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Costco: price guarantees reduced now to only 2 weeks?

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  • Nov 1st, 2013 11:11 am
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Dec 26, 2007
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Costco: price guarantees reduced now to only 2 weeks?

I was in my local Costco yesterday to request a credit on some baby formula that is on sale. While I was within 2 weeks (so no problems), the representative told me that Costco has now reduced the time frame for price guarantees to only 2 weeks.

Out of curiosity I asked him why since many other businesses and stores are 30 days, and he advised it was due to pressure from the suppliers and also due to abuse of the system.


I had my impatient toddler with me, so I didn't have time to ask for more details such as what would stop people from returning and repurchasing items at the lower price (which was likely the foundation of price guarantees).
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May 25, 2009
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canadiancynosure wrote: I was in my local Costco yesterday to request a credit on some baby formula that is on sale. While I was within 2 weeks (so no problems), the representative told me that Costco has now reduced the time frame for price guarantees to only 2 weeks.

Out of curiosity I asked him why since many other businesses and stores are 30 days, and he advised it was due to pressure from the suppliers and also due to abuse of the system.


I had my impatient toddler with me, so I didn't have time to ask for more details such as what would stop people from returning and repurchasing items at the lower price (which was likely the foundation of price guarantees).
Is this across all stores? I find Costco's tend to do their own thing.
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Dec 26, 2007
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Winkle wrote: Is this across all stores? I find Costco's tend to do their own thing.
Sorry I didn't ask, I didn't know policies could be changed at a local level. I can certainly check next time I go.
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May 12, 2004
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I have a feeling the return clerk was tired of doing credits that day. lol I doubt they would do that and put people through the hassle of re-buying and refunding. Instead of giving back a few bucks on baby formula they'll take it in as a return and send it back to the manufacturer for disposal? They can put clothing back on the shelf...but not returned food.
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Oct 16, 2008
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I can confirm different Costcos say different things depending on the mood of the returns desk worker. Hell even the same store says different things depending on who you talk to.

"We don't do price adjustments"
"We do price adjustments but only within ________ days"
"Bring it back any time, we'll do price adjustments"

etc.
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May 12, 2004
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ilove wrote: I can confirm different Costcos say different things depending on the mood of the returns desk worker. Hell even the same store says different things depending on who you talk to.

"We don't do price adjustments"
"We do price adjustments but only within ________ days"
"Bring it back any time, we'll do price adjustments"

etc.
or my favourite...lol
"We'll do it this time but we're not supposed to"
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Dec 25, 2003
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Bizarre. Doesn't make sense that the return period is longer than the price adjustment period.
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May 28, 2012
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As far as I know, they do price adjustments if the item is still in-stock. Even if the customer service clerk refuses to refund the difference, what's to stop you from re-buying and returning using the older receipt? As long as it's saleable, I don't see it being an issue. I wonder how many people go to the trouble of taking stuff back to get a price adjusted? I have on the rare occasion. Seems to me that most couldn't be bothered to do it.
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Apr 8, 2011
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1226 wrote: Bizarre. Doesn't make sense that the return period is longer than the price adjustment period.
What's the return period time? I've never seen any official policy...
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ersatz wrote: What's the return period time? I've never seen any official policy...
Yeah I don't know either but it's sure as hell longer than 2 weeks.

On non-electronics anyway. Months? Year? Years?
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I heard a Costco manager saying the policy is "take anything (non-electronics) back, any time, no questions asked." Of course individual Costcos vary (as mentioned previously) so TIFWIW.
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Dec 11, 2005
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Just say "OK then, I'd like to return it", then buy at lower price. Problem solved. I have ran into the same nonsense at Canadian Tire in the past. Their price protection is two weeks, but return policy 30 days. I kept arguing how that made no sense, they wouldn't budge, I said right there "fine then -I'll just buy it at the lower price and return the new unopened item at the Canadian Tire across town". They looked stunned for a moment, then watched me go buy the item. Total nonsense policy, just pisses off customers.
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Mars2012 wrote: As far as I know, they do price adjustments if the item is still in-stock. Even if the customer service clerk refuses to refund the difference, what's to stop you from re-buying and returning using the older receipt? As long as it's saleable, I don't see it being an issue
It's even stupider at Costco because an item does not have to be saleable to return. In fact, Costco restocks nothing. Everything returned is shipped back - ALWAYS.
To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. -- E. E. Cummings
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Nov 3, 2005
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1226 wrote: Yeah I don't know either but it's sure as hell longer than 2 weeks.

On non-electronics anyway. Months? Year? Years?
Last year I checked the return policy on costco website was 30 days. I also confirmed it with service counter staff. But I never had trouble returning defective or unsatisfactory items even 6 months after purchase. Not sure about the new change in the OP. Will check it out when I get to the computer.
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tommi wrote: Last year I checked the return policy on costco website was 30 days. I also confirmed it with service counter staff. But I never had trouble returning defective or unsatisfactory items even 6 months after purchase. Not sure about the new change in the OP. Will check it out when I get to the computer.
The return policy is certainly not 30 days... please point me to anywhere in any Costco materials that any time range is given for returns other than electronics.

Example blurb from Costco.ca

We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund. The following must be returned within 90 days of purchase for a refund: televisions, projectors, computers, cameras, camcorders, iPOD / MP3 players and cellular phones.
To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. -- E. E. Cummings
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Feb 10, 2013
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with sears and the bay if you use their cc to buy their stuff, then you get price protection up to 90 days. Have to check the policy again. Hbc has on their website 90 day price protection. So I would buy the same item from hbc or sears and use their mastercard to pay.
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bluebellrose wrote: with sears and the bay if you use their cc to buy their stuff, then you get price protection up to 90 days. Have to check the policy again. Hbc has on their website 90 day price protection. So I would buy the same item from hbc or sears and use their mastercard to pay.
The price protection from Mastercard covers all purchases everywhere if you have a card that offers it. It has nothing to do with Sears.
To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. -- E. E. Cummings
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brunes wrote: The price protection from Mastercard covers all purchases everywhere if you have a card that offers it. It has nothing to do with Sears.
Sears and Hbc has a policy of returns of 90 days when using their branded cards, otherwise it is 30 days return if you pay with cash or another credit card, regardless whether it is MasterCard or not. The terms are on the back of the receipt.
Have a nice day!


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Mar 17, 2009
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brunes wrote: The return policy is certainly not 30 days... please point me to anywhere in any Costco materials that any time range is given for returns other than electronics.
On the printed material available in warehouses (the terms and conditions) it does say 30 days - not that it is regularly followed. But it is certainly there and available to be used by Costco if they see fit.

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