Trader Joe's Easy-Going Return Policy

Filled with friendly employees, custom-made labels, Hawaiian shirts, and free samples, it doesn't get much better than Trader Joe's. The list goes on and on of the perks this cost-friendly, organic grocery store has to offer, but one just got bumped to the top of the list: Its return policy.

According to Insider, Trader Joe's return policy is quite lenient, making pretty much any purchased item eligible for a refund, regardless of if you still have the receipt. In fact, the company is so generous that you could bring in a food item that's been opened and even eaten, along with other non-food items that you've changed your mind about, and the store would proceed with issuing a refund. 

According to Trader Joe's fan website Club Trader Joe's, when going about returning an item, it's best to contact the manager's desk. Although, while you don't technically need your receipt, you don't need the item either. If you express your dissatisfaction with an item to the manager, they will likely issue you a refund anyway — or give you another product free of charge.

Employees of Trader Joe's are starting to speak out about the abuse people are giving the generous policy (per Insider). "Trader Joe's is known for its excellent return policy that you can use even without a receipt, so it was always annoying when people abused it. For example, I had multiple people return plants that they'd obviously killed and then tried to blame the store for it," states Lauren Wardini, a previous Trader Joe's employee.

According to Club Trader Joe's, the purpose of this policy is that Trader Joe's wants their customers to feel like they can try different products without the risk of not getting a refund if they aren't satisfied. Feedback from customers lets the company know what to make more of and what to stop making, and gives it ideas for new products. Because of this, the manager may ask you your reasoning for returning an item, which you're not obligated to answer.