Costco: Recession? What Recession?

If you don't give a rat's ass about where the economy is heading, maybe you're in the market for some Kobe beef, in bulk from Costco?


Costco: Japanese Wagyu BeefRibeye Roast 15 lb. for $2299.99

One week lead time due to rarity and freshness of product.
One bite and you’ll know why chefs and connoisseurs alike love D’Artagnan’s Japanese Wagyu Beef!
The real deal—100% authentic Wagyu of the highest grade possible, raised in Japan according to the strict standards that have made its Kobe Beef world-famous for its unsurpassed tenderness and flavor.

Our genetically traceable cattle are raised on a diet of soybeans, wheat barley and beer, with no antibiotics, growth hormones or animal by-products ever used. A strictly followed diet rotation and traditional Sake massage are key factors in the development of the Wagyu’s characteristic marbling and taste.

The result is a superbly flavorful meat that is well marbled, extremely tender and mouthwateringly juicy.
100% authentic Wagyu beef
Product of Japan
No
antibiotics
No hormones
No animal by-products
Sake-massaged cattle
are raised to 30-36 months
Special order - please allow up to 1 week for delivery

Okay, now I'm hungry.

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Costco bows to the inevitable, drops the hammer on electronics refunds

CE Pro: Finally ... Costco Tightens Return Policy for Electronics

Thankfully, Costco has finally changed its return policy, which has been killing value-added resellers, not to mention Costco itself.
Dealers at Integration Pros and Remote Central noticed this announcement on the Costco Web site:
RETURNS
Membership: We will refund your membership fee in full at any time if you are dissatisfied.
Merchandise: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell, with a full refund. Exceptions: Televisions, computers, cameras, camcorders, iPOD / MP3 players and cellular phones must be returned within 90 days of purchase for a refund.
That's still generous, but a far cry from the return-anything-any time mantra of the past. Too bad for consumers, though. They were using Costco as obsolescence insurance: using a TV for a couple of years, then returning it for the more current model -- no questions asked.
Now, about those $89.99 Costco installs...

Every retailer I've been familiar with who had an extraordinarily generous return policy has eventually either tightened up, or gone out of business. Eatons? Gone. SportChek? Much stricter now. HBC? Stricter now, and probably defunct within the next two years, regardless.

Costco has had a 90 day return policy on computers for some time now, so it's no surprise that they would need to stem the bleeding on electronics which is for them both high volume and extra-low margin. The question remains, will they have to tighten the belt on their return policy for everything else? Looking at the histories of other retailers, I think the answer is yes. Given how much pressure Costco gets from institutional investors to beef up their margins and trim their expenses, I think the only question is how soon they make that shift.

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