Using COSTCO for first time

It looks like COSTCO is not in the cards for me this time after all. My HAs are kaput. I called, explained my problem, and they said it would be weeks before I could get an appt. and then more weeks before my HAs arrived. I can’t go that long w/o HAs, so I called my audiologist who is going on vacation this weekend. She told me to come in today at 1045 and she will have a pair of loaner hearing aids, already programmed to my Audiogram, and then gave me an appointment for the first day of her return to work for new pair of HAs.
Thanks ever so much for all the advice and suggestions you all made.

Unfortunately, Costco is overwhelmed with their own success.

Wow, at least you get great emergency service in exchange for the higher cost of a private audiology office! If your HAs were going to bite the dust, it’s a good thing that they didn’t do it tomorrow. I think I’d continue taking my business to that audiologist, if I were in the same situation.
Did you get to select which brand and model of new HAs you want, or does that happen at your next appointment?

It always escapes me how big corporations like COSTCO miss out on business opportunities like this. The demand is there. Why don’t they take advantage of it? Can’t get enough qualified people to do the testing and fitting of HAs I guess.

I can think of some reasons:

1.- This is a very low money maker for them just like anything else sold at Costco, but unlike other items at Costco that sell at very high volumes, HAs are a minuscule volume business. In business you either have high volume with low margins or low volume with high margins. Low volume + low margin is not a profitable model.
2.- They could be using their hearing center as a halo product.
3.- They have it to get more members to sign in.
4.- Manufacturers limit the number of units that Costco can sell to avoid cannibalizing the market.

Let’s do some math: A store probably sells 8 pair HAs/day ($1600) at 10% margin = $1280/day per store (10% is a high estimate). That’s peanuts! And that’s not including the cost of the follow up sessions (which could cost ~$150/session).

So no, I don’t think getting people is the issue. HAs are not their core business, just like the pharmacy, the optometry department or the food court (Sorry, I couldn’t resist including the $1.50 hot dogs)

This is a rough business analysis. If it was as easy as “the demand is there” then why couldn’t Walmart make it profitable? Or why Sam’s club sells their premium Liberty HAs at $4K?

Do I think Costco is making money selling HAs? No but making money is not the only reason a store sells a product.

She had a cancellation, so I was fitted with a pair of Phonak I 70s, which are the ones she recommends for me. I will wear them for 60 days to be sure I like them. She is not recommending the I 90s, because several clients to whom she sold them had trouble with them cutting out. That model does not seem to be ready for prime time. And you are right: got what I paid for which is first-class service. BTW - the comprehensive, integrated diagnostic and fitting suite of equipment she uses to test and adjust your hearing aids goes for $30,000USD per unit and her office has several of these. I suspect that COSTCO is not using the same equipment as she, but of course I don’t know that for a fact.

Great suggestion about having an extra pair available Rose!! as a US Marine veteran. I’m researching that right now to see if I qualify.

No. Rechargeable batteries have a lifetime. The days that a HA could last 10 yrs are over. And just like smartphones, tech + battery lifetime will make people want to upgrade more often. Old HAs were like rotary phones, there was no need to change them until the phone company decided they could no longer be used.

Rose - Here is what a quick search turned up on that question:
Lithium-ion Batteries
• Store the battery partially charged at around 40–60% capacity rather than fully charged or fully depleted.
• Keep them in a cool, dry place at room temperature (ideally around 15–25°C or 59–77°F).
• Avoid extreme temperatures, moisture, and direct sunlight.
• Recharge the battery every 3 months during long-term storage to maintain health and prevent deep discharge.
• Do not leave the battery completely discharged or stored fully charged for long periods, as this can reduce battery life or cause battery failure.
Silver-zinc Batteries
• Since these batteries are removable, remove them from the hearing aid if not used for over three hours.
• Store them in a dry place, away from metals or objects causing short circuits.
• Keep them at room temperature, avoiding humidity and extremes of heat or cold.
• Use the hearing aids periodically and charge batteries regularly to avoid deep discharge.
• Recharge fully before storing if the battery will be unused for an extended time.
Nickel-metal Hydride (NiMH) Batteries
• Store in a cool, dry place.
• NiMH batteries can be stored for 3–5 years even at zero voltage but it’s best to prime (charge) them before use.
• Avoid letting these batteries discharge completely during storage.
• Recharge every few months during long storage to maintain capacity.
General Tips for All Batteries

Bringing people into the store for low-cost services gets people in. Once those people are in, they will browse, or pass by attractive displays, and shop. A friend used to call Costco “the $400 store” because they couldn’t get their mom out of the store without buying their mom at least $400 worth of stuff.

I have no prior experience wearing hearing aids, but I’m very pleased with the sound quality of my Phonak Infinio 50R hearing aids. I’m hearing sounds again that I hadn’t even realized were missing! Definitely not the “tin can on a string” type of sound.

According to those who are experts on this site, Costco hearing aid specialists use the same equipment that everyone else is using in the industry. Obviously, setting up a private hearing aid business is not cheap. But Costco has the buying power to purchase that same equipment at a much reduced price when you buy three hundred of them at a time. Also, they will clean them for free when you come into the store. This is part of their business model. One Costco shopper said every time they walk into Costco they spend a couple of hundred dollars. Also, they give you an unlimited supply of domes and wax filters, so you can clean them yourself. I have been very happy with their service and care.

Costco does have loaner hearing aids available if your aids have to go back to the manufacturer for repairs. Costco hearing aid specialists will be happy to answer all of your questions including the warranty and lost hearing aid replacement policy. Costco workers are not paid on commission but are salaried employees. Hearing aid fitters and audiologists at other providers are paid when they make a sale. They will do anything to make the customer happy during the 30 day trial period. If the customer returns the hearing aids, the fitter has to return the commission.

It’s wonderful that there is a purveyor of HAs like COSTCO; a real benefit to those who cannot afford the prices charged by private audiologists, and it’s unfortunate that it takes so long to get an appointment with them. At age 86, don’t know how many more pairs or HAs I will have to purchase.