inside
costco
Helping
hands
New is the Hugo Elite 4.0 lightweight aluminum rolling walker. Created in collaboration
with the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the
walker features eight handlebar settings to ensure
proper fit, removable storage compartments and
senior-friendly tool-free assembly. Improvements
include a comfortable, height-adjustable seat that
can be lowered to accommodate shorter people
(Mom thanks you), a padded curved backrest for
maximum comfort, a folding/locking mechanism
and 8-inch sport wheels—all designed to help users
maintain an active lifestyle.
Walkers and canes
All Costco warehouses carry Hugo contemporary
rolling walkers and classy folding canes, Susan reports.
They’re found near the pharmacy and are perfect for
those who need a little help with their balance or
endurance or are rehabilitating after an injury.
IRIDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
Another product is Hugo’s folding cane with an
interchangeable handle feature. It is strong, supporting up to 550 pounds, and sleek, easily adjusting
for those between 5 feet and 6 feet 5 inches tall. The
cane automatically unfolds and securely locks into
A look at position, comes with a shock-absorbing wide grip tip and folds compactly to the size of a small travel
Costco’s umbrella. Also look for Hugo comfort-grip folding
value NATIONAL canes and many other styles of COSTCO RETAIL STORE canes on costco.com.
Hugo rolling walker $95.99 $115.48* My consumer-alert antenna
Costco’s model is not only lower in cost, it has additional picks up when I hear there are
features, such as pockets in the back and under the seat, a no required performance stan-
locking mechanism, a height adjustment and a saddle bag. dards in the United States for
*Prices based on surveys taken February 2007 home mobility products. But
Smart products THE YEAR WAS 1990. Mom wanted a reliable cane
and a first-rate walker. So we went shopping. To our
can help people dismay we discovered shoddy merchandise sold in
stay mobile drab medical supply stores. I remember wishing, “If only Costco sold home mobility aids. They would
never tolerate such junk.”
A new day is here. Mom is now rolling along on a
great walker, and Costco carries stellar lifestyle-assis-tance products. Wanting to find out more about this
program, I recently caught up with Costco buyers
Susan Hudson and Monica McArthur, who oversee
the items in this category for the warehouses and
costco.com, respectively. They gave me an overview of
this product line, which affects so many people’s lives.
BuyingSmart
Consumer reporter
Pat Volchok gives
a behind-the-scenes
look at Costco
products and services.
Send your questions to:
buyingsmart@
costco.com.
Costco does its homework in this area. “Rest
assured we are all over these products and only
accept the best,” Susan says. “For example, Hugo
products meet or exceed the rigorous International
Organization for Standards [ISO] guidelines and
proudly wear the European Union Conformité
Européenne [CE] mark for safety and durability.”
She ends in a cautionary voice, “Prices elsewhere are what the market will bear.”
Mobility aids at costco.com
Costco.com features a broad range of products
focusing on mobility; bath, bed and walking aids;
and wheelchairs. One key advantage of buying these
products online is delivery. “Many aids for daily living are bulky and heavy,” says Monica. “We ship
directly to a member’s door in about seven to 10
days, making us an ideal solution.”
