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Forget about Costco for big ticket purchases

2K views 18 replies 13 participants last post by  Nuje 
#1 · (Edited)
I remember a few years back...Costco would take anything back as long as you had the receipt...no mater when you purchased it. And while I can understand that their return policy was abused, it seems to have gone 180 the other way. I went in today to return a Sharp LCD TV that I bought 43 days ago. They said no way as it has been over thirty days. I explained to them that I purchased it as a gift and it was never even hooked up and they still refused. I said fine...but would they at least price match as Futureshop now has the exact same tv for $200 less...they said no way.

For those who are considering a large purchase at Costco due to their hassle free return policy may want to reconsider. Canadian Tire, home depot even the Bay...all have 90 days...I cannot understand why not the former "King of easy returns" is now 30 days
 
#6 ·
I went in today to return a Sharp LCD TV that I bought 43 days ago. They said no way as it has been over thirty days. I explained to them that I purchased it as a gift and it was never even hooked up and they still refused. I said fine...but would they at least price match as Futureshop now has the exact same tv for $200 less...they said no way.
IMHO, they did the right thing. I am tired of paying more for products because people abuse return policies. By cracking down on abusers, the honest customer is not being shafted.

I'm not saying you abused it but I think you are wrong to complain about Costco putting in a more equitable returns policy.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I actually stated in my post that people who buy at Costco because of their flexible return policy may want to reconsider. I have no issue with the policy change..I do however, feel that they should have communicated it properly to all of their members.

Also, I am wondering why you feel that people who return items drive up the price for honest customers? Most stores now have some sort of price protection plan...I am an honest customer and would definetly go back to a store for a credit if the price went lower...
 
#7 ·
I don't understand Costco's "new" 30-day return policy for electronics. Their website only mentions a 6-month return policy for computers. So I would phone head office to find out what is going on. Costcto is going to lose a lot of business if they don't have comparable return policies.
 
#8 ·
I had the same experience for returning a 90-day "old" GPS unit that is still SEALED in factory shrinkwrap. I never used it, I hardly ever returned anything to Costco, and still they do that to me.

I've stopped buying big ticket items at Costco since then. Besides, their prices are not that great (compared to Sam's Club) anyway.
 
#11 ·
I used to own a photofinishing store and one day had an employee of Rona bring in pictures of a barbeque that was purchased in the spring and returned in the fall.

It had been used so often that the burners were burnt through. In this particular case they did not return the item but the fellow told me they get a flood of barbecues in the fall and snowblowers in the spring which they do return, costing the company millions.

I thought I had heard that the big box stores had changed thier policy regarding returns of TV's. To many going out and comming back after superbowl.
 
#12 ·
I had a contractor doing work for me bragging how he buys his PC's from Costco, and then returns them, and gets a new one a couple of times a year
He told me it was easy, and he always seemed to get a newer, or better computer (A little bigger HD, more RAM, bigger monitor, etc...)
I thought about doing something like that, but my conscience quickly told me it wasn't a good idea
I'm glad they changed this policy too
It will affect some customers who never abused the system, but also it will stop the people who took advantage
Its sad, but usually a few bad people ruin it for the rest of us
 
#13 ·
There are variables here we do not know about. For example, Costco could have flagged a member as abusive or reached a cap for returns. I have returned items to Costco but under the terms of the warranty. For items that I simply don't like (like clothing fit etc) I only expect a 30 day window.

And for warranty returns I think they should require all original packing material and paperwork and only offer store credit. That would discourage a lot of casual returns.
 
#15 ·
Jake said:
I have returned items to Costco but under the terms of the warranty. For items that I simply don't like (like clothing fit etc) I only expect a 30 day window.
As a vendor, I don't understand the principle of any window for "I changed my mind", although I acknowledge that some vendors have that. It seems to me that when I enter into an agreement with a customer we have an agreement. I won't go to the vendor's house and demand that I they return the product in exchange for the money they paid. They won't return to me and demand a refund for the product they bought.

If they pay me with a bad cheque, I think I ought to be able to recover the product or money. If I provide them with a product that doesn't work, they ought to be able to return the product.

But I don't get this purchaser idea of "I changed my mind so you have to give me my money back"'.

I wish that Costco had a policy of "If you bought it and don't want it, think more next time before you buy it".

Costco doesn't take a financial hit on those returns. I had a neighbour who was a vendor to Costco. He had to build into his price to Costco that Costco required him to absorb any returns. If Costco's return policy was not so generous, his price to Costco would have been lower, Costco's price would have been lower and my price would have been lower.
 
#16 ·
people take less and less responsibility in what they do. Essentially everybody demand their "rights" without thinking for a split second about their responsibility as a purchaser such as "thinking before you buy".
 
#19 ·
The thing with Costco is that many of their products are not easily "try-out-able" in the store, to get a feel for the user interface. For example, I REALLY thought I wanted the Harmony 880, but once I got it home and set it up and actually worked/lived with it, I realized that it was totally NOT worth the $200+ price tag.
So, back it goes.
The staff there has even encouraged me (after me hitting them with a series of questions) to take it home, try it out for a while; if you don't like it, bring it back.

And so I do.
 
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