Our pals-in-arms at the Consumer Reports National Research Center recently asked more than 26,000 readers to rate their shopping experiences at the nation’s top retailers — both in-store and online — and in spite of being a members’ only warehouse store, Costco came out looking the best. [More]
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Consumerist Post About Broken Laptop Gets Reader Full Refund Within 3 Hours
By 12.15.11
Once again, Costco saves the day. Last week, we posted the story of Tom, who bought a Sony Vaio laptop from Costco only to have it malfunction a little more than a year after purchase. Sony didn’t seem to want to fix the problem at all, and Costco employees were very kind but couldn’t intervene. Only a few hours after that post went up, Costco contacted Tom, and gave him a full refund for the computer’s purchase price. [More]
Buying Laptop From Costco Extends Your Warranty And Your Aggravation
By 12.8.11
Last year, Tom bought a Sony laptop from Costco. Part of the reason why he chose Costco to purchase a computer was the warehouse club’s famed extension of manufacturers’ warranties: more warranty protection on a portable computer can’t be a bad thing. Except when it is. In Tom’s case, having another company involved just means that he can always get a very nice person on the phone at Costco who isn’t able to help him at all. [More]
Behold The Pork Roast Molded In The Shape Of A Tiny Pig
By 11.10.11
Lee found this pig-shaped pork roast at Costco, but doesn’t find it particularly appealing. “I just can’t grill a roast that looks like ‘Babe’,” he writes. It’s like roasting a suckling pig, but without the youth or the internal organs.
Customer Finds Live Tree Frog In Salad Bought At Costco
By 11.2.11 — Updated: 4.29.13
Everyone knows you’re supposed to rinse out your salad to get rid of any dirt before you chow down, but the food safety folks rarely mention the presence of frogs. So you can imagine the surprise that one California woman had on Monday when she spotted a living croaker in the salad she’d just bought from Costco. [More]
Costco, Amazon Top Most-Trusted Company Survey; Comcast Brings Up The Rear
By 10.19.11
We live in a time where very few companies engender a lot of trust in the buying public. But some businesses still do a better job than others at developing a positive relationship with consumers. [More]
4 Things You Might Not Know You Can Save On At A Warehouse Store
By 10.13.11
The typical mental image of shopping at a warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club is shopping carts overflowing with bulk packs of toilet paper and kitty litter. But those who have actually shopped at these places know that you can purchase a lot more than just huge packages of the bare necessities. And in addition to the stuff you’d find at most superstores, warehouse clubs may have some additional perks you won’t get too many other places. [More]
It's About To Become A Bit More Expensive To Shop At Costco
By 10.5.11
Costco may be a favorite among bargain shoppers (and lovers of free samples), but the warehouse store chain isn’t doing as well as it had hoped, which means it’s time to raise membership fees by 10%. [More]
Costco Lets Man Return 5-Year-Old Suitcase With Broken Wheel
By 9.7.11
DrRonster was inspired by a recent Consumerist post about a guy who couldn’t take advantage of Costco’s famed warranty because he wasn’t a member. The “Ronster” went to take his own suitcase in for a refund. The suitcase has a broken wheel and is five years old, yet his venture was met with success, as he is a Costco member. [More]
Sears To Start Selling Craftsman Tools Through Costco
By 8.31.11
Do you like Sears’ brand of Craftsman tools but don’t like shopping at Sears? Well, this might be good news for you. The retail chain has announced you will be able to buy Craftsman wares at Costco stores as early as this coming weekend. [More]
Friday Tipster Round-Up: Holiday Creep Edition
By 8.26.11
Sifting through this week’s submissions, it looks like users of the free Consumerist Tipster App had the holidays on their brains. Of course, it appears they didn’t have much choice as stores have already begun packing the aisles with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas items. [More]
Beware Of Scams Arriving In The Form Of Fake Costco Checks
By 8.19.11
Yesterday, we discussed the fun that could be had at Costco with a fake shopping list. Today’s story involves a fake check that looks like it comes from Costco but is just a variation on a classic scam. [More]
Costco Shopper Writes Insane Fake Shopping Lists For The Amusement Of Others
By 8.18.11
Over at Reddit, a contributor says they have discovered a new way to amuse themselves — and hopefully others — while shopping at Costco. [More]
Costco's Lifetime Return Policy Only Applies To Actual Members
By 8.11.11
When one of the suitcases from Jon’s decade-old Kirkland (Costco house brand) luggage set broke, he didn’t fret. Why, Costco has one of the greatest return policies in the world! Maybe in the universe! When he attempted to bring the item back, though, he learned the hard way that the famed warranty only applies to the original member who bought the item. Which can be a little awkward when the item was a gift. [More]
Walmart.com Has Slowest Shipping, Costco.com Has Fastest
By 8.3.11
Two days before school starts and you need those pencils and TI-89 calculators, stat? If online shopping is the route you’re going, Costco will get it to you faster than Walmart, says a new survey. [More]
Want Cheap Gas? Try Costco
By 4.11.11
For a good price on gas, try your favorite purveyor of bulk-sized butter barrels. WSJ reports that Costco tries to sell gas at or below the lowest price in the neighborhood. [More]
Costco Selling $1 Million Diamond Ring
By 4.7.11
If you’re a rich baron of industry out to impress your beloved with a pricey piece of jewelry, forget Tiffany’s. Go to Costco. They’re selling a big ‘ol 6.77 ct diamond solitaire ring for $1,000,000. And true to form, it’s a bargain. The piece has been valued at $1,601,875. [More]
Costco Sues California Man Picketing Over Gas Prices
By 4.6.11
For the past few months, a man in San Luis Obispo, CA, has been protesting his local Costco, claiming that the store’s gas prices are misleading. Now the store has sued the peeved protester, alleging that he’s trespassed on store property and made threatening statements. [More]
