DECEMBER 2017 The Costco Connection 67
More bang
for your buck
COSTCO CONCIERGE is just one of the
ways that Costco adds value
to your electronics purchase.
Here’s a look.
Square Trade. If you’d like to
extend your warranty past the two-year mark, consider a Square Trade
extended warranty. Square Trade
ensures that your
electronic device will
be secure after the
original product warranty expires.
To find out what
Square Trade covers,
refer to its brochure
(available in the warehouses) or look on
Costco.com (search
“Square Trade”) for
protection details.
“We have been working with
Square Trade for the past six years, and
it has been such a great partnership.
They really take care of our members
and provide the same level of member
satisfaction that we strive for,” says
Franny Wintersteen, buyer for Square
Trade operations.
Note that for mobile devices you
need to purchase Square Trade protection at the time you purchase your product. For tablets and cameras, the
protection must be purchased within 30
days, and for TVs and major appliances
you have 90 days to purchase a Square-Trade protection plan. (Square Trade
plans for tablets, cameras and major
appliances are sold online only.)
Costco Anywhere Visa Card
by Citi. If you have a Costco Anywhere
Visa Card by Citi, Citibank offers a third
layer of protection after the primary
coverage has been exhausted for purchases made with the card. Please see
“Terms of Coverage” on Costco.com or
call Citibank for complete details, as
Citibank’s terms, conditions and coverage are independent of Costco and
manufacturer warranties.
Another advantage of using this
card is the annual cash back rewards
offered by the card.—LB
refer to the Costco Concierge
brochure (available in the
warehouses) or check Costco.
com (search “Costco Concierge Services”) for all of
the categories covered.
Thoroughly read the
warranty information on the
product before purchasing
your electronic or appliance,
Wintersteen advises, “Members
should look at the exclusions to see what is
and what isn’t covered under the warranty
terms and conditions. If something isn’t
covered under the first year with the manufacturer, then it won’t be covered under
the second year. Costco mirrors the manufacturer’s warranty for the second year.
And note that not all electronics are part of
the two-year extended warranty program.”
It’s also important to fill out the war-
ranty card and have that on file
with the manufacturer.
How do I use Costco
Concierge?
Using Costco Concierge
is simple—just call ;-;;;-
;;;-;;;;. To help expedite
the call, have the following
information readily available,
if you can: the name and membership number of the person who
purchased the item; the product item number (printed on the receipt); the brand,
model and serial number of the item; the date
of purchase; and your phone number, should
an agent need to call you back. Plan for a time
when you can be next to the product.
Barring any natural disasters that might
slow down the call center, Costco Concierge’s
phone waiting time is impressively quick—
the two times I tested the number this past
October, the support person answered the
call in under ;; seconds, less time than it
takes for my computer to boot up.
Member satisfaction is key
Costco wants to ensure that members are
happy with their electronics or appliance
purchases, and can enjoy and use
them to their fullest capacity.
Costco Concierge has been
around for a decade now, and
has helped hundreds of thousands of members with technical scenarios.
“On average, we receive
about ;,;;; calls per day,”
Wintersteen says. “On Cyber
Monday last year we received
;,;;; calls.”
Some ;;;,;;; televisions and per-
sonal computers have been repaired under
Costco’s second-year warranty offering,
Wintersteen adds.
“With the integration of all dif-
ferent types of technologies—from
computers to home security sys-
tems—there is a real need for our
Costco Concierge program,” says
Shannon Parker, assistant gen-
eral merchandising manager
for major electronics and
office supplies. “Depending on
how frequently you trade up your appli-
ances or electronics, there will likely be
a learning curve associated with the upgrade,
even if it has only been a few years. Sometimes
the new technology can be confusing.”
“We called Costco Concierge and were
assigned Garrett as our service agent,”
writes Costco member Feryal Louise
Palmenta of Brooklyn, New York. “I was so
impressed by Garrett’s attitude and de-
meanor. He was caring, patient, profes-
sional and quite knowledgeable. He was easy
to talk to and very helpful in answering
my questions. And the follow-up call
from Garrett making sure the com-
puter was working correctly was
very much appreciated.”
Costco members Jeff and
Jody King add, “If more cus-
tomer service experiences were
like this one, the world would defi-
nitely be a better place.”
The competitive scoop
Who else offers an extended warranty like
Costco does? “The old expression ‘Imitation
is the truest form of flattery’ comes to mind
when it comes to other companies copying
our idea,” Wintersteen says. “Yes, our com-
petitors have tried to copy our program, at
least in part, but from what we have seen it is
a pale fraction of our program in size and ser-
vices. Some charge for a second-year war-
ranty, and others do not support as many
products as our Costco Concierge does.”
Costco Concierge doesn’t handle or
authorize product returns—the service han-
dles tech support only. If you have purchased
an electronic item or an appliance, you can
return it within ;; days at the membership
desk of any warehouse. Or, if you purchased it
from Costco.com, you can call ;-;;;-;;;-
;;;; for assistance with your online
return, or return it to your local
Costco warehouse.
If you need assistance setting
up a product in your home or
office, Costco.com does offer
professional TV installation and
setup for as little as ;;;.;;.
Thankfully, my mom hasn’t
had any problems with her new TV,
“With the integration of all dif-
ferent types of technologies—from
computers to home security sys-
tems—there is a real need for our
Costco Concierge program,” says
Shannon Parker, assistant gen-
office supplies. “Depending on
how frequently you trade up your appli-
ances or electronics, there will likely be
information readily available,
if you can: the name and mem-
to talk to and very helpful in answering
my questions. And the follow-up call
from Garrett making sure the com-
puter was working correctly was
ranty card and have that on file
nitely be a better place.”
