong, whether it was temperature shock during transport or just an old batch. I brought them back within 24 hours, and the return was easy. But here’s what matters: they asked why I was returning them.

They always do. Costco staff are required to write a reason for every return—it’s part of how they track patterns and prevent abuse.

Why Timing Matters

If I had waited 7 or 10 days and then tried to return the roses, it might’ve raised a red flag. Not because they wouldn’t accept the return—they probably still would—but because Costco does monitor account activity for excessive or questionable returns.

There have been cases where people lost their memberships for too many returns. Not just flowers—TVs, electronics, clothing, you name it. So no, one flower return won’t get you banned, but too many could if its part of a larger pattern. Keep your returns reasonable and honest.

My Second Return: The Moldy Bouquet

This one still makes me shudder. I picked up a lilly bouquet on a Monday morning. When I got home and opened the wrapper—it was full of mold. Not a little mildew. A sticky, actively growing blob that smelled awful. Everyone in the room was appalled. It was honestly scary.

When I brought it back (just a few hours later), the first thing the return clerk asked me was:

“Are you returning them because they didn’t last as long as you expected?”

That surprised me. But it also told me something important: some people are trying to return flowers late just because they didn’t get 10-day vase life. And Costco is starting to push back.

I told him no—it was a safety issue, and I had just bought them that morning. They took them back without issue but it was so incredible to look at everyone behind the counter came to check it out. 

Takeaway: Yes, You Can Return Flowers—But Be Smart About It

Costco will usually honor your return if the flowers:

• Are clearly defective (e.g. moldy, dead on arrival)

• Are returned quickly (ideally within 24–48 hours)

• Come with a reasonable explanation

• They will also honor your return if you are unreasonable and decide you don’t think your flowers are pink enough. 

But unreasonable returns will not go unnoticed. Don’t abuse the policy. Don’t wait a week and then return half-dead blooms claiming “they didn’t last.” That’s not what the return policy is for—and it could flag your account.

I love Costco flowers. I’ll keep buying them—and yes, I’ll keep returning any bunches that are clearly unacceptable. But I’ll also keep being fair. Costco’s generous return policy is a privilege, not a loophole.

If you ever find yourself wondering “can I return flowers to Costco?”, the answer is yes. Just do it for the right reasons—and don’t wait too long. Your membership is worth protecting.

P.S. A Quick Plug for Something I’m Working On…

In fact, Costco roses are the primary test batch for my newest flower food formula, Just Blúme. It’s designed specifically for roses—and it’s helping them last 10 to 14 days on average, even the budget-friendly Costco bunches. We’re still finalizing packaging, but if you want to be the first to know when it launches (and maybe get a few early perks), sign up for the waitlist below.