Costco LIFETIME warranty?

[FatDragonn]

Originally posted by: FearoftheNight

Originally posted by: oogabooga
i <3 costco more than i did now

any one know if they really have a policy where all members can get free tire rotations?

you only get the rotations if you bought youre tires from them dude rofl

actually, that's not true. they will rotate 2 tires (right front, and rear left) for you free of charge if you are a member, however, if you want all four tires rotated, you will have to pay $2/ tire.

 

[SSibalNom]

costco is great, took back a fake fireplace that was about ~400$, about 4 years old, the thing broke, but they sold it there for $270, with receipt they still gave us $400 back, plus they got good pizza and churros out front

 

[FatDragonn]

costco is lax about returns, but they are very serious about loss prevention. look around next time you're in the store.

in not so affluent (POOR) areas when costco operates, i see expensive wine and champagne bottles locked up in a case.

some employees are either just aholes, or have been taught to profile like LA cops, because some people's baskets get scrutinized while others can just prance out with a boat load of stuff after about 2 seconds of waiting for the employee to mark the receipt.

 

[MickDD]

Deucer that article was interesting. However with our ancillary departments in the warehouse the total margin is closer to 15%. Like anything else perspective is everything. I am sure that sales on most goods total is probably closer to the ten percent or that could reflect net after damaged and destroyed goods are accounted for. Bottom line is Costco is very member(customer) oriented. As far as white goods(refrigerators etc.) are concerned, our brand Kirkland Signature is made by Whirlpool. Kennmore is also made by whirlpool the funny thing is is you get a two year warranty on Kirkland and Whirlpool products purchased at Costco. Regular Whirlpool and Kenmore warranties are only for a year. Anyone considering as HDTV especially one by Panasonic should check out the DLP TV at MOST warehouses now. It has a cable card slot, HDMI, and an SD card slot. I believe it is 42" and all for 2199.99 (plus tax everywhere but here in Montana!) Oh and before I forget our store donates many perishable items on the last sales day to area soup kitchens and food banks. It is sad about some of the bikes but that is more the fault of vendors than Costco. There is no discount on goods for employees because there is not enough margin to make sense of doing that. However, a free executive membership with a 2% reward is a fair trade in my opinion.

Last but not least anyplace that sells $0.37 postage stamps buy the roll(100) for $36.75 can't be all that bad!

Take care ATers 'nuff said!

 

[bentwookie]

Originally posted by: IceBlue

Originally posted by: MisterMe

I returned a scanner that was 5 years old. I found the receipt when cleaning out my file cabinet... tried to return it in the store but was rejected by the assistant manager.
I called back a couple days later to speak to the manager and actually got the visiting regional manager.
She approved the return without hesitation...the look on the assistant managers face was classic when he handed me back $370 for a friggin scanner...

You sir are an a-hole and a criminal!! Why would you place the burden of of broken product on the retailer that sold the thing for HP, Canon or whoever?? You got 5 years worth of use out of it and when it finally gave up the ghost, you go get your money back? What an a-hole !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here's hoping that you open a business someday, try to do the right thing by offering top notch service and have ALL YOUR customers come in and eff you in the ass!!! What goes around will certainly come around Mr Scheister....Happy Holidays...

But he did pay 5 years of membership fees @ $50/yr for the priviledge of returning it. Barring any other frivilous returns such as this one, Costco is not out as much as much as one might think.

actually I've been a member since 1993...but the scanner was defective after about a month. It would leave a green strip down anything I scanned, which I later had to take in photoshop and clone out. I finally found the receipt after thinking I lost it. I only scanned when I really needed to for school work...other than that it was collecting dust.

If I am such a "criminal", would the regional manager that approved the return be a conspirer? :roll:

 

[batmanuel]

I love this quote by the Costco CEO from the article at the Teamsters website:

...We think when you take care of your customer and your
employees, your shareholders are going to be rewarded in the long
run. And I'm one of them [the shareholders]; I care about the
stock price. But we're not going to do something for the sake of
one quarter that's going to destroy the fabric of our company and
what we stand for...

Get this man a :beer: - and I love the fact that Costco can run in such an ethical manner and at the same time not only survive, but also outsell Sam's Club at the same time.

 

[TripleAAA]

I like Costco too...but there is one thing that I haven't seen anyone mention.

They only accept American Express credit cards or debit cards. In other words no Visa, Mastercard, Discover, etc.

I've been wanting to purchase a plasma TV but would have to finance it currently and I don't have an AMEX card. I've heard that on most AMEX cards, you have to pay off the balance ever month. Is that true with the Costco offering?

 

[Kwad Guy]

Originally posted by: bentwookie

Originally posted by: nikko
I returned a 4 year old 19" monitor that died on me. I didn't have the receipt, but I did have the box. They told me they don't typically return things that old (especially since it was discontinued), but that they would do it for me that time, and they gave me a store credit for the amount I originally paid. For what it's worth, it's the first and only time I've done that. If someone started to abuse the policy, I'm sure they'd note it on their membership profile.

I returned a scanner that was 5 years old. I found the receipt when cleaning out my file cabinet... tried to return it in the store but was rejected by the assistant manager.
I called back a couple days later to speak to the manager and actually got the visiting regional manager.
She approved the return without hesitation...the look on the assistant managers face was classic when he handed me back $370 for a friggin scanner...

Which is why we all pay higher prices, and why policies like these eventually go away. I'll never understand why people will not only cheat the system like this, but then BRAG about it to others. Just because Costco let you do it doesn't mean it was ethical. But then, ethics is never a very popular subject on these boards.

Kwad

 

[RICKWAVER]

Some people really have no scorn for returning a 4 year old monitor that died. Really, get a life and don't shop at Costco. Shop at Sams Club because Walmart needs to be knocked down a peg or two!!

 

[mikeford]

They have to be making some special deal with each credit card company. They used to take discover, but Amex is fine with me, just get a blue card thats free and I am pretty sure allows monthly payments (really a dumb idea, get a line of credit from a real bank for a LOT less interest).

 

[jrichrds]

Costco and Amex do have a new joint credit card (doubles as your Costco membership card) that gives you a rebate on your purchases. It's something like 3% at restaurants and for travel, and 1% for everything else (including Costco purchases). Requires Costco membership, but there's no separate annual fee for the card.

By the way, you used to be able to use any Amex card at Costco gas stations in place of a Costco membership card. But I don't think that works anymore.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Gothgar
Costco is badass... my favorite place to shop, for just about anything, I have gotten all my pants there for a while, where else can you get a nice pair of wool slacks for 20 bucks?

Well, I've never bought pants at Costco probably because I figure there's no way I can try them on. At Ross, they have try-on rooms with mirrors. I bought a very nice shirt or two at Costco, though, and reasonably and I'm wearing my favorite coat at this very moment, bought at Costco for a great price. Got some great sheep skin slippers there a couple weeks ago at a great price. I've not used the return policy much at all, but will keep it in mind now. I did return one or two things, in like-new condition and soon after purchase. If I'd been thinking of the return policy I probably would have gone ahead and purchased the Pelican Xbox wireless controllers for $40 a couple of weeks ago. It was the only set I saw there, but don't have any Xbox stuff yet, so I figured I wouldn't. I could have returned them if I didn't think I would want them or use them.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: jrichrds
Costco and Amex do have a new joint credit card (doubles as your Costco membership card) that gives you a rebate on your purchases. It's something like 3% at restaurants and for travel, and 1% for everything else (including Costco purchases). Requires Costco membership, but there's no separate annual fee for the card.

By the way, you used to be able to use any Amex card at Costco gas stations in place of a Costco membership card. But I don't think that works anymore.

Huh? I've had a Costco/Amex card for at least two years but am unaware of any 1% rebate across the board. There is definitely some rebate stuff going on with it, but the formula is complex and you have to make a pretty high threshhold amount before you get over something like .25% or .50% rebate. I decided it's not cost effective for me to use it on a regular basis and use my REI 1% rebate card for "everyday" CC purchases. There's no complex formula, nothing. Just 1% across the board. Chase talked me out of cancelling my Mastercard through them when they said they could offer me a rebate card that features 1% across the board and 3% on gas (6% for the first 3 months, and I'm still in that period). But it turned out when I got the card that there are "exclusions!" No rebate on insurance and USPS purchases, go figure. I was tempted to cancel, when I saw that. I'm still using my REI for everyday stuff.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Kwad Guy

Originally posted by: bentwookie

Originally posted by: nikko
I returned a 4 year old 19" monitor that died on me. I didn't have the receipt, but I did have the box. They told me they don't typically return things that old (especially since it was discontinued), but that they would do it for me that time, and they gave me a store credit for the amount I originally paid. For what it's worth, it's the first and only time I've done that. If someone started to abuse the policy, I'm sure they'd note it on their membership profile.

I returned a scanner that was 5 years old. I found the receipt when cleaning out my file cabinet... tried to return it in the store but was rejected by the assistant manager.
I called back a couple days later to speak to the manager and actually got the visiting regional manager.
She approved the return without hesitation...the look on the assistant managers face was classic when he handed me back $370 for a friggin scanner...

Which is why we all pay higher prices, and why policies like these eventually go away. I'll never understand why people will not only cheat the system like this, but then BRAG about it to others. Just because Costco let you do it doesn't mean it was ethical. But then, ethics is never a very popular subject on these boards.

Kwad

Ethics is a personal thing and I'm sure you can start a thread on ethics in ATOT and get plenty of response if you want to. You seem to imply that Anandtechers are an unethical bunch and I don't think it's true. I've seen lots of ethical people/posts/behavior etc. here. I do agree that returning a scanner bought 5 years ago for a $370 refund seems unethical. But this thread (and Anandtech in general) does not smell of scamming (to me).

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: macosx

Originally posted by: LoverBoyJ

that said, I bought a package of those energy saver bulbs that was suppose to last 5 years or more, guess what, half of it only lasted a few months. Can I return the whole package with the bad bulbs?

I too bought some energy saver bulbs with 5 year warranty at costco that went bad. Instead of returning to costco, I called the manufacturer (these had an 800 number printed on the base of the bulb). A week later, replacements arrived in the mail! Just another option.

Energy saver bulbs are something I'm really into. Most you buy have warranty's but I've been feeling it's just too much trouble to keep track of that stuff. A bulb you have in a fixture - you have to have the packaging and the receipt and know that it corresponds to a certain bulb - what a hassle! My tactic these days is to buy brands that have reputations for being reliable - Philips, GE, Sylvania, IIRC. I stay clear of the cheaper ones. They aren't that much cheaper and if you keep your eyes open you can get great deals on the better ones. The last year or so I've seen much better deals on them, actually, than you used to find (used to be $10/bulb, if you were lucky).

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: JackRipper
But what constitutes a fradulent return when/if their policy is customer satisfaction... like the costco employee above posted that they get quite a bit of money from memberships... they set the policy w/ very little limits (6 months on computers... everything else open) ...

so what would really constitute a fraudulent return?


-JR

Personally, I'd say if you bring it back for a refund when actually you got most if not all of your "money's worth." To me that would be unethical, perhaps not fraudulent. Truly fraudulent would be if you represented the situation as something other than what it really is.

 

[Muse]

... I'm looking at buying a new HDTV, and I'm going to be buying it from Costco. The same goes for a new freezer I'm looking into.

Rob

I'd not make you your mind to buy at Costco, but do check it out. As with everything, everywhere, some stuff might be a good purchase, some won't be optimal. That's true everywhere you buy. When I was shopping for a refrigerator, I carefully looked at what Costco had and passed on it. They have a very small selection indeed. I was more fussy. I bought one at Sears and then found one I liked better (much better deal) at an independent appliance store, and cancelled the Sears deal before they delivered. Oddly, Sears' delivery window was awful - more than 2 weeks out! I have been checking out Costco's HDTV offerings (did this two weeks ago), but I'd never make up my mind to buy an HDTV from them unless I knew:

1. It is exactly what I want.
2. It's offered at a good price relative to what I'd have to pay for it elsewhere.

Yes, the return policy can count for a lot in certain circumstances, but many other retailers offer favorable return policies, so YMMV, depending on the situation. Costco usually doesn't have the best selection. Quite the contrary. It's the nature of their business model. I've gotten a lot of good stuff from them, but most of their merchandise doesn't interest me. For instance, their office furniture (or most of their furniture, for that matter) doesn't appeal to me at all. One of the interesting things about Costco, though is the fact that the inventory is constantly changing. Some stuff is almost a given, but some of their merchandise will not be there next time you go in there. Some is seasonal, a lot of it won't be seen later, maybe to be replaced by something similar, maybe not. It's all competing for floor space, so if it's not pulling it's weight, it will be replaced by something else. Costco doesn't feel it has to supply it all in the same way that a Sears would.

 

[bigpow]

On the ethical part, I find it interesting that most cheap &amp; unethical people are actually very proud (of their behaviour) and tell other people about how they managed to take advantage of any loopholes.

Aren't we supposed to be embarrased if we were behaving like that? :?

I don't even tell anyone that I go to AT hot deal forum so often... LOL

 

[jrichrds]

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: jrichrds
Costco and Amex do have a new joint credit card (doubles as your Costco membership card) that gives you a rebate on your purchases. It's something like 3% at restaurants and for travel, and 1% for everything else (including Costco purchases). Requires Costco membership, but there's no separate annual fee for the card.

Huh? I've had a Costco/Amex card for at least two years but am unaware of any 1% rebate across the board.

The keyword is "new."

Here's the link.

It's 3% for restaurants, 2% for traveling, and 1% everywhere else.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: jrichrds

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: jrichrds
Costco and Amex do have a new joint credit card (doubles as your Costco membership card) that gives you a rebate on your purchases. It's something like 3% at restaurants and for travel, and 1% for everything else (including Costco purchases). Requires Costco membership, but there's no separate annual fee for the card.

Huh? I've had a Costco/Amex card for at least two years but am unaware of any 1% rebate across the board.

The keyword is "new."

Here's the link.

It's 3% for restaurants, 2% for traveling, and 1% everywhere else.

I'll check it out, but it looks like it may not be without exclusions:


"Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of Policies AX0951 and AX0953 respectively". There are no liniks provided, so we are left guessing just what the exclusions might be (IOW, no clue).

Edit: I just applied online. Hopefully, will get the card in "2 to 3 weeks."

 

[Keypo]

I used to work in the costco tire shop and they do free tire rotations and flat repair for any costco member regradless of where you bought the tire!!!!! I hate when people post crap they have no clue about (only a hunch on what they think) stupid bastards.

And as far as the return policy (costco employee talking) I have never seen nor heard of them turning someone away.

 

[Adul]

Originally posted by: jrichrds

Originally posted by: davedealCostco used to rotate or repair every member's tires for free regardless of where they were purchased, however as of Nov. 1st they will only rotate/repair tires that were purchased from them.

That sucks. I just called my local Costco to confirm, and they said that they changed their policy this past August. Now, I don't think you can even pay to have these services performed at Costco if you didn't buy your tires from them.

they charge 4 bucks per tire for a rotation and balance

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: Keypo
I used to work in the costco tire shop and they do free tire rotations and flat repair for any costco member regradless of where you bought the tire!!!!! I hate when people post crap they have no clue about (only a hunch on what they think) stupid bastards.

And as far as the return policy (costco employee talking) I have never seen nor heard of them turning someone away.

At both my local costcos (modesto and stockton), they stopped doing free tire services on tires not purchased through them. There were signs posted. This is not a hunch. It may be different for your costco, but as far as I know, this is a store-wide decision.

 

[DongTran]

Originally posted by: Keypo
I used to work in the costco tire shop and they do free tire rotations and flat repair for any costco member regradless of where you bought the tire!!!!! I hate when people post crap they have no clue about (only a hunch on what they think) stupid bastards.

And as far as the return policy (costco employee talking) I have never seen nor heard of them turning someone away.

keyphrase: USED TO

Costco policy changed to provide tire services for only Costco-purchased tires August 31, 2004. Good thing for Costco members who purchased tires there, the lines are now about 1/4 the length they were before...

 

[ams30gts]

like i said earlier in this thread...i work there and you dont need a receipt of box. if you dont have a receipt you will only get credited the lowest selling price it last sold for. having a receipt will ensure that you get 100% back on how much you paid.

ive seen people buy food and not like it and bring it back half eaten and get a refund