A COSTCO buyer thought he would receive a free replacement car battery, but was surprised by a new warranty rule.
Costco has a famous 100% satisfaction guarantee, but some items have strict return policies.
Electronics have specific return rules, including car batteries, as one shopper learned the hard way.
The Reddit user he wrote They bought a new car battery from Costco in September, and it recently died.
All previous car batteries they purchased had a three-year warranty, so they assumed it was the same in this case.
A Costco employee told the buyer that car batteries now have prorated warranties, which decrease in value over time.
For example, if someone purchased tires two years ago and the price decreased, the buyer would be reimbursed at the lower price.
“The best thing about Costco batteries is that you would get a three-year warranty and only pay a little more,” the customer wrote in the post.
Previously, customers received a full refund and paid the difference if the price went up.
“I priced all five batteries in my vehicle today to compare to Walmart, which still does full three-year replacements, and they were within $10 of the Costco price today.”
The buyer went to Walmart and purchased pasta for just $6 more than it cost at Costco and received a longer warranty.
“Costco has good business. Car batteries are no longer one of them,” they wrote.
Other shoppers shared their disappointment with Costco’s automotive department in the comments.
“Costco batteries are junk quality with an even worse warranty. I haven’t seen a Costco battery last more than two years in my area (hot climate), so the prorated warranty works in your favor,” wrote one customer.
“I choose Walmart because they even have a three-year replacement warranty, and there are a lot more Walmarts out there with much longer hours in case your battery dies while you’re not near your home.”
Another shopper said he wasn’t sure if he would buy another battery from Costco.
“I’m not sure if I’ll ever get another battery from Costco again. I’ll see how this one goes. I’m trying to think of the last time I got three years worth of batteries, if ever,” they commented. .
Costco Return Policy
What are the details of the famous return policy?
“We guarantee your satisfaction with every product we sell and will refund the purchase price,” said the return policy States.
There are some exceptions to this 100% satisfaction guarantee, which are:
- Electronics – Returns will be accepted within 90 days from the date the member received the product.
- Diamonds – 1.00 ct or larger must be returned with all original documentation within 48 hours and will be inspected for authenticity.
- Cigarettes and alcoholic beverages – These items cannot be returned by law.
- Items with a limited life expectancy, such as batteries and tires, cannot be returned.
- Special order kiosk and custom installed programs may only be returned or refunded if under warranty repair/replacement.
- Gold bars, silver bars and coins are non-refundable.
- Store Cards are non-refundable.
- Airline and live performance event items are non-refundable.
Costco memberships can be canceled and refunded at any time if the customer is dissatisfied.
MEMBERS ONLY
Some Costco members said they would also start shopping at Walmart for another reason.
Costco is about to raise its membership prices for the first time in seven years.
Gold Star members will now pay $65 instead of $60 annually, and Executive membership will increase from $120 to $130.
The change takes effect on September 1st.
“This is one of the reasons I switched to Walmart,” wrote one former customer on Facebook.
“They will never get a dime from me.”
“Either way, Costco is a scam,” another shopper responded to the post.
But one smart shopper shared how to shop at Costco without a membership.
A new product on Costco’s shelves made customers think the store was preparing for the apocalypse.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
