Costco

The same thing happened to us! We had been shopping TVs at Costco for a couple of weeks and thought we had settled on one to purchase. The day we were actually going in to buy, we received a coupon in the mail that was going to be $75 dollars off but we had to wait two days for the coupon dates to become valid. We were so excited to be able to save another $75 off of the already great price, we waited for the coupon dates.. When the day came to go purchase, we took our coupon in and to our surprise the price had been raised $50! We were so upset that Costco plays these games that we left without purchasing the TV. Why would they do that?! This wasn't the first time I've noticed them doing this same thing. Last summer, the Dr. Pepper that we always bought for $7.99 a box was marked up to $9.99 a box just as the $2 off coupon came around. Shame on you, Costco!

I got the same core tax experience at Costco in Azusa. I bought a new battery, paid core charge, $15 + tax . Took the new battery to my car in the parking lot, replaced the old battery, and rolled the old battery back to the tire center 15 minutes later. I got my $15 back, but not the $1.35 tax on that $15. I asked the clerk why I didn't get the tax back. He swore he was right in not refunding the tax, but the reason is total nonsense. Since my time arguing with him would have cost way more than $1.35, I just let it go. I just consider it another one of those live-in-California tax.

I had the exact same experience yesterday at the Costco in Manchester, MO. On Saturday, I bought a new Interstate battery and was charged a $15 core charge. On Sunday, I returned under warranty the Kirkland battery I bought in 2009. I was refunded 40% of the 2009 battery price plus the 2009 $9 core charge. I said that was wrong, i was refunded that $9 fee in 2009 when I returned my old battery. I had three different Costco employees, including one from the Tire shop, say that was they way they had to do it and that I would get my $15 core fee refunded when I returned the new battery I bought Saturday. This makes no sense and I probably won't have the car another 5 years so it is highly unlikely I will get the $15 fee refunded.

I complained to Costco Customer Service who sent my complaint to a store manager. He told me the same thing, that I could get my $15 core charge refund when I return the new battery years down the road.

I have bought two batteries at Wal Mart in the past few years and they refunded the core charge immediately after charging it because they took out the old battery and put in the new. Something is wrong with Costco.

I sent my wife to SAMS to purchase another battery for her car. My wife had called me and told me the price that the service person quoted and I told her to proceed. The auto department removed the existing battery and installed the new one. When my wife got home I asked for the receipt and I noticed that SAMS had charged a $15.00 core charge. This is an improper charge as they kept the old battery. They also charged tax on the 15.00 core charge. They will be seeing me tomorrow and I will not be very nice.

I'm only putting this info here because I researched it and found that Costco is correctly in not refunding the tax on the core charge even though it makes no logical sense. Here is the official link: http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/pub25.pdf It can be found on page 4 of the document, but make sure you view under Sale of New...

We should blame the state, not Costco.

Same deal as Fontana store except in Santa Cruz and 2 batteries. I'm ok with the core charge but to tax it and not return your tax with the return is taxing for no product or service. When I return anything the tax is always refunded. So what gives? This is not right.

Same story, different Costco store. My husband and I went to the store in Fremont, CA. We had a battery that died before its time and went in there to get the reduced return of the defective battery and a replacement battery. Every employee (both CSR, the front-end manager, the auto dept) we talked to insisted we either get the $9 core charge OR the warranty but not both. Eventually the auto department didn't charge for a new core, but only because they wanted my husband to go away, not because they finally learned the truth. I can't even begin to imagine how much Costco is raking in in unnecessarily charging customers for core charges.

The exact same thing just happened to me except at the Concord store -- same battery, same warranty, same time before failure, same $14 warranty credit, and same refusal to refund my core charge for the failed battery. Oh, and the same runaround and excuses. Much discussion, tempers lost, finally a $9 refund, but just to quiet me down and get me out of the store, not that they ever came to their senses. How hard is it to understand: Battery returned, refund core deposit?

I went to the Costco in Van Nuys, CA and brought in my old Kirkland battery, purchased at Costco 5 years ago. It had a 100 month warranty which is remedied by a 40% refund. First I went into the battery & tire shop OUTSIDE the main store, but was told, in order to get my warranty refund, I would have to take the battery into customer service. I got in the customer service line, which I might add was out the door and around the corner, and was a 40 minute wait. The CSR there, after asking several others, finally gave me a $14 refund & said to bring the receipt to the battery shop. So, I went back into the battery shop, got a new battery off the rack, went to the counter and showed my receipt proving Costco has my old battery in possession. The clerk said he has to charge me a $9 core charge. I said again, I just brought the old core in. He said if he doesn't have it in HIS possession in the battery shop, he HAS TO charge me a core charge, but I could bring any used battery back for a $9 refund. Um, ?! I said I returned it BEFORE the purchase, is that not allowed by law or something? He said I had to have a receipt showing I paid the core charge to get it refunded. I said, so all those batteries on the floor, from other manufacturers, you have receipts for? He said yes. I said show me. He then said he saw the receipts that he gave to them for the new purchase, then they brought their old battery in for the refund. I was going in circles with this guy! I said again, I RETURNED THE OLD BATTERY TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DESK BEFORE GETTING THE NEW ONE! Then he pulled another excuse out of his hat and said I'm lucky because I got more back ($14) from the warranty than the core ($9) so I should be happy. I said I don't think that the purpose of the core charge is to reward someone for not using the warranty for a battery that went dead before it's time and vice versa. Why should I be penalized because Costco's battery didn't hold up to it's 100 months?! Is this a scam? Can they do this? I asked for a manager. Instead the battery clerk, Bobby, went and got the CSR, Vanacio (sp?) who came in and came up with an even newer excuse. He said because he didn't see I paid a core charge for my previous Kirkland battery, they charged a core charge this time. If that was indeed the case, why didn't he say that in the first place instead of all these different stories? Further, and again, I asked, how do you know all these people paid a core charge on these non Costco batteries on the floor? They didn't. They didn't charge a core charge because a core was brought in. Further, they don't consider if I brought an old core when I purchased the battery 5 years ago! Of course I wouldn't be charged a core fee then if so! I needed a new battery and was there. Feeling held hostage, and having waited and spent enough time on a battery purchase, I purchased the new one and left.

-Anyone know if the purpose of the core charge rebate is negated by exercising a warranty request?
-And if I didn't pay a core charge on the previous Kirkland battery, they must charge me one now, despite if I brought the old one in at the time of purchase on a new battery?

9. How Does Tax Apply to Core
Charges for Vehicle Repair Parts?
Putting the “parts” together in figuring out taxes
can be just as challenging as putting the parts together
on a vehicle. The parts must fit right to get
the right results.
For example, a common problem area is how to
apply tax when there is a “core” charge.
Core charges are trade-in allowances included in
the selling price of a part. They are designed to
encourage the return of old parts that can be remanufactured.
Auto parts sellers often include a
core charge when they sell parts such as batteries,
water pumps, brake shoes, and alternators.
Example
A seller sells a battery for $54, which includes
a $7 core charge. If the buyer trades
in his or her old battery, the seller will
give the buyer a $7 credit toward the purchase.
How tax applies
How you calculate the taxable selling price of the
part will depend on whether you are selling a new
or used part, or a reconditioned or rebuilt part.
New or used parts
You are liable for tax on the selling price of the
new or used part, including the core charge. Tax
applies to the core charge because the allowance
for the trade-in is considered part of your “payment”
for the sale.
Example
Selling price of new battery $54.00
(includes a $7 core charge)
Tax ($54 x 7%) 3.78
Trade-in allowance - 7.00
Total $50.78

Don't blame the retailer. This is part of the Tax and Revenue Code. Since a battery exchange lowers the price, it is considered part of the payment. Sorry - you are still obligated to pay the sales tax.

I just went to Costco to find out why we were charged core tax and the entire core plus tax not returned core; after an hour talking to the manager I was given a paper that was from the State Board of Equalization to Costco requiring them to tax the core and not return it to the consumer. How did this tax get passed? Who gave them permission to do this and where does this money go to? A raise for a fat a#@#! Same with the CRV if you calculate it, it actually is more than the tax - not taxed on bottle water think again! You are right it might be small change but we bought 6 batteries therefore $4.73 was more noticeable. It may be lunch for someone but if this happens every day it adds up- all the hidden taxes that we get charged with could add up to a car payment when it goes unnoticed. Time for the common folk to wake up and have these government people take a paycut instead of raises when they are sitting fat and doing less work

It is unacceptable to treat people in such a way. Was it such big deal that the buggie was on the wrong side of the register? I work for costco and there are times that customers
do things that are amazingly stupid! I try to remember that its just costco and its usually not that big of a deal. Also the attempting to get your grandma to move out of the way was totally unacceptable. Employees need to always remember that it is the customer that pays their salary.

I was waiting for a cashier to open, being forst in the line. The otehr lines were at least 12 deep waiting.

I ask if she'll open. No answer.

She opens, doesn't look at me with my one item but says "Next in line"

Not one, but two from the overloaded lane jump in front of me, all the while the cashier pretends not to notice.

I walk up and say "You don't mind if I complain"

She pretends not to know what I'm talking about

I cash out at the front desk, rather than at the cashiers. One floor supervisor walks over to the cashier, a few words, doesn't come back to me to apologize.

Bottom line is: This person was rude and teh supervisor shoudl have come back to me with some feedback

The same thing happened to me. I recently saw a balcony set in the Greensboro, NC Costco but didn't purchase at the time. The price was $639.99. A went back a about week later and the set had been removed from the floor. I inquired at Customer service as to whether the store expected to get an additional shipment. I was told no and that the item had been "de-activated." I asked the clerk to check to see if another Costco in NC that still had set. I was told that Raleigh Costco had four left. I subsequently drove to Raleigh to buy one and to my surprise, that same set was priced at $669.99 which was $30.00 more than in Greensboro. When I inquired as to the price difference, the salesperson who assisted me explained that each Costco set their own price (based on supply and demand, I guess). At any rate, I was happy to have found the set even though I paid more for it. The lesson I took away for the experience is that you must act quickly on SEASONAL ITEMS or you may not be available when you return AND that you may end up paying more at another store.

You know, there's a spell check button below where you type your complaint, you should use it. I think you mean "manager" not "manger."

costco really have some bad manger working for themself, espcially union building. Store # 438 @ CA Rancho Cordova is a union building and tons of bad employee because bad manger abuse good /hard work employee] for their so call mangement skill. One woman manger has no people skills so she used write up to threat employee. Union costco building is for bad manger with bad employee using good employee for thier own fortune and that's why they have very bad custom service... Derogatory...Derogatory...

You have an obligation to the company you work for...you represent at company...without consumers, you would not be employed...if you are not curtious to the customers, they will not return. There is no reason for anyone to be rude.

I had a similar situation at Costco Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. The cashier assistant actually called me a "[censored]" and ran off her mouth saying she doesn't have a boss once I told her I was going to complain about her...what we can't talk anymore... I agree, if service continues in this manner I will not be renewing my membership and I will be telling everyone I know that shops at Costco about my incident.

I Hate COSTCO Tires also... took over 5 hours just to get new tires on... WTF... seriously?

That' s a great policy! Coming from someone that has worked at Costco before...members take advantage of their great return policy all the time and it's ridiculous...about time they start doing something about it!

I just went through the same stuff at my local Costco. They told me the same thing when I went and asked for a coupon book.

I was waiting for a cashier to open, being forst in the line. The otehr lines were at least 12 deep waiting.

I ask if she'll open. No answer.

She opens, doesn't look at me with my one item but says "Next in line"

Not one, but two from the overloaded lane jump in front of me, all the while the cashier pretends not to notice.

I walk up and say "You don't mind if I complain"

She pretends not to know what I'm talking about

I cash out at the front desk, rather than at the cashiers. One floor supervisor walks over to the cashier, a few words, doesn't come back to me to apologize.

Bottom line is: This person was rude and teh supervisor shoudl have come back to me with some feedback

The customers are VERY RUDE. The store has samples all over the place, and people push and shove trying to get samples. When it is crowded, people are behind you, rushing you, even though there are about 100 people in front of you. I hate this store, and I won't go again. There needs to be more organization, security guards because someday you will read in the papers about fights breaking out in these stores. Also, the staff are rude as well. They rush you, to take your food and throw it on the counter, and snatch your card from you and throw it back down, just to try and hurry up to ring you up. If you aren't in a rush, DO NOT SHOP AT COSTCO!

Costco prices aren't competitive anymore. There are many supermarkets and local stores that offer better deals and on a regular basis. I actually buy cheaper things elsewhere. Also, there are so many products being offered nowadays and at various stores. If you can find it at Costco, you can also find it somewhere else. Costco customer service has gotten worse and worse. If you don't encounter a problem, you wouldn't be aware of it. I think Costco needs to deal with its issues before it goes out of business. We don't need to buy the items in bulk, for the same price, or higher, and with rude customer service. Great combination for disaster!

You sure will enjoy shopping at walmart, where lines are long, cashiers are few, and if you need help in the aisles no one will come.

I am very disappointed with the treatment that I received today at your Eugene store. Jiffy Lube informed me that I had a flat tire and sent me to your store to have it patched. Your employee, Ryan, ignored me while he served the two white males who had come in after I had. When he finally helped me, he said that it was dangerous for Jiffy Lube to send me driving on a flat tire. Then he rudely told me that Costco could not assist with tires which were not purchased at this store. He was exceptionally bad mannered and was not even willing to suggest a nearby place to fix my tire. I have never been treated so poorly and was surprised that he speak in such a degrading tone to a confused young college student. I have spoken to several minority friends, and they have had similarly bad experiences at the Eugene Costco. As a result of this day, my friends and family will not renew their memberships next year, and I will take every opportunity to spread the word that Costco is an unfriendly place for people of color.

I’ve been a member of Costco for years and have bought the EXTRA FANCY mixed nuts. Over the years the product has decreased the quality of extra fancy. I’m greatly disappointed with the product. It should be labeled %50 almonds which is no different than %50 peanuts. I hate grabbing a handful of mixed nuts and over %50 almonds. The price goes up and the almonds increase. This is very disappointing to me. I surely hope that you relabel and lower the price or sale what you are advertizing FANCY MIXED NUTS and by the way the cashews are starting to catch up with the almonds. Very disapointed!

I had an optical exam at the Santa Rosa Costco one year ago. Previously, I had purchased Proclear multifocal contacts from Costco, but couldn't afford the $440.00 per year cost anymore and so told the Dr. as much. He said he would fit me with a cheaper brand to correct my astigmatism. They are (Biofinity Toric)the worst contacts I've ever had in my 30 years of contact lens use. Its only partly a bad prescription (I can't see anything clear within 4 feet). They are also extremely difficult to remove and very uncomfortable. The prescription for the glasses is the same. I get headaches when I wear them and have to pull them down away from my eyes to see anything remotely clear. I wore the glasses and contacts for a month and made another appointment with the doctor to address my concerns. During my appointment I described the issues I have documented here, whereas he proceeded to trivialize my concerns by telling me that the prescription was based on my answers to his questions during the exam (how many of people intentionally tell the optometrist that the letters are clear when they're not?). When I repeated my concernes his response was very defensive...as if I was criticizing his ability. He said sarcastically, "you've already told me that!" I said, "Yes, but you're not listening to me". He then prescribed a trial pair of contacts which were not much better. In spite of his belligerent manner, I attempted to reschedule another appointment with him, whereas his office did not return my call. That was over three months ago. I feel a close connection to Costco having grown up in the Seattle area and becoming an early Costco member back in the '80's. I've known for many years who Michael and Jeffrey Brotman are...and even used to patronize their dad's store: "Bernie's"...then "Bernie's and Bottoms".."Natural Selection" and "Jeffrey Michaels". My step daughter modeled for their brochures and worked at Corporate in Kirkland. So, I'm Pissed that Costco would have such a rude, unprofessional optometrist working for them at their Santa Rosa store. Thanks.

I bought a laptop that was missing the web cam, overheated and cracked the bezel and display. After 13 months, had to send it in to "MICROMEDICS" Who kept it 3 weeks, replaced the hard drive and charged me for the overheating damage. THE computer is now worse than before it went to MICROMEDICS. THis is REALLY BAD because the laptop was from SANTA, who now seems like a cheap *** for bringing a worthless piece of junk. Costco TECH service as well as ACER as well as MICROMEDICS are all *** and arrogant and provided abysmal customer service. Finally, after calling the home office in WA state, I was offered a "refurbished" HP laptop. However, this unit also has issues, such as the touchpad suddenly turning itself off. The only positive about Costco and electronics purchase is the two year "warranty", if you want to call it that, and like the abuse of being subjected to people who don't have a clue about what they are talking.

I ordered a tv from costco.com. They said it would be delivered by the 10th. It is now the 13th, and the tv has been a few miles down the street for two days. I called ups to see if I could pick it up. They said their center is closed on saturdays, and due to the weather we've had, they couldn't deliver. I've been out on the roads for the last 3 days and they've been fine. And if they were anticipating these problems, and their center was closed earlier this week, why wouldn't they open it on saturday? Now tomorrow's valentine's day and I have nothing from my valentine. Thanks ups.

I'm gonna buy these nuts. Cashews and almonds are expensive. I'm surprised they don't skimp on those.

You sound like a [censored] and I hope you never can wear contacts again and I hope you have to pay 1, 000, 000 dollars to buy glasses.

Where did or do you buy your car tires from?
Why would anyone drive on a flat tire? Jiffy Lube couldn't help you with putting on your spare tire?
Was the Costco the closest tire shop from the Jiffy Lube?
You should have talked to the Costco Manager on duty since you were still a member at the time.

Why did you file this as a Costco complaint? This is a UPS complaint.

am so sorry to hear that this happened to you and your wife! Apologizing is the simplest thing he could have done..yet didn't even come out of his mouth..

I shop at Costco often, and I know that you can complain through head office, actually its not even a complain, its more of telling them how awful they treated you!

Membership is completely refundable at anytime in FULL

theft theft theft, it is very easy to steal from costco. buying a membership keeps out most of the riff raff no matter how well dressed. if you dont like the membership they will return your $50

I have been purchasing the 'Active' vitamins (they came in a yellow box that was recently changed to the name Active). There was a group of vitamins that covered most all of the vitamins and minerals and ginkgo biloba that one who need on a daily basis with about 120 'pacs' in a box. The after this refresh of the name on the box (the pills were the same), my Costco (Fullerton, CA) stopped carrying them. I wish you would please consider carrying them again!

This is ridiculous. Some people have way too much time on their hands and will complain about anything! I can tell you're the type of person that probably tries to create a problem out of everything to make everyone else cader to you...and their solution was way more resonable than your demands. Give me a break.

Taking into account:

- Your scale accuracy
- Carrots drying up a little since they left the farm
- Humidity differences between your place and the farm
- Altitude differences between your place and the farm

I would not even complain... but you did and
the solution they gave you is very resonable.

What were you expecting?... a refund? or maybe for them to send out sombody with
an extra Lb of carrots?

Wow, are you serious? This is your complaint? I mean this is a joke. No offense but if you are complaining about one pound difference then this is just sad. Try buying carrots from a regular grocery store and you'll see that you are still saving money even if you were paying for a 10lb bag of carrots but only got 9 lbs out of it. Sorry, but this complaint fails, big time.

I feel for the damage to the product. but with any card company it alwasy takes 7-14 days to recieve a refund. Becasue it is put through as a charge not a debit. Costco probably put it through right away. it was you card company that didn't