Reader Sean writes:
This is a copy of a letter that I just sent to Costco, I X’d out the serial numbers
This letter is in reference to my purchase of a 160GB Ipod Classic from the Brick, NJ Costco (store #229) on March 29th. While the packaging and box indicate a 160GB device, I discovered that the box actually contained a 60GB Ipod. I seek a full refund on my purchase and an apology from the store’s general manager, Leonard for my treatment.
Only one hour after purchasing the Ipod, I opened the box in my apartment in the presence of my girlfriend. To be certain that the capacity of the device was in fact only 60GB, I downloaded Itunes and plugged the Ipod into my computer. Itunes confirmed the device’s capacity was only 60GB. Upon discovering the error, I immediately went back to the store and explained my dilemma. The issue was quickly escalated to Leonard, the store’s general manager. Before I could even begin to explain what happened, Leonard told me in a stern and knowing voice that “this Ipod did not come from this box”. He accused me of going home, switching the Ipod with one that I had previously owned, and was attempting to con Costco for a better Ipod. I felt as if I was being scolded by a teacher in middle school. I was insulted and humiliated. I’ve never been accused of committing a crime in my life. After a few minutes of trying to explain the situation to Leonard, it was evident that his mind had been made up before he even began to talk to me, and my efforts to convince him were fruitless. I can’t help but think that if my girlfriend or mother were the one returning an Ipod that they bought, they would have been treated differently. I believe the general manager saw a young man and assumed I was trying to pull a fast one. Rather than having my issue addressed, I was embarrassed, accused of committing a crime, and escorted out of the store.
I know from working in customer service that the customer isn’t really always right, and there are plenty of deceitful people out there who would try to pull a scam like this, but I believe that a loyal customer with a perfect track record, who has never returned anything to Costco, deserves the benefit of the doubt in situation like this. I should not be guilty until proven innocent. I am NOT a thief. I am an IT professional and make a decent enough living that I do not have to scam my local Costco to get an upgraded Ipod. Never in my life have I been treated like this at a retail establishment
From talking with Apple (case # XXX) I’ve learned that the Ipod that was in my box is a 60GB Video Ipod (the serial # is XXX) that is not in production any more. The serial number on the box that I have (for a 160GB Black Ipod Classic) is XXX. It is also of note that Apple told me that neither of these Ipods has been registered with Itunes, which I believe indicates that neither Ipod has ever been used.
I honestly have no idea how that particular Ipod got in the box that I opened. It was shrink-wrapped when I opened it and I did not notice any obvious tampering with the box or contents. (the pouch with the earplugs was unopened). I’m not sure if Apple is at fault or if it is the misdeed of some warehouse worker along the way who switched out Ipods and re-shrink-wrapped the package. But I do not believe it is my responsibility to figure that out. I just want what I paid my hard earned money for and an apology from Leonard, the general manager for treating me like a thief instead of a customer. Thanks for your assistance in resolving this matter.
We were about to advise Sean that he’d have better luck talking with his credit card company and doing a chargeback (based on the many stories we’ve heard from customers of certain other retailers), but before we could post his letter, Sean wrote back to tell us that Costco had made good and the issue had been resolved.
Kudos to Costco. These situations usually involve a chargeback or someone calling a local reporter.
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@ChuckECheese: I don’t deny that -isms exist. However, in my experience too many make an an immediate and unsubstantiated conclusion that they are the victim of such an -ism. It hurts real instances of -isms.
As soon as I my iPod was plastic I’d be back at Costco – the Classics are metal – a first this generation for full-size iPods. Sounds like a pain in the ass to me.
I had a similar situation with Fry’s of Sunnyvale and I didn’t have to escalate past the store’s GM to get it taken care of.
@jwarner132: I thought the Costco policy was Amex or cash. I didn’t think you could pay with a debit card or check.
I was interested in seeing how this would work out. My first impression was that the box would have an obvious bulge and that the 60gb wouldn’t fit in the classic box. So I decided to test it out.
Now, you must keep in mind that I have the lower-end of the sizes. For my comparison I used a 30gb 5th generation iPod video and a 80gb ipod classic. My hunch is that the difference in size between these two is similar to the size difference between the 60gb video and the 160gb classic.
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Also, yes, there is a hair in the box picture with the classic. My girlfriend leaves it everywhere. I’m sorry
After having a chance to try and “box up” the 30gb video, it is my complete opinion that this is a plausible story. There’s almost no way to tell without opening the box. Both iPods will fit comfortably in the iPod classic box.
@mgy: Also, I am not making any claims that he didn’t make the story up. He could be lying through his teeth. I don’t know.
All I did was make sure the story that was told is, indeed, a believable one, whether it is true or not.
I do have a problem with his story. Specifically the idea that he could call up apple and inquire about specific serial numbers. I don’t think they’d tell him jack over the phone.
Even if Apple would tell him.. we know for a fact that one of the ipods had definitely been used… he told us himself that he hooked up the ipod to check it out.
I haven’t seen anyone cite Costco’s 90-Day “No Questions Asked” Return Policy. It seems to me that the Manager asked quite a few questions, despite the fact that the iPod was returned within a week of purchase.
Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if the iPod had indeed been swapped out during the original packaging process. For one thing, aren’t many Apple products sold within the U.S. packaged in China, where the quality assurance is, to say the very least, a bit lax? (I can think of a few pet owners or families with small children who would agree.) Costco also has a habit of selling outdated or mislabeled iPods; I know this for a fact from my own purchase of a 20 GB iPod back in 2006 that was, in fact, a discontinued model.
@mgy: Huh, thanks for doing that. It sure seems to show that a scam by another customer or store staff is quite possible.
@sean77: You can connect an ipod and use it without ever actually filling out the registration forms.
@nequam: I only ever use my Visa debit card at Costco.
That’s funny. A friend of mine bought an ipod shuffle at Costco a few weeks ago and they handed him the 160Gb monster unit at the cage. Of course my friend didn’t return the unit for a proper exchange.
Sometimes you gotta feel sorry for the retailers. Would be easier, of course, to feel sympathy if their management overhead wasn’t so massive.
Wow… lotta hate. I have never owned an Ipod before, that is why I didn’t immediately notice a difference. I only went to buy an Ipod because my Creative Zen Touch wouldn’t work with Vista.
I tried to delete my story submission because the issue was resolved before this story was even posted. I paid with my AMEX but wanted to give Costco a chance to fix the issue before doing a chargeback.
It was a regional VP that wound up helping me. I guessed his email address using first initial last name @costco.com. He told me to go back Saturday and the manager would straighten everything out.
@ChuckECheese: Of course prejudice exists. But the notion that a young male is being kept down is not simply insulting but quite entirely without evidence in this case. He had enough to complain about without suggesting that the reason all this was happening to him was because he was a young man. Was he white, too? Is that another way he’s getting “disenfranchised”? Because we all know how hard it is for young white males to catch a break.
@BStu: I don’t know that he was complaining about being “kept down” — I think the OP was just suggesting that if he appeared to be somebody’s blue-haired granny he probably would have been allowed to make the return no questions asked.
What, you think store managers don’t demographically profile people?
Wow, lotta hate.
When I went back to return it I was dressed sloppy and I was unshaven… I looked like a mess. I wasn’t suggesting that he would’ve taken the ipod back if I was a woman. I just think it helped him come to the conclusion that I looked like the sort of dude who would try to pull a scam like this.
I have to go back to the store during the weekend and talk to the manager and was told everything would be straightened out.
I guessed the regional managers email (first initial last name @costco.com) and he has been very helpful.
I have never owned an ipod and that is why I didn’t immediately notice a difference in the versions. I didn’t even know it was a Video Ipod until Apple told me. The only reason I went to get an Ipod was because my Creative Zen Touch won’t work with Vista.
other pics here.
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Sorry I repeated myself there, I wasn’t approved for comments yet. I just thought my first comment got lost in the interweb tubes
@SeanMac237:
If this incident had occurred in Best Buy or Walmart, you would be showered with love and understanding.
Jim Sinegal is a big supporter of the Democratic party, so Costco can do no wrong on the Consumerist.
That’s the reason for the “Kudos to Costco” by the editor and the accusations of thievery by some of commentators.
Don’t use an Ipod.!!
Good grief! It seems like blaming the victim is the newest hobby for Consumerist readers. Why on earth would this person post his “crime” on the Consumerist complete with a picture corroborating his guilt? Really?? Because it would exonerate him in the eyes of the Costco manager who is sure to be a Consumerist reader (note sarcasm)??? Come on.
The number of unwarranted assumptions here is astounding. First, because the poster points to the etching on the back of the Ipod in his picture, it is assumed that this is how he noticed it was the wrong model. Why?? All his letter says is that he opened the box and saw a 60GB Ipod, whose capacity he verified with Itunes. If he had noticed the factory etching, would he have verified it with ITunes? If I were posting a picture on the internet of a generic looking black object, I might point to the inscription too, no matter what I noticed first. Second, an IT professional could mean anything. Would one expect a Cobol programmer to know detailed info about the different materials used in the construction of Ipods? I’m an IT professional myself and can tell you of myriad electronic devices about which I know little or nothing. I could go on.
I would be utterly dumfounded if anyone who was trying a scam of this sort would post his exploits on-line, in a forum such as the Consumerist.
Im a sys admin, but was my first ipod purchase and the first Apple product I’ve bought.
someone at the consumerist added the arrow in the picture, but the 60GB etching on the back was the first thing that tipped me off that i didn’t have the correct Ipod
I’m a Sys Admin but this was my first Ipod.
Someone at the Consumerist added the arrow in the pic, but seeing the 60GB etched in the back was the first thing that tipped me off that something was wrong. If you look at this pic
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and show it to someone that’s never owned an ipod they are going to assume what is in the box is in the picture on the box.. the fronts look the same
@SeanMac237:
Dude, sorry. We have a serious troll problem here. A peer moderation system a-la Digg/Slashdot is waaay overdue. The comments have become so generously peppered with aggressively obnoxious, bullying, self-congratulatory vitriol of late that I’m choosing not to bother reading them most of the time. Of course, the comments provided the majority of the fun way back when (say 9 months ago.) They kept me coming back pretty much daily. Now, they mostly reminding me I should probably do something more constructive with my down time.
I love the principal behind Consumerist, but the implementation is beginning to suck. Please fix it.
Please
@theirishscion:
“I love the principal behind Consumerist”
Yes, Ben’s a good guy.
@ClayS: Oh very droll.
I evidently forgot to mention the grammar and spelling nazis, but that’s ok, I rather approve of them. Well caught Mr. S.
@theirishscion:
I sincerely apologize for that; just couldn’t resist.
@Dorgon: I completely agree with Oakie here, and I usually tend to side with the Consumer.
What you just pointed out (i.e not being registered) was that guy’s word. If indeed he scammed Costco (the 60GB is older than the last 80GB, I haven’t seen one since 2006 in stores) than obviously he just said that to cover his tracks even more. The fact is that the iPod would be not sitting well in the packaging due to it’s bulkiness, and that the guy would’ve immediately known since it was on the front of the box.
huh? I called Apple when I got home after getting escorted out of the Costco. They told me that neither serial # had been registered. I asked if there could have been a packaging mistake on their end and they said they do not even make the 60GB video ipod anymore so that was pretty much impossible.
Someone at Costco could call Apple themselves and check that I’m sure. Both serial #’s are in the letter I sent them
This doesn’t surprise me.
Costco has never had anything except a stellar return policy and excellent customer relations. It was only recently that they adopted a 90-day return policy on computers and TV’s due to people returning things a year after purchase.
I bought a GPS from Costco for my mom for XMAS that didn’t work quite as well I had hoped (it lagged at times). I bought an updated version of the same GPS 2 weeks ago and returned the unit I bought (4) months ago. NO PROBLEMS.
Try returning a problematic unit at BestBuy 4 months after you bought it and see how far you get – even if you are replacing it with a better unit!
lol this is hilarious kudos to costo though even if the lay out at my local costco makes it very difficult to shop around