Everyone that complains about Costco installing new tires on the rear axle, I again. We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews. I purchased 4 tires at Costco tires on 86th street and Michigan road Indianapolis, with 50 miles warranty. Will try to get a refund and seek service elsewhere. Install your opener and any necessary safety hardware. Test your garage door opener. Give you east-to-understand instructions on basic operations.
While Costco may be best known for its bulk food items, the company also boasts of a large electronics department that specializes in televisions and even computers and laptops.
Costco Membership Required
You must purchase a membership with a yearly fee before you can buy from Costco. This approach helps the company offset some of the discounts it offers and manage the number of people who shop at the store. The basic membership is affordable at $60 per year. If you shop regularly from Costco, it is easy to recoup the membership cost through the savings on purchases. However, if you only intend to purchase a computer through them, there's a chance the membership cost may exceed the savings on the price of the computer. You'll want to compare prices between Costco and other retailers, and factor in that membership cost.
Costco online ordering offers many items through the company's website to the general public. The site is good about listing items with an icon or tag noting that you have to log in with your membership to view the price and purchase the item. Of course, the best offers for members only.
Limited Selection of Costco Computers
One of the primary methods that Costco uses to help keep costs down is to limit the number of items the company sells. By offering a limited selection, Costco earns a larger bulk discount from manufacturers. This includes the computers the company offers.
People willing to shop online will be offered a wider variety of items. The online store offers roughly five times as many products as the physical stores. Some items that are available in Costco stores cannot be purchased online. It is best to check both the physical stores and online before selecting a computer.
It's also worth noting that Costco computer, laptop, and tablet brands may change from time to time, so don't expect to see the same offerings each time you visit the store or the website.
Costco's Pricing May Not Always Be the Best
Consumers often assume that Costco computers will be less expensive than the same machines at other retailers, but this isn't always true. In particular, an entry-level tablet may have an identical or similar price compared to competitors. Some desktop models available online are no different in price than ordering them directly from the manufacturers.
While some Costco computers may not be a better value, there are still some great deals to be found. Most of the best pricing covers moderately priced systems. Many budget-oriented items like low-cost laptops have such thin margins that the manufacturers are unable to offer much of a discount to Costco that they can then pass on to their members.
Costco-only Products and Bundles
Some products and product bundles can only be found at Costco. For example, Google Wi-Fi mesh networking products generally sell as single units or in sets of three units in most stores; Costco offers a four-unit pack at a price slightly more than the three-pack.
For computers, check Costco for bundles that include accessories. Also look at the offered specifications on computers, such as storage space, memory, CPU speed, and other details to see if there might be variations between Costco-only models and the models found at other retailers.
Costco Electronics Return Policy
Costco has always been known for its incredibly lenient return policy. Until a few years ago, members were able to return products years after their purchase if they were unhappy with the product — for just about any reason.
Costco's new return policy allows for the return of electronics within 90 days for a full refund, including shipping for online orders returned to retail stores. Even though this standard is far more restrictive than the company's original policy, it is still extremely favorable in the electronics market.
In addition to its return policy, Costco also offers to extend the warranty of most electronics beyond the basic manufacturer warranties. This benefit is part of the Costco Concierge Program provided to members. It includes the extension of warranties to a full two years from the date of purchase and a special tech support service that members can call for assistance with setup and troubleshooting of products.
Conclusions
Costco isn't always the best price available, but the company is competitive and you can sometimes find an amazing deal. What really sets Costco apart from other places that advertise incredibly low prices is the confidence you'll have knowing Costco will stand by the products it sells through its return policy, and the extended warranties and free tech support the company offers.
BY STEVE FISHER
THERE’S SOMETHING about new tireson your car. The car seems taller andthere’s an immediate sense of feeling saferand more stable. Not to mention the moredurable tread ware many new tires offer. Sowhen the time comes for a change, it’simportant to go to a place that can makethe transition as easy as possible.
That’s where Costco Tire Centers takecenter stage. In addition to Costco’s professional service, Costco tire purchasescome with free rotation, balancing, inflation checks and flat repairs for the life ofthe tire; a mileage, road hazard and manufacturer’s defects warranty; and nitrogentire inflation and new rubber tire stems.
Slip slidin’ away
Costco member Anne Eidam was driving in the vicinity of her home near FortWayne, Indiana, in November when hertrip took a turn.
“The winter here in Indiana is horri-
ble,” she tells The Connection via Skype
from her home. “We had an icy morning
and I was sliding.” She told her husband,
Rudi, about it and his first reaction was,
“You need new tires.”
The Eidams had never used a Costco
Tire Center before.
“My husband price-checked around a
couple places and we found Costco had the
best deal, so we made an appointment,”
Eidam says. They preordered the tires on
Costco.com, and Rudi made the appoint-
ment by phone.
“When I went in, they did say they were
a few minutes behind and they said it would
probably be an hour,” Eidam adds. “It was
quicker than that. But it was perfect,
because I went through the whole store and
got all of the necessities we needed.”
As for the new tires, she says, “The
moment I got back in my car when they
were done, I could already feel a differ-
ence. It was amazing.”
Comparison shopper
Costco member Jim Tapscott, whohails from the Tampa, Florida, area, boughttires from Costco on three different occasions. The first was due to a defect in a tirepurchased elsewhere. Tapscott researchedthe products on the market and differentoptions for having them installed.
“I purchased the tires from Costco
based on a couple things,” he explains.
“One is the trust that we’ve established
with Costco over the years and how we’ve
always been well taken care of when it
came to customer service. The other part
was the value of not having to question
whether or not we were getting all the ser-
vices. [With] a lot of other tire retailers, it
was difficult to find out whether things
like road hazard were covered. Then the
tire installation charges
were different across the
board. It saved me an
incredible amount of time
and I still know that I got
tremendous value in both
the price and the service,
because the price was a
few hundred dollars lower
than what [I was] quoted
elsewhere. Same tires,
same manufacturer.”
My own tired tires
I figured it was a good
time to check my own
tires. I needed them. With
help from a Costco Tire
Robert Moyer, director of Costco’s Tire
Centers, says, “All our employees go
through new-hire training for approxi-
mately ;; days. They are required to take
annual certification exams, as well as
additional vendor-sponsored training and
ongoing on-the-job training.”
Asked if she would recommend Costco
Tire Centers to friends, Eidam says she
already has. “I’m so impressed with
Costco,” she explains. “I’ve actually rec-
ommended Costco to many people.”
Tapscott adds, “If you’re someone that
takes the time and does the research,
you’re going to consistently find that
you’re getting better value in terms of both
the price and what’s included in the ser-
vices, from road hazard to nitrogen to bal-
ancing. [There is also] the peace of mind
that it’s Costco backing up the service and
the tires.” C
THECOSTCOCONNECTION
In addition to selecting and having tiresinstalled at the warehouse, members canorder tires and schedule an installationappointment online. Go to Costco.com andsearch “tires.”
Costco’s Tire Centers offer
quality and value
Will Costco Install Tires Purchased Elsewhere
COSTCO PHOTO STUDIO / FRANCE FREEMAN