I stopped by my local Costco yesterday and they are selling the D1 for $479.00 and everyone knows how great their return policy is. If HD-DVD does not catch on you could always take it back. But why would you if you have a large HD-DVD collection.

IF hd-dvd doesn't catch on, ANY return-policy would have expired by that time.

Actually, aside from computers, Costco will give you a 100% cash refund on your product indefinately.

You can return ANYTHING (except for computers) for ANY reason at ANY time???

Costo is pretty awesome. I don't remember the exact limits, but I have definitely heard of people returning big screen TVs over a year after purchase.

Here are some examples I just found: http://jaffo.blogspot.com/2005/08/co...kin-sweet.html

Pretty much, yes. You can return anything other than computers at any time for most any reason.

That's pretty sweet. I wasn't doubting you. It just sounded really weird. I wonder how many people return stuff after 10 years.

Happens all the time. When I bought my plasma, this guy was returning a RP CRT, which Costco hasn't sold for at least three years. They gave him his money back, no questions asked.

I think that eventually Costco will catch on and revise the return policy for displays, but they haven't as yet.

I've never returned anything quite that old, but I have returned things that were as much as 2 years old, and I've never had a problem. Even with computers, their policy is still far more lenient than any other retailer. I bought a laptop from them a couple of years ago, and 3 months later a newer, faster, cheaper model was released. I took the old one back, and when they asked why I was returning it, I was completely honest. I told them that I bought it three months ago, and now there is a better model for less money. "No problem," was the response.

I did that when I upgraded to my plasma from a smaller LCD. Told them that I fully planned on buying a costco product that day. No issue.

toshibe and what is the D1.

It's a knock-off brand. Like Sorny instead of Sony, or malk instead of milk.

Went to my local Costco today and didn't see any. Guess I will keep trying.

It was a spelling error on my part. Toshiba and the D1 is the all black version.

an all black vercion, nice.

Costco has a six month policy on computers. No limit on anything else. Costco rocks.

Over the weekend I stopped at my local Costco to look. I noticed an entire pallet of D1 HD-DVD players in the rafters. I guess the new Costco in Gilbert, AZ plans on selling a bunch of them. I counted at least 50 on the pallet, so if anyone is interested in a player they have a bunch.

We don't have a Costco in my area so I'm unfamiliar with them. That return policy sounds insane and just asking for abuse. I wonder how that pays off for them. It sounds like someone could just get an HD-DVD player and rent discs from Netflix for a good while then just take it back. I wouldn't feel right doing it but I'd have to admit it'd be tempting.

Supposedly they make no profit (at all) on selling merchandise (after overhead and salaries). Instead, all their profits come from the yearly memberships. That is probably part of why they don't care. And I imagine most people don't abuse the system (even if it is primed for abuse).

I've heard the idea that they only make money from membership dues, but I don't buy it. For one thing, the prices on many of their products, while better than retail, aren't that much better. And, if you sign up for an executive membership, you get perks that amount to an additional 4% discount on purchases. I make enough back in discounts every year that it completely pays for my membership (that covers five people/cards). So, if they are only making money from my membership, but then giving me back enough money every year to pay for that membership, how much money are they making?

I think there are three main reasons the system isn't significantly abused. First, every return is tracked by your membership number. If you abuse the system, they will notice it and most likely suspend your account. Second, they do keep track of return volumes on different types of merchandise, and if there is systemic abuse (such as the computer issue), then they amend the policy to cope with it. And third, most Costco customers don't really want to abuse the system, because we like having the company around. If everyone abused the system, in a short amount of time there would be no Costco (kind of like the way so many people abused DVD misprices and discounts in the early days, driving a number of companies out of business).

RoboDad,

HomeDepot was like Costco a few years back when I was a manager there. They finally changed the return policy and no longer offer cash back or will even return items.

I don't know the specifics, but Costco uses the loss-leader strategy, I believe. They sell food at almost no profit (course, almost everyone does), but make a decent amount on goods. They do a lot of buyouts and special deals with mfgrs to get extra low cost.

I'd add another reason why the returns are not abused....people forget to return things and just keep them. Kinda like why rebates exist.

Mpls is always behind other places. I did not see the D1 there on sunday when I dropped yet another $200+ to the Costco machine. (never go shopping with the wife)

So, in theory, I could buy an HD-DVD player tomorrow and once the format war is decided, I can either keep it (if HD-DVD wins), or return it for the full price I paid for it (if HD-DVD loses)? That is insane. Isn't a single membership $40 a year?

Yep.

Now, do I have to maintain my membership to do the return down the line? Or just keep the receipt?