Agreed. Do the research before you buy. If you find its not for you, it doesn't usually take very long.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Store vs. Costco
- Thread starter h4lp m3
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Costco basically dictates the return window, they had unlimited return policy. People started abusing by returning 1-2 years tvs,camcorders, cameras, computers to upgrade to latest ones.
Apple and Costco had a fall out few years back on return policy, Costco removed apple products. Apple was forced to agree 90 day return policy. Anyways Costco is good for base models or common configurations.
Apple and Costco had a fall out few years back on return policy, Costco removed apple products. Apple was forced to agree 90 day return policy. Anyways Costco is good for base models or common configurations.
1 year - where can you buy an Apple product in the UK with a 2 year warranty (excluding John Lewis & Costco)?
So any product that has a fault within the first two years (not through neglect or misuse) will be repaired or replaced (manufacturers choice) under European Law. We still have those laws in place despite Brexit!
It basically goes along the lines that it is reasonable to assume an expensive product like an iPhone or MacBook Pro is expected to last more than 12 months. If it fails to do so it can be argued that the defective component that failed must have been that way since new.
I've had several Apple products repaired that way.
This explains sometimes why I do get products from Costco that appear to be they've been used. Funny thing is they usually like to cover it up by saying "Oh that would've been manufacture defects.. In this case we could offer you x $ amount of discount coupon for it or full refund..." That's why I don't buy expensive electronics either Costco, Amazon, or other 3rd party retailers in these days
its usually the supplier that covers the return policy not Costco themselves. They have big buying/selling power so they insist with the suppliers and they usually except.
Although i find it hard to believe that apple would do this as they don’t need Costco
Although i find it hard to believe that apple would do this as they don’t need Costco
I think that Apple benefits from their relationship with Costco.
A lot of people do their weekly grocery shopping at Costco so you get to put your products before affluent consumer every week. Malls have been dying around the country as consumers have purchased more and more online but putting your product near the entrance, which Costco does for Apple, puts it in front in case you want to make an impulse buy or you need one but haven't gotten around to purchasing it.
The one major disadvantage at buying at Costco is that they seldom have more than base models. My local Costco had the M1 Ultra Studio which surprised me but I don't see any MacBook Pros with 32 GB of RAM. They also don't carry all of the accessories that you can find at an Apple Store. We only go to the mall a few times a year and I checkout all of the latest gear when I go - just to get the in-person look and feel.
Costco has documented that they will sometimes break even or take a slight loss on their products. They make money through membership.
This is why Costco only sells the kit Macs. You can’t custom build a Mac through them.
If all you need is baseline or a kit configuration, go ahead and get from Costco.
Personally, I’m done with Costco as I’m displeased with their lack of signage, impossible layout and long lines. There is no “in and out” there. It’s a trip and a hassle. But hey, lots of people love it.
Nobody goes there anymore because they're too crowded.
It's also worth noting that the refurb price of these machines is incredibly high compared to most items. Often 90% of retail. There's not a lot of missing margin.
Team Costco since the 80’s : #MembershipMatters 😎
That is the power of Costco in a nutshell. They can & do get the best deals, just not a lot of variety in their Macintosh product line.
Now, they have an actual Mac specialist at every store, quite refreshing to see 👏👏
That is the power of Costco in a nutshell. They can & do get the best deals, just not a lot of variety in their Macintosh product line.
Now, they have an actual Mac specialist at every store, quite refreshing to see 👏👏
One thing to consider if you buy from Apple rather than a third party is that if you do have an issue with your machine after the initial return period, they are more flexible in terms of options open to them, mainly around replacing the machine rather than sending it for repair.
Costco is a membership based service but even still, they offer 90 day returns on pretty much everything (only a few minor exceptions). So it’s definitely the best place to buy apple products when they’re on sale.
As a side note, as someone who keeps a regular eye on apple products in the Costco website, I’ve noticed in their past 2 recent sales (there was a 1 day sale on Father’s Day giving a huge amount of money off if u spent a certain limit), that Costco will remove certain MacBooks and iPads and iPhones from the site during the sale, and then low-key put them back online over the next day or two. No joke I’ve seen it multiple times now so buyer beware of sneaky sh*y like this.
As a side note, as someone who keeps a regular eye on apple products in the Costco website, I’ve noticed in their past 2 recent sales (there was a 1 day sale on Father’s Day giving a huge amount of money off if u spent a certain limit), that Costco will remove certain MacBooks and iPads and iPhones from the site during the sale, and then low-key put them back online over the next day or two. No joke I’ve seen it multiple times now so buyer beware of sneaky sh*y like this.
I thought there was a law saying you can't sell used items without informing the customer it's been used.
The answer is very simple: If the longer return window lead to less revenue Costco would not offer it. The opposite is true, longer return windows generate more revenue because customers feel more at ease buying knowing hassle-free returns are possible.
You can rest assured that big players like Costco have their own departments tasked solely with minimizing fraud.
You can rest assured that big players like Costco have their own departments tasked solely with minimizing fraud.
Yes, the recent move to checking ID at the self-check line is an example of that.
By comparison, Apple once gave away tiny water bottles
They used to give away t-shirts on grand openings.
It's all the freaking free samples. I see entire families wandering around with no cart (they aren't shopping), just going from sample table to sample table and back again (basically they're eating lunch for free), clogging up the isles in the process.
I truly believe if they got rid of the free samples, Costco would be a lot more pleasant shopping experience.
I was there this morning. It was quite busy and the samples weren't out yet. Fridays are generally nuts at Costco as people shop on Friday to avoid the absolute zoo there on the weekends.