sams club or costco?

[mom2maddynsky27]

sam's is the only option here. but i enjoy shopping there and get many deals there. i just compare prices...if i can get it some where cheaper I do. But the bulk is really good for a family of 6.

[guilliam]

Another great thing about Costco is their return policy. If you buy a big screen TV it comes with a one year MF warranty. If it breaks at any time Costco will give you your money back or replace it with a comparable unit. So it could be 3 years later and Costco will still take it back. It is the best guarantee around.

 

Now, years ago I bought a wrought iron fountain from Sam's for about $250. It rusted after a year. I was ticked off and mentioned it in passing to a CR one day. They said "bring it back." They took it back (no receipt, but they recognized it) and gave me my $250 back. So I had the use of it (rusted or not it looked good for awhile) and they cheerfully refunded my money.

 

One more plus about Sam's is that they mark down meat around 10 a.m. (meat that will expire in a few days). Costco doesn't do that.

 

You can't go wrong either way, but I do like Costco.

Are you sure this works with tvs? The reason I ask is because there was a tv on Costco's website we were considering because we had heard about their liberal exchange policy if something goes wrong (we don't hae a membership but were going o buy one for this) but on their website it lists tvs along with computers for 6 month return policy:confused: So we didn't buy it but would if you are correct

[addic2cancun]

I am a Costco employee in Ga and our return policy for electronics are:

customers only 90 days to return televisions, computers, cameras, camcorders, portable music players and cell phones, although if purchased with the amex then Costco extends the warranties on televisions and PCs for a total of two years. This is only do to Some people took televisions home and then returned them when they were disappointed because the picture didn’t look as good as it did in the store. A bigger problem for the company, however, was that some people appeared to be taking advantage of big price drops by returning an older item and then snapping up a newer, less expensive — and, in some cases, fancier — model.

 

Our building no longer does 1 day passes, Im not sure if others follow the same ?

 

If you have any more Costco questions feel free to ask :)

[guilliam]

I am a Costco employee in Ga and our return policy for electronics are:

customers only 90 days to return televisions, computers, cameras, camcorders, portable music players and cell phones, although if purchased with the amex then Costco extends the warranties on televisions and PCs for a total of two years. This is only do to Some people took televisions home and then returned them when they were disappointed because the picture didn’t look as good as it did in the store. A bigger problem for the company, however, was that some people appeared to be taking advantage of big price drops by returning an older item and then snapping up a newer, less expensive — and, in some cases, fancier — model.

 

Our building no longer does 1 day passes, Im not sure if others follow the same ?

 

If you have any more Costco questions feel free to ask :)

Thank you for the answer :) Guess I won't be buying a tv from Costco. The only reason is because the tv we were looking at is an off brand and the exchange policy would have kept me from worrying about it breaking as soon as the manufacturers warranty expires:(

[tokanm]

I don't know if your off brand was Vizio or not. We have a Vizio and love it, they are American made and the screen has a lifetime warranty (the pixels)..we have had ours for

about 15 months now and it is the best imho. I got ours at BJ's for less than $700 for 42"

 

Good Luck

[Kayakmom]

My recommendation is this... Don't be a stupid consumer and let price/cost determine which company you support. Do some research and see what that company stands for, how they treat thier employees, what they are supporting and if you agree then give them your hard earned money. If not, spend your money elsewhere.

LOL. So your vote is obviously Costco?

 

 

Mine is. I LOVE COSTCO! It is hands down my favorite B&M store. I get packs of rolls and freeze them up in batches appropriate for dinner every time I go. Our family is most recently hooked on their giant bag of organic tortilla chips for only $4.xx. I buy clothes, books, food, video games, and lots of other things there. My trip last week was $342. Oops.

[Kayakmom]

I love Costco! Their return policy just can't be beat--you can take back anything at anytime except for computers. The computers have a 6 month limit. I now buy most of our electronics at Costco. It's like having a lifetime warranty.

 

The only thing that I wish Costco had was cupcakes! I know that you can buy the large platters of cupcakes at Sam's. The Costco cakes are to die for. They are awesome.

 

I love the quality of the items at Costco vs Sam's.

 

You may want to get a free day pass to go and check out each club.

My Costco has cupcakes and they are GINORMOUS! I have never bought them, lol. I think I would want to eat them all!!!

[Kayakmom]

I am a Costco employee in Ga and our return policy for electronics are:

customers only 90 days to return televisions, computers, cameras, camcorders, portable music players and cell phones, although if purchased with the amex then Costco extends the warranties on televisions and PCs for a total of two years. This is only do to Some people took televisions home and then returned them when they were disappointed because the picture didn’t look as good as it did in the store. A bigger problem for the company, however, was that some people appeared to be taking advantage of big price drops by returning an older item and then snapping up a newer, less expensive — and, in some cases, fancier — model.

 

Our building no longer does 1 day passes, Im not sure if others follow the same ?

 

If you have any more Costco questions feel free to ask :)

 

Oh! I have a question that you may or may not know the answer to. I know about the newer policies for returns within the past couple years due to abuse. However, I'm wondering if we pay with our Costco Amex is there a warranty extension over manufacturer's warranty? I suppose that is a credit card question moreso than Costco but I really only use my Costco Amex to shop at Costco and for my gas.

[JackJack]

All the Sam's are closing in Canada. Don't know if they will be closing some in the States or not. Just a heads up.........

[addic2cancun]

Oh! I have a question that you may or may not know the answer to. I know about the newer policies for returns within the past couple years due to abuse. However, I'm wondering if we pay with our Costco Amex is there a warranty extension over manufacturer's warranty? I suppose that is a credit card question moreso than Costco but I really only use my Costco Amex to shop at Costco and for my gas.

When you use your Costco amex it does extend your warranty !! I believe its 1 year

Since the costco amex does have the 3%-2%-1% benifit ( Earn a 3% rebate for gasoline purchases; earn a 3% rebate for restaurant purchases; earn a 2% rebate for travel purchases; and 1% rebate on all other purchases including Costco) when using you really should use it when traveling and eating out, I cashier after we open ( Start my shift at 4 am ) and I have been cashing the rebate checks like crazy ( since they come out in Feb ). The amounts of these checks are several hundred dollars so it pays to use it if possible.

 

Extend Your Warranty - The Extended Warranty will extend the terms of the original U.S. manufacturer's warranty for up to one additional year on eligible purchases with warranties of 5 years or less, when the purchase is charged to the Card.

 

 

 

Don't Think Twice - Coverage is available for eligible items for up to $10,000 (not to exceed $50,000 per Cardmember account per policy year).

[addic2cancun]

All the Sam's are closing in Canada. Don't know if they will be closing some in the States or not. Just a heads up.........

 

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123568673767887129.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

The Canadian unit of retailing-giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has tried to make a go of the warehouse clubs, which charge a membership fee in return for wholesale-priced products, for the past five years. Unlike the popular supercenters -- another 26 of which will open this year -- the half-dozen Sam's Clubs weren't meeting expectations, and weren't profitable, said Wal-Mart Canada's vice-president of corporate affairs, Andrew Pelletier.

 

Because Sam's Club faced only one main competitor in Canada -- Costco Wholesale Corp. -- it was seen as a big gamble by some and a no-brainer by others. But it was ultimately demonstrated that Costco was already entrenched across the country and consumers were reluctant to buy a second membership or switch to a rival.

[babygirl913]

Hello to a felllow 'Burgher!

 

Doesn't look like anyone addressed your concern about buying for only three people. You might want to check each one out in advance to make sure they have the items you want to shop for, and that the sizes of the items will work for you.

 

We only have two to shop for, and neither Sams nor Costco is effective for us because the sizes of the food items are too large to be convenient. And we don't buy enough clothes/electronics to justify the memberships just for that. But I'd be the first to admit that we're not much for shopping just to buy stuff.

 

Ditto. Same here. I didn't renew my costco membership after it ran out at the end of last year. After doing the math it just wasn't cost effective. I found that some items weren't really a bargain. Doing the math showed me that a bigger pakage doesn't always mean a better bargain. I also found that I was doing better using manufacturers coupons in regular stores. I save a lot too when some grocery stores double and triple coupons. Target has a section with bulk items. When I use coupons on those items when they go on sale I come out way better than costco. For a small family I don't think it's worth it. I doubt that I broke even on the membership fee in savings in the one year. And last but not least the Costco's in my area are a big hassle more than anything. No matter what time of the day you go in there it is overcrowded and like a zoo. Forget about even trying to go in their on weekends. The line to the gas station is always out of this world. I decided that it really was not worth the hassle at all.

[IamKate]

We belong to BJ's and Costco. I like them both for different things. Luckily, our memberships are comped by my husband's company.

 

I don't use a lot of coupons, but I do use the coupons that I get in the booklet from BJ's each month. BJ's also takes reg coupons IIRC.

 

I use my price book (where I write down the common things I buy, where I bought them, price per ounce etc)...so I check on bulk items. Sometimes it's a good deal and sometimes, it's really not. Really depends on what you buy.

 

I like that I can use my Amex at both Costco and BJ's. It was one thing about Sam's Club that I didn't like, that I needed to use either the Discover card or cash/check. I don't carry cash or my checkbook on a regular basis, so I would often want to stop into Sam's Club and then remember I didn't have my checkbook or had to stop at an ATM for cash etc Not sure if that is still true for Sam's Club, it's been 10 years since I shopped there.