My Plan for the Bionic

[nimazahir]

I am going to buy the bionic from costco and I am going to return it for the vigor or prime(if it comes it verizon). Anyone think this a good idea?

 

[anon(387460)]

I want to do this but I kind of want to preorder it. haha

 

[adinofaries]

I am going to buy the bionic from costco and I am going to return it for the vigor or prime(if it comes it verizon). Anyone think this a good idea?

Why dont you do the ethical thing and not take advantage of them? Honestly, there would be a lot more retailers that would offer better return plans if it wasnt for people who do the exact same thing that you are planning.

 

[2defmouze]

Do you care what anyone thinks? Do whatever you want.

 

[p08757]

I'm going to walk into VZW on the morning of 9/8 (I hope) and buy the Bionic. (now that there is no SGs2) I'm going to KEEP it.

When and if the Prime come out, I'm going to walk into VZW and buy that.

I will then sell my Bionic on Craigs list or keep it.

 

[Manofsteel927]

Why dont you do the ethical thing and not take advantage of them? Honestly, there would be a lot more retailers that would offer better return plans if it wasnt for people who do the exact same thing that you are planning.

I 100% agree with you. You will be chasing technology because as others have stated their are new phones coming out every few months. I still have my og droid now almost two years later I am upgrading to the bionic

 

[hvalergir]

I see nothing un-ethical in what you propose. You are merely using the system for what it was designed. Return dates are there to give the customer reassurance that if they don't like the product, or if they find another product they like more, within the pre-arranged time that you the customer and they the retailer agree upon, you may return it for a full refund. It is a business contract between you and Costco that you both agree upon. Trust me, things like the are already built into the margins. they run the risk of people doing this, but what they gain is more customers feeling comfortable and having a reduced fear of initially buying the phone. Who knows, you may end up liking the phone enough to not return it at all. That is the basis by which these return agreements are based on. Get the product in the customer's hand and they will like it.

I say go for it!

 

[hvalergir]

You may find that you get comfortable in the Bionic and not wish to return it at all.

 

[pameladhall]

I too agree it is unethical if you are only doing it to try it out. I own a store and believe me most stores do not build experimental purchases into the margin. I hope people do not shop my store purchasing items on an experimental basis until the next best thing comes out. You cannot resell a product at full margin that has been used...you just hope you can get what you paid back. In those cases you have probably lost money most times because of the costs associated with getting the product in your retail establishment and the overhead of selling it..freight, credit card fees, staff salaries. Not good. So sad.

 

[BosFolz]

Verizon has a 14 day return policy and a $35 re-stoking fee. I tried the Charge for a week and returned in perfect condition and paid $35. I was willing to do that. I dont know about any other third party retailers policy. To speak to your point , do you really think the Vigor or Prime will be released in 14 days of the bionic release. My guess is no and you will either keep it or go back to an older phone and continue waiting for the next best thing. A vicious cycle!!!

 

[renegademoose]

I see nothing un-ethical in what you propose. You are merely using the system for what it was designed. Return dates are there to give the customer reassurance that if they don't like the product, or if they find another product they like more, within the pre-arranged time that you the customer and they the retailer agree upon, you may return it for a full refund. It is a business contract between you and Costco that you both agree upon. Trust me, things like the are already built into the margins. they run the risk of people doing this, but what they gain is more customers feeling comfortable and having a reduced fear of initially buying the phone. Who knows, you may end up liking the phone enough to not return it at all. That is the basis by which these return agreements are based on. Get the product in the customer's hand and they will like it.

I say go for it!

It is in the policy, yes, but that doesn't make it ethical. The ethics comes into intent. If he actually bought it wanting the item then found out it was defective or he didn't like it, it would be ethical to return or exchange it. Instead he is buying it with the full intent of returning the unit. Worked into margins or not, the store has to eat that cost. Which ends up getting passed onto the consumer in one way or another. There was a time when you had 90 day return policies, didn't need receipts, and could make as many exchanges/returns as you needed. But because people game the system now you need a receipt almost anywhere, have to provide ID, and some stores are only allowing a limited number of returns within a year.
Its like free samples in grocery stores. They expect you to take one. Then somebody keeps taking more and more free samples. Now how often do you see free samples in grocery stores? That was worked into their margins too....

 

[recDNA]

I see nothing unethical about it. If u love the bionic you'll end up keeping it. If not you pay $35 for the privilege of returning it.

 

[bworley50]

I too agree it is unethical if you are only doing it to try it out. I own a store and believe me most stores do not build experimental purchases into the margin. I hope people do not shop my store purchasing items on an experimental basis until the next best thing comes out. You cannot resell a product at full margin that has been used...you just hope you can get what you paid back. In those cases you have probably lost money most times because of the costs associated with getting the product in your retail establishment and the overhead of selling it..freight, credit card fees, staff salaries. Not good. So sad.

If you don't like it, change your return policy.

 

[bworley50]

It is in the policy, yes, but that doesn't make it ethical. The ethics comes into intent. If he actually bought it wanting the item then found out it was defective or he didn't like it, it would be ethical to return or exchange it. Instead he is buying it with the full intent of returning the unit. Worked into margins or not, the store has to eat that cost. Which ends up getting passed onto the consumer in one way or another. There was a time when you had 90 day return policies, didn't need receipts, and could make as many exchanges/returns as you needed. But because people game the system now you need a receipt almost anywhere, have to provide ID, and some stores are only allowing a limited number of returns within a year.
Its like free samples in grocery stores. They expect you to take one. Then somebody keeps taking more and more free samples. Now how often do you see free samples in grocery stores? That was worked into their margins too....

The return policy says (at least at Verizon) you can return it "for any reason." That obliterates the intent. Retailers know this happens. That's why there is a restocking fee.

 

[MagicMountainMan]

I actually got a Droid Charge at Costco and did not have the intention of retuning it for something better, however I've had such a bad experience with it (radios come and go spontaneously, the home key doesn't work, random reboots, etc.) that I will be using the 90 day return policy and will exchange it for another Charge but more likely a Bionic. I'm honestly glad that Costco had a 90 day policy because my experience has been so bad with the Charge. I didn't go in with the intent of being unethical, it was quite the opposite actually because people posting this exact save thing about how it was unethical. I agree and still do but more that I'm in a situation that I need to get another phone, I'm glad I have that option.

 

[2defmouze]

I see nothing unethical about it. If u love the bionic you'll end up keeping it. If not you pay $35 for the privilege of returning it.

Stated. I mean you might just end up loving the bionic.. So change original post to say "if I'm not 100% satisfied, I will return it for.." And there's nothing 'unethical' about it.

 

[hvalergir]

It is in the policy, yes, but that doesn't make it ethical. The ethics comes into intent. If he actually bought it wanting the item then found out it was defective or he didn't like it, it would be ethical to return or exchange it. Instead he is buying it with the full intent of returning the unit. Worked into margins or not, the store has to eat that cost. Which ends up getting passed onto the consumer in one way or another. There was a time when you had 90 day return policies, didn't need receipts, and could make as many exchanges/returns as you needed. But because people game the system now you need a receipt almost anywhere, have to provide ID, and some stores are only allowing a limited number of returns within a year.
Its like free samples in grocery stores. They expect you to take one. Then somebody keeps taking more and more free samples. Now how often do you see free samples in grocery stores? That was worked into their margins too....

They (the retailers) absolutely realize the intent. I worked at Circuit City (bad example, I know) and they have a SPECIAL return policy for pple who literally treat buying a TV for the superbowl as a rental. Out of those who have the INTENT to buy the TV and return it afterwords, a surprisingly high number of them never do (return it). They get the TV in their house and fall in love. That is what the return policy is all about. No retailer wants the customer to return it, but they realize that in the long run its far better to get the phone in their hands, some way, some how. The OP may well have the idea to buy the bionic with intent to return, but I am willing to bet he doesn't. If he does return the Bionic, it was because he wanted a different phone, the bionic let him down in some way. No one would return a phone that they where perfectly happy with.

 

[hvalergir]

Look into REI's (a camping company) return policy. I can buy a pair of hiking boots and hike the **** out of them, till they are falling a part and go in and return them for a brand new pair. Now, why on earth would they do that? Well, I will tell you this much, there is no way in hell i am buying a pair of boots from anyone BUT REI. They have literally won me over for life. This loyalty, coupled with on-the-margin resale of my returned, refurbished boots, as well as the vast number of people who don't take advantage of or know about this policy, yields them a greater net sales then if they had a more strict policy. That is why Costo can afford such a long return policy, they are a warehouse store, and they get membership fees. This is an advantage to shopping with them. They get your sale, along with EVERY OTHER PERSON LIKE YOU, which i guarantee is a lot. if as high as 60% of those get returned, that they sell later on for pennies on the dollar, i am willing to bet they still net positive. It is a business deal, and a business strategy. If you get some sort of thrill out of being a good Samaritan with regards to their business proposition, that they are offering you on the table, then good for THEM.

 

[hvalergir]

It is why companies like wal-mart (owns costco) are taking over smaller businesses, they can swing better deals like this, that smaller companies cannot. It takes enormous capital to be able to do this, but it virtually guarantees a positive margin at the end of the day. Its the interface between micro (personal) and macro economics that make this seem like either too good to be true, or unethical, but in the end, it is neither.

 

[Noble.Four]

I have a pretty similar plan. I am currently on somebody else's contract, but I need to start my own ASAP. However, I don't want to sign a contract with any of Verizon's current LTE phones. The Bionic will be out soon, but I am really waiting for the Vigor. But I can't wait that long to start a contract. So I'll sign one at Costco for the Bionic, and exchange it for the Vigor when it comes out. It is not unethical. The return policy is designed to give their PAYING MEMBERS the privilege of making sure they find the product they are absolutely satisfied with. Hence the "any reason" guarantee. There are perks that come with paying to shop somewhere, and an extended return policy is one of those. Even if one were to return a phone every ninety days for a newer and better one, Costco would still be getting his or her money. The only difference is they are giving it back then getting it back every three months.

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk