BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 02:34 PM

If you don't have the receipt they will only offer a credit or exchange I'm afraid Mrs D. Funny thing is though I did the same with a clock radio. They no longer had the same model so they told me to pick any other. I was honest enough to pick one around the same price:-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 02:25 PM

Well we bought a dvd player from asda that has ceased to function but we don't have the receipt so if Dave is right I might just take it back and see what happens. Although I seem to recall on a previous occasio they only offered a credit note when I could give a receipt. Quite honestly it doesn't seem right that someone can get full use out of a product and then get their money back when they want something better but - hell if thats the policy all power to you they make more than enough profit anyhow.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Big Mick
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 01:38 PM

Didn't say it is a sound business practice. Seems silly to me, and surely the price is affected. However their business model and pricing seems to take this into account.

As I said, if Clinton were attempting to keep something secret to pull this off, I would say that is stealing. But it appears he is not.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 01:35 PM

Do you seriously believe the customers aren't paying for this loophole?

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Big Mick
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 09:56 AM

If there is no violation of the law, and the company is aware and says it is within their corporate policies, I don't see the beef.   If CH were taking advantage of some loophole to steal, then I would be all over him as he well knows. But he, and others, indicate that the company is aware of this and has no problem with it. Am I missing something?

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 09:48 AM

And you were just as wrong as he is.....

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST,Wesley S
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 08:57 AM

I made my point a long time ago. To repeat it would be Shambalistic.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 25 Jul 06 - 03:36 AM

So I guess that's the Nay Sayers shut-up???

good

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Jul 06 - 11:28 AM

I've never been in a Costco either, mostly because there is a Sam's Club a mile from the house and I go in and buy their rotisserie chicken fairly often. I'll check out the Costco on the way to work and see if its worth the switch. I had a membership years ago but I never got around to using it, so I never renewed it. I wonder if they'll refund that? (Or up me for another year? I think the card is still around here somewhere.)

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jul 06 - 10:38 AM

American Costcos carry tobacco inside the store. The booze is a seperate room however.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 11:49 PM

"our Costcos have an alcohol section"

Must be the difference between Coscto US and COstco Canada, cause I've never seen a Canadian store with booze....

I'm not even sure that our Costco still carries smokes....

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 10:16 PM

Perhaps a new permathread can be started. Call it "Clinton Hammonds shopping tip of the month".

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Ebbie
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 09:00 PM

Our Costco - Juneau, Alaska - has an alcohol section also.

I like Costco for a number of reasons, among them that morale seems high there.

And books. They sell books for a price I'm willing to pay. $14.95 to my mind is far better than $26.95.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Peace
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 07:58 PM

OK, that's what I thought from a Google of Costco. So, if ya drink the case of beer and then complain that it gave ya a headache--which has never happened before to ya with beer--would they refund your money?

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: robomatic
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 07:53 PM

I'm kinda enjoying this in a strange way. Costco is big box as they come, but I've had some very good (and very bad) experiences in Costcos with the personnel. I think they're great. And our Costcos have an alcohol section with some high quality items.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Peace
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 07:51 PM

Yeah. I know.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 07:50 PM

So you have OH so much to offer to this thread....

thanks again.....

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Peace
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 07:25 PM

Oh. I don't think I've ever been to a Costco.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 07:18 PM

Costco doesn't sell alcohol....

Thanks for coming out "Peace"

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Peace
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 07:02 PM

Do they have a similar returns policy on alcohol? I was thinking . . . .

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 06:53 PM

"you walked out of store with something for which you did not pay"
Then why do I have a reciept for the transaction?!?!

"partners in crime will provide absolution"
There was NO crime.... nor am I seeking any kind of absolution....

YOU wanna look a gift-horse in the mouth? That's YOUR problem!

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 06:42 PM

What makes it acceptable to me is the fact they knew he had a new printer and still gave him his money back. He didn't lie. They WANTED to do it. If he'd won a prize for being the 200th person that year to bring back a dead printer, nobody would care. I think that, since it was their decision, people should be mad at Costco for contributing to the delinquency of a Clinton Hammond.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Metchosin
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 05:53 PM

Clinton, in essence, you walked out of store with something for which you did not pay. No amount of justification, read somehow an equivalency to a "windfall" or seeking partners in crime will provide absolution.

I do not think pocketing someone's wallet found lying on the ground is a windfall either.   Others may not agree, but IMO both are theft. I believe on some level you think that too, despite Costco's metaphorical sign hanging on its back that says, "Kick Me", but I could be wrong. I also don't think there are many among us who are absolute paragons of virtue. I know, upon introspection, I have slipped from the path more than a couple of times in my life......yup, mia culpa.

If you don't want to be my friend because of what I perceive as ethical, that's your prerogative.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 03:47 PM

See if I ever try THAT again... next time I'll PM people who I like, instead of posting to the main forum, and the rest of you can suck skite

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 01:05 PM

Like I said, it's a windfall.

You can pick it up or you can walk past it. Clinton seems to have picked it up, but like Cassandra, most of us didn't believe it was what he said.

Odd place for him to be in--he was trying to do us a favor and got trounced for it.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 11:42 AM

"Perhaps he was deliberately trying to stir the pot"
Who the FK would bother?!?! Stirring the "Mudpot" is like shooting fish in a barrel, or making teenagers depressed.... There's no challenge at all.... As I've said over and over, my primary reason for posting was to share a gift-horse with others.... perhaps 2ndary to that mighta been bragging rights.... I didn't give it that much thought....

"recycling wasn't his primary intention"
Not in the least.... I returned the printer to see if I could get $$ for it.... plain and simple.... and I did.... and Costco didn't mind one damn bit, so why should I?

"an unusual idea"
Only to some it would appear.... some others seem to grok.....

"at one time seemed fond of the homily, "Ass, grass or gas, nobody rides for free."
That's my mom.... not me.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Metchosin
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 11:33 AM

One could view Costco's refund of money on the printer as compensation for a Costco member's inconvenience and time spent in dealing with a defective product, beyond the manufacturers's replacement; an unexpected stellar corporate move on Costco's part, IMO.

The fact that Clinton bothered to return the broken machine to the store more than 18 months after the original date of purchase, unless the company, as a benefit of membership, was also providing recycling services in his area, is what I find odd.

Perhaps Clinton was just being a responsible consumer, however, it would seem, because he also didn't mention it, that recycling wasn't his primary intention. He seemed to be expecting to get some further compensation, an unusual idea after that length of time, I believe, for most.

That Clinton did not bother pointing out, until a good way into this thread, that he told Costco, at the time of return, that he had received a replacement of the product by the manufacturer, also seems odd. Perhaps he was deliberately trying to stir the pot here by witholding that small bit of information.

I would have thought, that most would have automatically viewed this as fraud on first reading and therefore would have qualified the "fraud" point at the outset, rather than get pissed off when it was noted, particularly Clinton, who at one time seemed fond of the homily, "Ass, grass or gas, nobody rides for free."

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 08:09 AM

Why is this not fraud?

Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhh!

fraud    ( P ) Pronunciation Key (frôd) n.

A deception deliberately practiced in order to secure unfair or unlawful gain.

A piece of trickery; a trick.

One that defrauds; a cheat.
One who assumes a false pose; an impostor.

Neither unfair nor unlawful. No trickery. No cheating. No false pose. No Impostor.

How the f!"£ is it fraud?

For those unfamiliar with the term. Both Costco and Asda seem to have the same ploy to get customers to buy electrical goods from them. There is a NO QUIBBLE GUARANTEE. Quite simply, for those that do not seem to get it, if you return any item, in any condition, for any reason they will give you your money back with no arguments.

It is a very good ploy. It gets people in. It gets them to buy things to see if they are happy with them. The downside is that occasionaly people do return things. If the extra sales revenue did not outstrip the losses they would not do it!

Got it now?

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 03:24 AM

Fuck off, "Guest"

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 03:24 AM

"You told them that Epson had replaced it and they gave you your money back?"

Yes... that's exactly what I'm telling you....

Sweet FKN crap, did I stutter the first time or something?!?!?!

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 03:24 AM

That comes to you direct from the queen of toxic

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: dianavan
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 03:21 AM

So, lets get this straight.

After Epson replaced the product with an upgrade, you returned the old one to Costco. You told them that Epson had replaced it and they gave you your money back?

You're puttin me on.

Either that or you are a scam artist like I said before.

Why did you take it back to Costco if you didn't intend to try to get your money back regardless of the fact that you knew the item had already been replaced?

Deviant behaviour, Clinton. Very inappropriate.

Borderline sociopath.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 02:31 AM

A MANAGER came over to help the 'clerk' give me my money back....

What's so hard to understand folks??? Or is it that you're really as thick as you appear in this thread????

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Ebbie
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 01:25 AM

I get it: Clinton wanted to get rid of the old one so he took it to Costco and said, I don't need it and I thought Costco might want it. They replaced it with a new one some time ago.

They said, No problem. Here's your money.

I agree with dianavan; it was a clerk who had been told that Costco refunds with no questions asked and she didn't know what to do in this particular case.

Next time, Clinton, ask to see the manager. S/He'll most likely look at you and say, Let me get this straight: We already gave you a new one? And you want more money? If you don't want money for it, why did you bring it back?

It will make you feel so much better. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 23 Jul 06 - 12:14 AM

" I doubt if this is Costco's policy"

Go there yourself and find out....

You can be next to admit that you were wrong

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: dianavan
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 10:11 PM

"Costco DIDN'T ask... I -told- them Epson sent me a new one.... "

That changes everything!

In that case, Costco was under no obligation to give you a refund.

However, I doubt if this is Costco's policy and is probably a result of a clerk not knowing what to do. Either that or Clinton is stretching the truth. Why in the world would you return it and tell them you had already received a replacement? Doesn't make sense.

In any event, most people would consider it a done deal if a replacement had already been provided.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 08:43 PM

Who cares what Big Mick has to say about it???

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 08:16 PM

Let's hear what Big Mick has to say about it, Jeri.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: frogprince
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 08:03 PM

Costco DIDN'T ask... I -told- them Epson sent me a new one

He took the old one back to Costco and got a full refund on the old one, not mentioning that he'd already received a new one.

On the way to point this out, I found that Jeri had already put it together. Try to be logical, for sure, Ron, but also try to pay attention.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 07:39 PM

Ron, you might have fallen over a fucking clue when Clinton said: Costco DIDN'T ask... I -told- them Epson sent me a new one.... Costco STILL tripped over themselves to give me my money back.... Try to find another excuse for the holier-than-thou stuff.

How much do you suppose this $200 printer/word of mouth advertising is going to cost the average consumer compared to the hudreds of thousands spent for one 30-second prime time commercial? You guys just want to belittle someone and it looks to me like the lamest excuse in the world is good enough for you. I said it was transparent earlier, and I think the more people try it, the more obvious it is. I'm out of this, as it seems to have attracted the right mixture of people to be pretty hateful.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Ron Davies
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 06:54 PM

On the border of fraud. Wrong side of the border. He had been "made whole" when he received the--upgraded-- replacement printer. That obviously was fine--and should have been the end of it.

He pushed beyond that. And it will show up in higher prices for the rest of us.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 06:48 PM

The word that hasn't come up yet (that I've noticed, anyway) is "windfall." It appears that Clinton has found a crack through which some good stuff falls and he has taken advantage of it. I had a Dell monitor replaced by Dell when it was unpacked new and was found to have a goofy pixel. They said it wasn't going to get any worse, but since the monitor was brand new I didn't want one with a bright red spot on it. They replaced it, and in the replacement box was a note that said "don't send back the old one." When the house was burglarized in Feb. 2005 both were stolen and my insurance company paid to replace both. I suppose that was almost a windfall (except of course for the deductible and Allstate's nasty rules about putting a cap on what they'd replace as far as my office equipment used for employment work. . . )

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Ron Davies
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 06:39 PM

Let's try to look at this logically:

1) CH bought an Epson printer from Costco. It went on the blink and Epson sent him a new one--at no cost to him--an upgrade, as I recall. He did not send the old one back to Epson, since according to him, they said he didn't need to. Fine. At that point he had been "made whole again".

2) He took the old one back to Costco and got a full refund on the old one, not mentioning that he'd already received a new one. They didn't ask, so he didn't mention it.

Why is this not fraud? Either Costco or Epson will be out the cost of a printer, and CH will be ahead the cost of a printer. As mentioned earlier, multiplied by others who play this fast and loose game, this eventually shows up in higher prices for those who play by the rules.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 03:46 PM

Seems like one could do a lot worse

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=83830&p=irol-stockchart

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 03:41 PM

Warning...Don't buy Costco stock!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 02:19 PM

"Suprises me"
Surprised the FK outa me too... that's why I posted this.... To make sure I wasn't the only one getting "The Sweet Deal"

"I was wrong."
No biggie... it happens to us all :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 02:14 PM

OK, Clinton, that clarifies it. Suprises me but OK in that case, I was wrong.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 02:10 PM

"you (probably) entered a verbal contract with Epson"

I did no such thing....

I asked, "What do you want me to do with the old one?"

They said, "We don't care what you do with it."

I took them at their word....

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 01:49 PM

Clinton, I don't think that what you or Costco said to one another matters a scrap in what I suggested.

The way I see if it that you (probably) entered a verbal contract with Epson to accept a new printer as a replacement for the old item. Replacement to me means you no longer use (or in this case claim in order to be able to use) the original item.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 01:38 PM

There are many things I don't get and I guess it isn't worth it to me to try. This may be one of them.

I have a couple of friends who say they get a kick out of the computer virus creators. In my opinion those virus spreaders are malicious and hateful.

Who is right? I say I am. They think they are. As they might say in the UK, I can't be arsed to think it out.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 01:31 PM

From a Costco MANAGER that I've met on another forum... she tells the story of a passle of customers who come in every spring to buy new patio furniture, and every fall return it for a full refund because they have no place to store it over the winter.... They've been doing this for years she says....

Costco doesn't care....

Why should we?????

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 01:15 PM

Costco DIDN'T ask... I -told- them Epson sent me a new one.... Costco STILL tripped over themselves to give me my money back....

So a few of you can go back to sucking ass... You have NO clue... Maybe you could buy one at Costco....

At least Dave and Jeri get it...

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 11:37 AM

Perhaps JTS (and anything could have been said, we are speculating) but I would have thought agreeing to being given a replacement would suffice.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 11:32 AM

"JTS, IMO, he defrauded Epson by not treating the replacement as a replacement."

Only if he told Epson he would dispose of it.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 11:27 AM

Or should I say could have defrauded Epson.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 11:21 AM

JTS, IMO, he defrauded Epson by not treating the replacement as a replacement.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 11:19 AM

Re the Epson, for it to be fraud, Clinton would have had to misrepresent or tell a lie. If they didn't ask. It isn't fraud. But it is unethical.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 11:09 AM

Clinton should have disposed of the broken one

He did! At the end of the day Costco's no quibble guarantee says that if you want to return the goods FOR ANY REASON they will refund the price.

I did miss the fact that he did not buy a new printer but it still doesn't matter. Epson were tardy for not collecting the old one or insisting Clinton returned it. Clinton simply used his consumer rights under the guarantee. There is no fraud. There is nothing unethical. If Costco were in any way unhappy they would have said so. Eventualy they could well change the terms but for now they are offering a good deal.

I admire everyone who is honest and ethical but draw the line at throwing money away for no good reason!

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 10:03 AM

Good to know about LL Bean, though. We have a backpack that gave up the ghost before a year was out. I'll check up on that policy and return the pack. (Perhaps I should have returned the five-year-old pack that was completely demolished, but we got our $50 worth out of it.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 09:20 AM

Yeah, Jon - I missed the part about it being the same printer. It wasn't right, but I think it's more down to Epsom not requiring return of the merchandise, probably to the place of purchase, before he got a new one. If there's a communication problem, people ARE going to take advantage of it.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 08:53 AM

Not the way I'm understanding the first one, Dtg. Epson agreed to replace his original printer. Clinton should have disposed of the broken one as part of the replacement deal.

Aa for the rest, depending on the terms, Clinton could well be perfectly in order in doing what he did. I'm not sure I'd do it but perhpas one could argue "more fool me".

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 08:42 AM

How so, Rich? He paid his money. Then paid again for a new item. His first item was then redundant. Under Costco's no-quibble guarantee he can return the item FOR ANY REASON within 3 years of purchase. Which is exactly what he did.

Costco have had his money for nearly three years. It is now worth less than it was so he has in effect rented the item. He has also now given Costco more of his hard earned cash. How has he got his money back twice? How has he defrauded anyone?

I agree completely with Jeri here. I have on occasions been at loggerheads with Clinton but this time he has shown nothing but common sense. Does anyonr here seriously mean to tell me that if, after purchasing something, they decided they did not want it, for whatever reason, they would not take advantage of this offer? If so, can I come and sell you things? ;-)

Keep it up, Clinton. Asda, that I mentined before, had the same offer for around 5 years. I used it once with a TV. They now have reduced it to one year. Let us know if Costco do the same.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: RichM
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 08:29 AM

It's called dishonesty, Jeri. In effect, CH got his money back twice.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 08:28 AM

Listen guys, I don't even LIKE CH, but he just posted to say something good about a company's integrity and you guys are slamming him for it! I swear, if there AREN'T any evil dudes around, some of you will do your best to create one. Not that you care, but this is transparent and it says more to me about YOU than about Clinton.

Rapaire, please explain, in detail, why when he returned a product and they, according to their own policy, gave him his money back or upgraded him, this constitutes HIM defrauding THEM. Y'all are trying too hard to start a fight over some truly idiotic, petty reason.

L.L. Bean has the same policy. They either fix something or replace it, and it doesn't matter if you've owned it for 30 years or more - it's their policy. I've never actually been to a Costco - I don't think there are any around here.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 07:13 AM

Now I believe in reincarnation... CH : the former Martin G*bson

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Jul 06 - 04:20 AM

You know the type of ad - if you see it elsewhere cheaper/better we will refund the difference? If you had bought something and on the way home saw it cheaper/better in another shop would you take advantage of that offer? Well, Costco are just doing the same on an extanded basis. If you can beat their deal within 3 years they will refund your money. Clinton has taken them up on it. They are very sure that not many people will take them up on it. When it starts to cost them money they will change it.

Happened here in the UK with Asda (Wallmart). 3 year no-quibble warranty on electricals is now 1 year. I would take them up on it in a flash should the need arise. No fraud. Now law being broken. Just good business practice - for both the image of the company and the benefit of the customer.

Just my 2 penn'urth.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Ron Davies
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 11:49 PM

Rapaire et al. are right. CH's approach borders on fraud. Wrong side of the border.

Wondered why the prices at Costco recently are not as good as they once were--on certain items--computer-related items for instance.   CH multiplied by x-number like-minded "shoppers".

And I shop there often--for all sorts of things. If you're going to buy anything in bulk, it pays. You can still get good deals--legitimately.

CH's approach is not exactly the "It's A Wonderful Life" attitude.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Ebbie
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 11:18 PM

It's interesting, Clinton, that you have a very low opinion of humankind. Wonder why?

Actually I have known a number of people - both sexes - that operated that way, mostly on the premise that everything was overpriced, to begin with, and the company was already making so much money it served them right.

I have returned several things to Costco. As in Clinton's experience, they refunded the money, no questions asked. One return was a pack of fluorescent bulbs. It claimed they would last up to five years- but of those dozen bulbs at least four of them burned out within three months. I took them all out of the outlets and returned the whole shrinkfitted box.

The other time was two cards of smoke alarms. When the apartment house sold, I decided there was no need for me to replace the alarms before the new guy took possesion.

Costco refunded my money pleasantly. I like the fact they don't make one feel guilty. I would hope that most people don't abuse that liberal - not lax - policy.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 09:57 PM

Bobert,

I went through three of Sears' weed eaters because each one died before a year was up. I used them hard, but they were supposed to be used hard, and they died before their warranty expired. One was an upgrade because they stopped making that model. I finally got tired of taking back weed eaters, and figuring that I'd gotten three years worth of weeds out of my original $47, I bought an easy start gas weed eater at Home Depot. So far it has lasted a year and looks like it will keep going.

It depends on what the product is and what it is used for. Clinton is putting his electronics to the use intended, but he's upgrading and returning them when nothing is wrong with them. Return policies have, in my understanding, been meant for new, unused items (such as gifts not wanted or needed or items mistakenly purchased) or for items that fail within a period when it is reasonable that the manufacturer support their repair or replacement.

Eddie Bauer used to have that return policy, no matter when (apparently) for things like sleeping bags. My now-ex returned a bag (returned it in about 1980), years after he'd purchased, it simply because he wanted a new one. I thought that was pretty stinky of him to do that. I bet Eddie Bauer stopped that practice because of this kind of abuse.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 09:12 PM

ETHICS---once again?

If the message goes through

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Bobert
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 09:05 PM

Here's my story...

I beat the heck outta a weed eater and so couple years ago I bought a Troybilt and Lowes and it lasted almost a year before I wore it slam out so I took it back to Lowes and they gave me like this gift card with the amount I paid for the weed eater which I used to buy another which came with...

... a new reciept!!!

Hmmmmmm????

It's held up but if it breaks before the year is up I'll probably get another new one---fir free, dangit...

I was thinkin' that this could go on, an' on, an' on....

New weed eater every year???

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Bill Hahn//\\
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 08:56 PM

Clinton: Gee---don't know why my first posting did not appear---just one word---ETHICS?

Bill Hahn

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 07:17 PM

Is anyone really surprised that Clinton Hammond would pull this kind of thing? He's a twat.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: robomatic
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 06:47 PM

This brings to mind a half-joke half-truth I heard recently about Home Depot:

"I'd like to return this"

"Fine, what was your problem?"

"I'm done with it, of course!"

I had this very experience, except that the supposedly high quality made-in-the-Far-East components to help me install a new lockset in an old door tended to deform and disintegrate rather than guide and mortise.

As for Costco, CH's comments have given me hope, because I have purchased not one, but TWO GO-Video DVD with VCR decks, and they are pieces of trash. I don't feel that I'll be allowed to return them, however, but I may now at least try to.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: number 6
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 06:42 PM

"I once bought enough mustard that we didn't have to buy it again for 3 years!

Jeeeezuz H.!!    ........ LOL (good one CH)


sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: dianavan
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 06:38 PM

scam - dishonest scheme (a scheme for making money by dishonest means. To obtain money from somebody by dishonest means.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 06:14 PM

What scam?!?!?!

"Hi... I'd like to return this."

"O.k... here's your money."

That's the crux of the exchange.... where's the scam?

You people need to get down off your high-horses... the air is too thin for you to think properly

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: dianavan
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 05:52 PM

Clinton, this thread tells the whole world that you're a scam artist.

I wouldn't brag about it if I were you.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Amos
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 05:47 PM

Well, you go tplenty of use out of the products BEFORE your eturned them as defective, and in fact they weren't defective -- one because it had been replaced by Epson, the other not at all. Sure, "it's their fault if they're willing to do it...". But it's below the normal standard of a fair exchange.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:58 PM

I'm taking advantage of nothing... except that which is freely handed to me....

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Wesley S
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:55 PM

It's a little more like date rape than fraud. He's just taking advantage of their good nature. And the rest of us customers pay for it eventually.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:54 PM

whatever....

You try to help some ungrateful people who don't know their asses from their elbows.... Look what ya get...

John Prine is right... Some Humans Ain't Human....

Thanks for proving that folks....

I hope ya's choke on it

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:52 PM

All goes into the cost of doing business, which gets passed on to consumers. Don't see much difference from shop-lifting.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:49 PM

I once bought enough mustard that we didn't have to buy it again for 3 years! LOL

And it was STILL under its "Best Before" date....

Hard to go wrong for 20 bucks.....

Bulk "Fishermans Friends" at less than half the "Other Store" price per package.... for a guy who eats them like candy....

Now if only they carried bulk guitar strings!!!

(The did carry Estabans "Starter Guitar Set" for a while.... heh)

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Wesley S
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:45 PM

Clearance milk, eggs, bread, peanut butter, medicine, futniture, - kinda like a Walmart but they sell food in large quanities. Extra large jars of peanut butter but you have to but two in a package.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:40 PM

So you've never been to Costco, 6?   Very little there is 'over-priced'... It's mostly a clearance warehouse.... and I've never had ANY serious problem with any of the stuff I've bought there....

Just so happens the have a VERY lax returns policy.... That's what I'm trying to get across.... If you're a Costco Customer, and you're not using the Returns Policy, YOU'RE the one getting ripped off.....

RichM.... Blow it out your hind end, IF you can get it out around your head.....

I mighta figured the colossal pack of wankers here would find something to piss and moan about when handed info on how to get a really good deal from a reputable source....

*shakes head* What was that about where not to look a gift-horse again?

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: number 6
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:34 PM

So what are you trying to get across here CH?

Sorta like the kid in 4th grade who let's everyone know how easy it is to steal a chocolate bar at the corner store.

No wonder all this junk at the big box stores is priced way beyond it's value

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: RichM
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:33 PM

I am disappointed in you, CH... Despite your congenital rudeness, you appeared to have some principles, before this particular act.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:17 PM

I have defradude no one....

*shrug*

Your loss....

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Rapparee
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 04:10 PM

From the law dictionary at FindLaw:

fraud
Latin fraud- fraus

1 a: any act, expression, omission, or concealment calculated to deceive another to his or her disadvantage

specif
: a misrepresentation or concealment with reference to some fact material to a transaction that is made with knowledge of its falsity or in reckless disregard of its truth or falsity and with the intent to deceive another and that is reasonably relied on by the other who is injured thereby.

Consolidated Laws and Statutes of Canada, Part X:

Fraud
        

380. (1) Every one who, by deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means, whether or not it is a false pretence within the meaning of this Act, defrauds the public or any person, whether ascertained or not, of any property, money or valuable security or any service,

(a) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding fourteen years, where the subject-matter of the offence is a testamentary instrument or the value of the subject-matter of the offence exceeds five thousand dollars; or

(b) is guilty

(i) of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or

(ii) of an offence punishable on summary conviction,

where the value of the subject-matter of the offence does not exceed five thousand dollars.

Affecting public market
        

(2) Every one who, by deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means, whether or not it is a false pretence within the meaning of this Act, with intent to defraud, affects the public market price of stocks, shares, merchandise or anything that is offered for sale to the public is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 380; R.S., 1985, c. 27 (1st Supp.), s. 54; 1994, c. 44, s. 25; 1997, c. 18, s. 26; 2004, c. 3, s. 2.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 03:37 PM

Another tale from a chum on some other message board

"I had an iPod that was one of the 40-gig first-generation ones. Naturally, like most of them did, it went out on me after about two years. I didn't have the receipt, but I showed them how it had locked up and the other problems with it, and they took my membership card and handed me the full purchase price in cash. I used it to buy a 30-gig Video iPod. Their return policy is great, it sure keeps me going back to their warehouse to buy things because I know if there's a problem, they won't put up a fuss. I refuse to shop at Best Buy and Circuit City for that reason. They are completely ridiculous with their returns and repairs."

I am not alone... are you?

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 03:31 PM

Ya... right....

*shrug*

Your loss Wesley.....

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Wesley S
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 03:28 PM

We know what Ken Lay was up to also. Doesn't make it right. Just fraud on a smaller scale.

And yes - they do follow those transactions on your card. Count on it. Eventually they will decide that they can't afford you as a customer anymore.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 03:19 PM

Not at all, either one of you... Costco KNOWS people do this!

d'uh

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Rapparee
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 03:16 PM

Borders on fraud, CH.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Wesley S
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 03:14 PM

There's no such thing as free money. It comes out the other end somewhere. It may be the cost of doing business but you'll pay more for milk, eggs, or something else. We all end up paying for "transactions" like yours. Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 03:02 PM

Actually, you don't even have to keep the reciepts.... All necessary info is on your membership card

Subject: BS: Shop At Costco? Keep Your Receipts!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 21 Jul 06 - 03:00 PM

The first story....

Just before we got married we bought an Epson All In One scanner/printer/copier.... It worked great for about a year or so... I called Epson to sort it out and after 15 or 20 min on the phone with VERY helpful tech support, they simply took my add, and purilatored a brand new printer to me (It actually ended up being an upgrade). I took the old one downstairs and forgot about it. Flash forward 8 or so months, and I'm clearing out some old user manuals and such, and I find the receipt for the old busted printer and I figure "What the hell". I crate it up with the cables, and the install disks and such and take it back to Costco. They don't even bat an eye and hand me back my 200 or 250 or whatever it cost me..... FREE MONEY!!!!

2nd story....

Almost 2 years ago, I bought a Maxtor 160 gig External Hard drive... It was getting close to full with mp3s.... ya... mp3s.... that's it.... I paid 300 bucks for it. Last week they had a 300 gig version on sale for 180 bucks. I went in and bought one.... spent 4 or 6 hours backing up all my MP3s (ya... MP3s) onto it. Crated up the 160 gig version, again with all it's cables and install disks and such. They didn't' even hesitate to hand me my 314 bucks back. FREE MONEY & UPGRADE!!!!!!!!!!!

(Actually the above collection is mostly mp3s. About 90 gigs or so at this point... But that's not all it is)

3rd Story....
I plan to do exactly the same thing to upgrade my Logitech Harmony Universal Remote

So, if you shop at Costco, never forget that up to 2 or 3 years later you can still take the item back for a full refund (This doesn't apply to food or clothing I'd imagine.... and for complete computers they're changing the time limit to 6 months)

It's like getting paid to upgrade.