I used to work at Costco – here’s why the returns policy is so good (and why I think the customer who returned a two-and-a-half-year-old couch did NOTHING wrong!)

A former Costco returns desk employee says the staff there has a complete list of everything a customer has ever purchased and returned.

But that’s not because the store simply wants to keep a lot of personal information; it is partly to be able to offer an unparalleled return policy.

Keeping track of all that information allows the company to see if a member is violating policy — and it also means customers don’t have to keep receipts.

Costco’s return policy first gained attention this year in January, when a video of a woman returning her two-and-a-half-year-old Costco couch without a receipt set the Internet on fire.

But now the video is being called by a TikToker Trubird sisters – who said he worked at Costco for six years in the returns department – provided additional insights.

A TikToker who worked at Costco for six years in the returns department has provided insight into why the store has such a lenient returns policy

The TikToker said she wanted to comment on the controversy stemming from the viral video, which showed fellow TikToker Jackie Nguyen returning a couch to the members-only big box store after more than two years.

According to its website, Costco does not specify an expiration date for most refunds, nor does it require a customer to bring their receipt.

“Everything you buy at Costco is tied to your membership,” the former employee said.

“So once you get to the returns desk and we get your membership card, we’ll type it in and it will show up your entire shopping history for the last ten years.”

This will show everything you purchased, everything you returned and any price adjustment you received, she explained.

For employees, she said, “it’s illegal returns if someone buys as much as they return.”

She continued, “So giving back that two-and-a-half-year-old couch just because she might not want it anymore is not abuse in Costco’s eyes.”

Shopper Jackie Nguyen was stunned after the store allowed her to return a sofa two years after she bought it

“Their policies are there for a reason, and that reason is because they are a business and they are smart,” the TikToker and former Costco employee continued.

‘They know that on average you spend much more than you get back.’

She explained that her department would hold meetings where her manager would explain that members typically give back only a fraction of what they purchase.

“Costco knows it’s beneficial to have such a great return policy because it brings you back to the store, we take good care of you, you return your item, so you’re probably going to buy more stuff,” she said.

In the comments, the ex-employee explains what happens to the items that are returned.

“Would you like to know if they throw out all the returns?” one user asked.

“Any perishable product is thrown away,” she explained. “The majority of everything else is returned to the seller or donated.”

Costco is known for its lax return policy, as the chain promises a “100 percent satisfaction guarantee.”

Products on display in the ‘Home Showroom’ include refrigerators, mattresses, fitness equipment, grills, table tennis tables, TVs and washing machines. Pictured is a showroom in Puerto Rico

DailyMail.com did a full summary of the Costco returns policy earlier this year.

It turns out egoes beyond just banks: you can return (almost) ANYTHING to the wholesale giant for a full refund if you’re not satisfied.

However, some products are exempt, including: electronics, diamonds, cigarettes and alcohol, airline tickets and live performances, gift cards and the famous gold bars.

For electronics, customers have 90 days to return, although certain items, such as vacuum cleaners, are still eligible for the unlimited refund.

It comes as it was revealed that Costco is opening a new showroom-style store format with ‘big ticket’ items such as appliances and furniture.

The company said this week that its first U.S. showroom would be in Anchorage, Alaska, with other cities to follow.

Products on display in the ‘Home Showroom’ include refrigerators, mattresses, fitness equipment, grills, table tennis tables, TVs and washing machines. Pictured is a showroom in Puerto Rico

Costco isn’t the only retailer making a change to its stores. Sam’s Club — Walmart-owned rival Costco — is using new camera technology that is dramatically changing its checkouts.

With the new technology, customers can scan and pay for groceries using an app on their phone and immediately walk out.

Earlier this month we reported how an expert shopper warned Americans not to buy seven groceries at Costco because they will pay double the price at a supermarket.

Among the undisputed bargains, there are some items that simply don’t offer the best deals, argues food writer Su-Jit Lin, especially if you don’t need to buy in bulk.