- 05-29-2011, 01:51 PM
Thread Author #1
Costco Bionic Help
Hey guys,
I bought a Charge at Costco last week. I'm hoping to use their 90 day exchange policy to change it out for the Bionic (assuming it comes out within 90 days from last week). However, 90 days from last Tuesday is mid August. Do you think the Bionic will come out by then? If not, I have the option of returning it since I'm still in the 14 day trial period and reopening a line, thereby giving me until early September to exchange the phone. However, this would cost me an additional $41 bucks to do (prorated charges + $25 activation fee). What would you guys recommend?
Plan A: Keep Costco phone (90 days ends mid August).
Plan B: Return current Costco phone; open new line (90 days ends early September and I pay an additional $41).Last edited by mylasthope; 05-31-2011 at 08:22 PM.
- 05-29-2011, 03:33 PM #2
I did literally the exact same thing as you on May 23rd; got a Charge at Costco and plan on exchanging for the Bionic. I am gonna go ahead and say it'll be out by the end of August. Rumors have forever been saying a summer release for the Bionic, I'm not really worried. I bet mid-July will be the release; last July was the big release of the Droid X, maybe they'll correspond.
- 05-29-2011, 03:38 PM
Thread Author #3
Haha. Awesome. So are you just going to hold on to the Charge you got on May 23rd? A lot of the "leakers" have pointed to an August release, with BMX even saying it's coming during the 3rd week of August. If I went with Plan B above, I would definitely be covered for the entire month of August; I'm just trying to decide if 11 extra days are worth $41, a trip to Sprint to port my number from Verizon and then back to Verizon (so I can keep my number).
- 05-29-2011, 03:51 PM #4
- 05-29-2011, 04:02 PM
Thread Author #5
- 05-29-2011, 04:03 PM #6
Yeah, I plan on holding onto the Charge until the Bionic is released. I wanted to lock myself into that Unlimited 4G. If it doesn't come out until after my 90 days, then I'll just return the Charge for $250 and have to bite the bullet and pay full price for Bionic (and I'll sell my spare Droid X).
- 05-29-2011, 04:09 PM
Thread Author #7
- 05-29-2011, 04:43 PM #8
- 05-29-2011, 04:57 PM #9
You should check your contract and paperwork. From what i understand, their return policy on phones is 30 days for an exchange and only 14 days for return. I just got a Fascinate for my wife and thats what I recall.
Also, Verizon is the only one that will do the NE2 discount.Thanked by: - 05-29-2011, 05:02 PM #10
- 05-29-2011, 05:06 PM
Thread Author #11
- 05-29-2011, 05:11 PM #12
NE2 = New Every Two.. a discount from Verizon you'd get for sticking with them and reupping at the end of your 2-year with another 2-year (at one point it was $100, then they changed it to $50).
But they ended that program a few months back. Those that had signed contracts prior to the program end date get 1 more NE2 discount of $50. - 05-29-2011, 05:39 PM #13
I manage a kiosk in Costco, so let me lay it down for you. The exchange policy is 90 days, so when the bionic comes out (end of june) you will be able to exchange for it. You would just have to pay the difference if there is one (don't think there will be). However your 90 days does not start over again...its ends 90 days from the original purchase date (regardless of how many times you exchange the phone). We do not honor NE2 credits, but give you instant rebates and free accessories. Costco members take advantage of this god awful policy all the time, so don't be surprised if the reps are a little irritated at first
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk"Life isn't fair, and neither are smartphone upgrades" -Phil NickinsonThanked by 3: - 05-29-2011, 05:48 PM #14
- Costco's cellular dealer is contractor they allow to operate in the store for their members.
- You can only do a Verizon discounted upgrade through them if you are in your 20th month. I don't know about the other carriers.
- If you are in your 20th month and eligible for the discounted device upgrade their price on a phone will be cheaper than the Verizon online discounted price. And you will get some free accessories like Car Charger, Leather Case, and so on according to what they are doing at the time.
- You also benefit form a more flexible return policy but be sure and read it thoroughly.
You guys doing the upgrade just to return it are the kind that ruins it for the rest of us. Kind of like what happened to stores like Circuit City because people would buy a 60" TV before the Super Bowl to toss a party with and return it under their "No Questions Asked " return policy.
All you have to do is just wait. To brag about a lowlife thing like that publicly is confusing to me. I would be ashamed to admit it.
The policy is to help an unhappy or dissatisfied consumer out of a product. Not to pacify an impatient person that wants to play around.
So when you can no longer find a vendor that offers a return policy as good as Costco's any more remember just why. The day will come I'm sure.Thanked by 3: - 05-29-2011, 05:51 PM #15
- 05-29-2011, 05:55 PM #16
- 05-29-2011, 06:13 PM #17
- 05-29-2011, 06:43 PM #18"Life isn't fair, and neither are smartphone upgrades" -Phil Nickinson
- 05-29-2011, 06:48 PM #19
- 05-29-2011, 10:18 PM #20
It's a 90 day phone exchange/return policy with Costco. They don't deal with service contract cancellation; after 14 days you can't cancel service without paying an ETF.
I'm thinking about getting the Thunderbolt for free from Amazon tonight if it goes on sale and then selling the bolt off on eBay when the Bionic drops. I hope that the Thunderbolt has a decent resale value in comparison to the Charge. I want one because of HTC's hardware design and updates.
So if I bought the phone on contract from you guys, would I have to use another upgrade to exchange the device for free, or would I just get the phone without using another upgrade? - 05-29-2011, 10:25 PM #21
No, I just used to enjoy feeling safe making purchases in good faith with confidence if it was a bad choice I could return it without hassles or restocking fees. Now those options are hard to find.
Being an investigator and listening to people brag about being dishonest burns my ...... - 05-30-2011, 10:30 AM #22
- 05-30-2011, 04:22 PM #23
- 05-30-2011, 04:45 PM #24
- 05-30-2011, 05:11 PM
Thread Author #25
Lol. Sounds like an unhappy or dissatisfied customer to me.

Besides, if it were not for the policy, I would not advise buying any phones at Costco. Their prices are significantly higher than other vendors, especially when you take tax into consideration.
My question was never answered. =(Last edited by mylasthope; 05-30-2011 at 05:19 PM.



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