A woman was delighted to discover how easy it was to return a five-year-old mattress from Costco, adding she didn't even need to show proof of the original purchase.
Areli, a stay-at-home mom, took to TikTok to reveal how she and her husband successfully got a refund for the mattress from her local Costco store.
'Desperate times call for desperate measures,' she captioned the post.
'We decided to try the theory on "can you return stuff that's been more than couple years at Costco and without a receipt?" and well it worked,' she further declared.
![Areli, a stay-at-home mom, took to TikTok to reveal how she and her husband successfully got a refund for the mattress from her local Costco store](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/06/21/88234421-13715919-image-a-44_1722976502225.jpg)
Areli, a stay-at-home mom, took to TikTok to reveal how she and her husband successfully got a refund for the mattress from her local Costco store
![Areli filmed her husband as he wheeled the mattress into the store on a cart](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/07/14/88233769-13715919-Areli_filmed_her_husband_as_he_wheeled_the_mattress_into_the_sto-m-4_1723036791676.jpg)
![They ultimately were awarded $414.95 on a Costco gift card in exchange for the return](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/07/14/88233767-13715919-They_ultimately_were_awarded_414_95_on_a_Costco_gift_card_in_exc-a-5_1723036799444.jpg)
Her husband unloaded the mattress onto a shopping cart and began wheeling it into the store - before ultimately declaring it a success
The 30-second video showed the family pulling up to Costco with the half-decade old mattress strapped to the top of their car.
'I was so nervous,' Areli admitted in text overlay.
Meanwhile, her husband unloaded the mattress onto a shopping cart and began wheeling it into the store.
Moments later, Areli was able to declare the mission a success.
'I can't believe they accepted the return,' she wrote.
An image of the receipt showed the couple had received a refund of $414.95, with the funds in the form of a Costco gift card.
She then filmed as their old mattress was dragged away 'to the back,' likely never to be used again.
'We upgraded to a king of course,' she added at the conclusion of the video.
![Costco is famous for its extremely laid-back return policy](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/06/22/88234877-13715919-image-a-64_1722978129831.jpg)
Costco is famous for its extremely laid-back return policy
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/07/14/88234709-13715919-image-a-9_1723036810603.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/07/14/88234713-13715919-image-m-11_1723036841846.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/07/14/88234719-13715919-image-a-7_1723036807753.jpg)
![Many praised Areli and her husband for their cost-saving efforts](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/07/14/88234721-13715919-Many_praised_Areli_and_her_husband_for_their_cost_saving_efforts-a-6_1723036806100.jpg)
Many praised Areli and her husband for their cost-saving efforts
Commenters largely applauded Areli and her husband's efforts to save money.
'Hell yeah in this economy! I would do the same lol,' wrote one.
'Hell ya use that return policy I love it!' echoed a second.
'Desperate times? Oh no! That's couponing at its finest! You got a $400 coupon,' a third reasoned.
'That's not too bad I've seen someone return a dead plant after a few years lol and someone return a half gallon milk if you are taking desperate measures lol,' a fourth offered by way of comparison.
'Just took back some furniture. I love Costco!!!' declared a fifth.
Areli is far from the first to try and push her luck at the Costco returns counter - nor is she the first to go viral with tales of triumph.
Earlier this year, a woman took to TikTok to reveal that she'd successfully returned a two-year-old couch to Costco, as DailyMail.com reported.
Elsewhere on TikTok, Costco employees have shared the wildest returns they okay'ed, from a 'used toilet' to a woman who'd returned a book because 'she didn't like the ending.'