btw, i recently returned a Canon DSLR camera and a printer (bundle sales) to Costco after 2 and half month use, because there’s a problem with the charger; i would like to change the charger but they say return it and get a new one; so they accept it without a problem — it was my first time return a 1000 dollar thing and it felt just amazing… and I am VERY curious about how Costco handle this, did they invest short-term all the credit or what? otherwise, all those returns are really a big lose in money…

Does anyone have a receipt for Lisa? I’d like to return her but I don’t know if Costco will take her back.

She was interested to hear about my return YESTERDAY (LED light bulbs). It was a random call. You see, I already learned to take things back a lot sooner. While I had her on the phone, I told her about my experience on Sunday. She was concerned because she knows that (normal / rational) people can feel bad about taking things back when they are “not completely satisfied”. I suspect she will explain that to the person who helped me.

I actually read her my text from this forum. She appreciated my honest feedback. In fact, she was very interested about this forum and I told her about this link. I’m sure she will be lurking tonight and reading the text.

In summary, the policy was in place to make customers completely satisfied. It should go without saying that the policy is not for someone to take back a 2002 spa or 2005 grill (my words not hers). They rely on people to put themselves in their shoes.

While it is rare for people to abuse the policy, it probably takes a year of milk sales to make-up for that returned $6000 spa. No, they cannot send it back to the vendor. It was their goodwill.

Costco’s culture is rare in that they are huge but really do care. It’s why they still pay their people a decent wage even though they could pay a lot less.

Re: the coat, I agree w/you that it was not cool of the employee to give you some “attitude” just based on that one. But IMO, you interpreting that as a subtle message, even if it was unintended, is a very healthy, open-minded and self-reflective response on your part. Who knows…maybe the customer before you was one of those “piece of c*@p” human beings with a 10 yr old TV, and the employee (also human) wrongly let her lingering frustration show thru to you!

I was put in a category of a person that takes advantage of a liberal return policy. Even though I am not “one of those” I was put in that bucket.

One by one (Walmart, JCP, Target) are dropping their generous policy. Kohl’s and Costco will be next.

I’ve been in my local Costco to see a 1992 RCA rear projection TV sitting in the return area (dust and all). I saw this about a year ago. That was beyond ridiculous and that was a piece of crap human being.

Re: the quilt like coat that I brought back. I of course know that I should have brought that back earlier. The returns person sent me a message that I was abusing the policy. I would not get that attitude at Kohls. Personally, if a company prides itself on a liberal policy, a 6 month return isn’t THAT much out of wack. It was the 1st think she saw and she let me have it.

Again. I’ll bypass items on the rack if I debate at all. It will only save me hassle and money.

I think you are absolutely right on with your comment:

> I now realize that the abuse is having them re-think their policy. Their policy was set up to take care of the small things to bring about loyalty. They assumed the good in people and that no one would dare take back a 5 year old TV. They also want you to take that item home you never thought about buying before you walked in. It’s about knowing that you can take it back if you change your mind.

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Costco’s incredibly generous and liberal return policy is a dying relic from a time when most people behaved ethically and did the right thing. It’s intent was to assure members that Costco will treat them fairly, and not leave their customers high and dry should a product fail to live up to its intended, reasonable expectations. The policy has become, for a growing number of dishonorable people, an ATM machine and a method for fraudulently obtaining a lifetime of replacements for normal, worn-out products such as barbeque grills, mattresses, fans, shoes, you name it.

The policy underwent a significant change a few years ago with the introduction of the 90-day limit on electronics, computers, cameras, etc. Mark my words that the current policy will not last … thanks to the abuse the company is suffering at the hands of an increasingly dishonest, selfish general public.

One other comment regarding your jacket return. Obviously Feb 2009 is not one year ago, it was 6 months ago…so the employee in your case was factually mistaken. BUT, in the employee’s defense, outerwear arrives in warehouses usually in August of each year (one year ago from now). By Feb, there is *usually* no outerwear left in the warehouse, so it is possible that your Feb 09 purchase was an item that was returned, or simply one of just a few left over from the previous season. I just wanted to give you some context as to why the employee might have been thinking the jacket was last in the warehouse about “a year ago.”

So for $20 bucks I got a brand new and bigger tv, plus because I used a coupon.. $200 worth of food. I love Costco!