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I am writing this as a saddened long time fan of Costco. I like buying from Costco because I travel a lot and have always thought Costco takes care of product issues. I shop at the Costco in Kailua-Kona, HI whenever there and in Burlington, WA when I used to live there.

To make a long story short, I bought a brand new laptop from Costco in Kennesaw, Georgia, Store #189 on 2-8-2010, I paid with my Am Ex Costco Card. I build websites for a living and I thought the computer was awesome, I had read a ton of online reviews and they were all great. It has a giant screen which I thought would be great when traveling because I have 2 desktops and they both have big screens, and they are both great machines. My old laptop was 4 years old so I replaced it.

I didn't use the laptop much because obviously I have 2 desktops and all my graphics, etc. other programs are on my desktop.

I flew out to Los Angeles on 02-06-2010 because my husband was going to be here on an extended business trip and the weather is better than Georgia this time of year.

Now, when I saw I build websites, I am not talking about "dragging and dropping" and whatever people think, I have code to type when modifying and I have to type CSS and PHP quickly. While in LA working on one of my clients sites I found the keys periodically skipped. I would find letters here and there missing when I typed a long slew of code. It cost me HOURS to go through all the lines of code and try to find where I was missing letters, colons, etc. It was extremely frustrating.

I thought, "hm, I must be tired" and put it away. The next day after a couple hours of use it started doing it again. Again, I thought maybe it was just my touch was off on a new keyboard I hadn't used. I put it away. Later that day my husband was using it to work on his screen play and after awhile I hear him swearingโ€ฆ.. Now, my husband types with only 2 fingers, very slowโ€ฆโ€ฆ. I ask him what is wrong and he said, "The keyboard keeps missing letters when I'm typing. Watch." And I watched as he poked various keys and sometimes the keyboard responded and sometimes it didn't.

I told him it was doing that to me too. We found it does it sporadically. Sometimes it works just like a new laptop should, sometimes it doesn't. I checked online for any complaints online, found none. Then I called the Costco in Van Nuys, CA, the closest to where we are staying right off Mulholland Drive. I asked to speak to someone, a manager or something. I asked him if had this problem with this model, he said no. I told him I bought this in Atlanta, CA, he said it didn't matter, he would exchange it and he wanted me to be happy.

I went in on 2-8-2010, to the Van Nuys store. They were very busy, the line for returns went down the side of the building. We finally got to the front and the girl had someone come up from wherever and you could tell he was trying to see if there was something wrong with the keyboard. Then the girl tells me she can't exchange it because she thinks it came with a disk. I told her I was pretty sure it didn't come with a disk. It was the best laptop I had ever bought in terms of setting up, I just turned it on, entered some stuff and voila!

She said she can't get credit from HP without a disk. I told her I was sure they had the same model, she said they don't. She said take it back to Atlanta and just buy a new one here.

UNBELIEVABLE!! I was pretty sure it didn't come with a disk, and I didn't need the box or anything else, I just needed a new computer. She said she would call someone over to the laptops to help me pick one out.

SO!! I go over there and wait. Guess what? No one came. And my husband and I held my laptop up to 2 of the big laptops and they looked IDENTICAL. I mean same exact everything!

So I can't afford this to happen again, I have deadlines, I have clients. So I bought the smaller one but still $799. I don't care as long as I have a computer that works. So after a hectic checkout and having to get my out of state check verified twice because whoever did it the first time didn't initial it or whatever. Then I stood at the cage for quite awhile because they couldn't find the computer. Finally they found it and I was able to go home.

Guess what???? NO DISK!!!!!!!!!!!! Just like I told the gal IN Costco I was pretty sure it had NO DISK!

The story gets worse!! Not only do I have to lug 2 laptops across the continent. I get in the DAY MY 60 DAYS IS UP!!!! And I don't live anywhere NEAR Costco!! I leave at midnight on 2-1 and land at 7:00 AM on 2-2!!!! I live an hour and a half away from the airport!! So I have to get a little nap and drive the one hour each way to the Costco in Kennesaw, GA to return this laptop!!!! Why?????

This is sad and complete madness. I can't believe Costco doesn't have a customer care or help center because this is just not reasonable!!!!!

So Costco, are you sure I can't return it before I fly? And the Costco in Kennesaw better take this back no problem. Surprise, this laptop has had no problems. I am severely disgusted, sick to my stomach over this disgraceful debacle.

Shame on you Costcoโ€ฆโ€ฆโ€ฆโ€ฆ.

Location: Los Angeles, California

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Guest

When the returns counter girl ihsisted it came with a disk maybe u should have demanded to speak with her supervisor or the manager or someone open to reason.

OR, howabout after you noticed the #2 laptop didn't come with a disc, go and show the returns girl, prove her wrong. Or did u not open the box before leaving?

Guest

Costco has always had great return policy! :grin

Guest

No start up disk? What if the laptop failed and had to be re-imaged? I would consider buying a different Laptop for that reason alone.

Guest

Wow, I've heard others and have experienced similiar issue with costco. I went to try SAMs club and have had great service there!

Especially with returns! They try to help rather than trying to just get me to buy something and they don't lie about their return policy which is 100 times better than costco.

My advice... Go to SAMs club, you'll be happier!

Guest

90 days in store and 2 years service check with the store manager if you have problems with returns ask for duty manager costco is member service friendly

Guest

:sigh

Costco really do Suck...yea they do :(

Guest

the Costco return policy on electronics is 90-days (not 60-days) so go back to the store???

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