So yesterday our Costco-purchased Samsung Plasma TV went bang and smoke came out of the back. It was bought in July 2007 so just under 5 years old.
When I bought it it came with a 3 year warranty, but Costco now give a 5 year warranty with TVs, so I gave them a ring. Their US-based ‘concierge’ service where very helpful but as it was two years out of warranty they couldn’t help other than supply the number for a repair shop.
I then rang my local store back (as requested) and told them this and the lady said she’s have a word with her manager but wasn’t promising anything.
She rang back 10 mins later saying that the manager said it was her call…… so I can have a full refund 😯 😀
So tomorrow I shall be picking up £630 from them in cash which I shall then go and spend on a new plasma.
on top of this I get to keep the old TV so will see about getting it fixed 😀
The moral of this story is that not only do Costco sell some really good stuff at great prices – but their service is also top notch.

Nice!

<Checks cupboard under stairs, see’s HUGE pile of bog rolls, kitchen rolls, washing up liquid and washing powder>

Nope, not time to make another trip yet 🙁

Update: Power supply board blown on the old TV, spoken to a chap who will fix it for £60 🙂

so you get to keep the old tv and have £630 in cash?

This Wednesday is our teams Costco Pizza day. 3 slices of Pepporoni pizza for me on Wednesday.

no one is tackling the ostco Pizza hallenge this time, many have attempted, none have suceeded. (Costco Pizza Challenge = eat 1 full 18 inch pizza in one hour)

so you get to keep the old tv and have £630 in cash?

Yes indeed!
I shall pick up my cash tomorrow morning and peruse their TV selection while enjoying the free coffee and muffins.
Power supply board boxed up and ready to send off for repair – will be back next week.

So I could buy a telly from Costco, phone them up a week later telling them it’s gone bang and they’ll just go “hey come in and pick up the cash”?

Mental

So I could buy a telly from Costco, phone them up a week later telling them it’s gone bang and they’ll just go “hey come in and pick up the cash”?

Not if they’ve read this thread…

A few years ago, I did a price comparison of Costco goods and the equivalent bought from a mix of Tesco and Lidl, and it appeared to represent no real saving.

Aside from this crazy (presumably one-off) situation, are they all that helpful in terms of goods available and better prices?

don Simon is right, if they’re anything like my work, our bosses get an email alert every time our company name is mentioned somewhere! My boss was showing me an email with a link to a thread I’d put up on here! Luckily what I’d written was negative and had been very positive, if it had been the other way round I may have had some explaining to do!

Here you go, here’s what they use…

http://www.google.com/alerts

are they all that helpful in terms of goods available and better prices?

Costco service is pretty much legendary. They are very much into no-quibble guarantees and there’s been no questions asked on the two other occasions we’ve needed to return something (not TVs).

So I could buy a telly from Costco, phone them up a week later telling them it’s gone bang and they’ll just go “hey come in and pick up the cash”?

Not really as, from what I gather, warranty claims normally go through their Concierge service who deals with the manufacturer and pays for an inspection to see if the item can be repaired. But I believe that local stores can also refund at their discrection.

This Wednesday is our teams Costco Pizza day. 3 slices of Pepporoni pizza for me on Wednesday.
no one is tackling the ostco Pizza hallenge this time, many have attempted, none have suceeded. (Costco Pizza Challenge = eat 1 full 18 inch pizza in one hour)
Chuck in a couple of chicken bakes on top and i will release the glutton, i cant beleive no one has eaten one yet.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8zNsUTWsOc[/video]

Their boxes of pastries kick arse, especially the ones covered in icing 😀