Planning to return used gear...

[jefffalcone]

Costco passes along the hosing- over to the folks who supply them, who just may very well BE a small outfit.
It's one of the prices of doing business with Costco, and has been a real financial hardship on their smaller suppliers, some of whom have been taken down by the "victimless" practice of "temporary purchases".
That's why there's so much turnover in their electronics suppliers; the price structure is shaved pretty dang thin as it is and having to eat a few items can negate the profits from hundreds of sales.

How does this happen?

What small outfits supply costco? I only see large major brands when I'm in there. How does a small outfit manage to keep up with the needs of one of the largest retailers in the world?

 

[El Orans]

I can't understand people who are unwilling to take advantage of a corporation. Any corporation will take advantage of any edge they can find. That is the nature of corporations. Unless you are a stockholder, they are not on your side. They do not care about your interests. They care about the bottom line. If lenient return policies were hurting the bottom line they would not exist. Taking advantage of these policies does not hurt corporations, or else they would not exist.

The fact that it's allowed doesn't make it right.

And yes, I do not expect any company to be on my side.

 

[jefffalcone]

The fact that it's allowed doesn't make it right.

The fact that a corporation allows it does make it right. You are not
hurting them, or they would not allow it. Your moral interpretation is based on a misunderstanding. If no one suffers, why is it wrong. You assume that either the company or the consumer is being hurt by this policy. The company definately is not being hurt or the policy would not exist. I can't see any evidence that the consumer is being hurt. Costco has the best prices on the products they sell.

You are applying the ethics of small business to a corporation, and it just doesn't make any sense.

 

[jefffalcone]

And yes, I do not expect any company to be on my side.

This is a pretty naive expectation.

 

[wedivebc]

The prisons are filled with people who believe the world owes them a living.
Costco may be a big corporation but each and every one of us pay for these abuses of the system.

 

[El Orans]

The fact that a corporation allows it does make it right.

Nope.

I consider this a loophole. It may be too difficult to stop this or they may pass the cost on to others. I don't care what they think.

To me, this practice is stealing and I will not participate in this activity.

Feel free to disagree with me.

 

[El Orans]

This is a pretty naive expectation.

You may want to read my post again...

 

[Satori]

The return thing is pretty lame. There are plenty of businesses out there that do rent out equipment for temporary use. This is service that should be utilized, not circumvented. The consumer will ultimately lose in the end

 

[Rudebob]

It might be worth being bothered if people were doing this to a mom and pop shop, but costco? Give me a break.

The fact that you realize that it may not be right to do it to some "Mom n’ Pop" LDS but to Costco is O.K. only further indicates that you even agree it might be morally wrong. It is called situational ethics.

Just because retailers realize they must factor in losses from theft in the price of the items they sell does not make if right to steal because they expect it. The same is true in return policies. Retailer understand that there are going to be abuses of return items but that does not make it any more acceptable behavior than any other forms of stealing.

Next time you are in a Costco ask them if it is alright for you to purchase a big screen TV for your next superbowl party and then return it for a full refund. Some 18 year employee with his own situational ethics problem may tell you it is O.K., but I can guarantee you that Costco management or corporate offices will tell you otherwise.

Liberal return policies were never instituted for the free use of goods with premeditated intent to return. Sam’s Club, as and example, has significantly changed their return policy in the last year due to abuse.

Justify it all you want. Stealing is still stealing. If we base our interpretation of stealing because of the success of a particular corporation or individual, we leave ourselves wide open to becoming victims ourselves. Anyone with less now becomes justified in stealing from someone with more.

‘Bob

 

[Cave Diver]

As someone who works for one of these "large faceless corporpations" let me assure you that this type of returns has a consequence.

My company has a return policy that allows our customers to feel confident that we will stand behind our products.

Every week I have to deal with customers who blatantly try to take advantage of their interpratation of what "unused" or "warranty" means. It is unbelievable how many of them I catch in a lie when I start asking the reason for return or what performed unsatisfactorily.

I can tell you from personal and professional experience that this type of behavior does affect other consumers and pricing, whether you think it does or not.