Hearing Aids for First timer! Experience with Costco?

When I went to Costco they stopped me at the door to see my card I told them I was looking for hearing aids and they let me right in.

I had my Signature 5 hearing aids fitted yesterday, wore them for about 8 hours and have been wearing them today. I am thrilled with the improved hearing.

I live about 30 miles from the nearest Costco, so I was not a member. In early June I just walked in the door and went to the hearing aid counter and looked around. I had to have an appointment to discuss with the HA specialist. I said I was not a member and they said if I want to buy I must become a member. Still they let me make an appointment for June 27. So, I was tested and given the opportunity to walk around the store with a pair of trial HAs - the Kirkland Sig 5. I said I was sold and wore the HAs over to the customer service desk and joined. Then I learned Costco doesn’t take Visa or Master Card - must use American Express or Debit, of course cash is also accepted. Given the benefits of a Costco connected Amex and the fact that Amex was offering a $55 rebate if one joined as an Executive Membership (that’s half the cost, or the amount more than the cost of a regular membership) I joined as an Executive Member. Of course I put the HA purchase on the Amex. Looking at my bill online I see the $55 credit is already there, as is the cost of the HAs. I have not yet been billed, of course. The Executive membership gives more perks and so I figure I will get most of the cost of the membership back from those perks. So, I got what appears to be great HAs at a low cost and have a “free” Executive membership in Costco. I was told Costco is building a new store in the town near me - that is bad news for BJs Discount club where I have been a member for several years.

Thanks for the info BarryJ

@Jerry_NJ said:

… Then I learned Costco doesn’t take Visa or Master Card - must use American Express or Debit, of course cash is also accepted.

Well this is a bummer as I would have used my Visa card if I were to purchase from them. I don’t have any other credit cards either. I guess I could pull from funds from my IRA but I don’t want to do that.
Thanks for the info Jerry!

if you take the Costco Amex you will get a discount of your purchase.

— Updated —

if you take the Costco Amex you will get a discount of your purchase.

Any of the brands other than the Siemens I should stear away from or favor?

huh?

@Turtley said:

The Amex card is one option which I could do with no problem. Does it have to be a Costco Amex or regular Amex will do?
I see it online it states the no membership fee with your paid Costco membership. I’m thinking that if my Costco membership expires then there is an annual fee.

Another question I have is if my Costco membership expires could I still have my HA’s serviced by Costco if I purchased them there?

I have an appointment with my local audi for a new test and to discuss their line of HA’s along with prices.
I don’t know what models but they sell:
microTech
Phonak
Rexton
Siemens
Sonic Innovations
Starkey

In the past all my HA’s have been Beltone and Siemens.
Any of the brands other than the Siemens I should stear away from or favor?
After the appointment I should be more educated to compare prices with Costco.

I really appreciate the info you folks are providing.

Costco accepts any AmEx card for payment, not just the TrueEarnings AmEx. If you don’t renew your Costco membership, your card will be cancelled eventually. Costco provides membership reports to AmEx periodically and AmEx will send you a letter that says you have 30 days to renew your membership or the card is cancelled. There’s no annual fee in any event.

Even if you’re no longer a Costco member, the warranty on the hearing aids still applies. So you can still get service.

Micro-Tech is one of Starkey’s brands, just as Rexton is one of Siemens’s.

@Doc_Jake said:

Any of the brands other than the Siemens I should stear away from or favor?

huh?

I’ve worn Siemens brand for the past 12 years or so.

@rasmus_braun said:

Costco accepts any AmEx card for payment, not just the TrueEarnings AmEx. If you don’t renew your Costco membership, your card will be cancelled eventually. Costco provides membership reports to AmEx periodically and AmEx will send you a letter that says you have 30 days to renew your membership or the card is cancelled. There’s no annual fee in any event.

Even if you’re no longer a Costco member, the warranty on the hearing aids still applies. So you can still get service.

Micro-Tech is one of Starkey’s brands, just as Rexton is one of Siemens’s.

Good info! Well that’s all the questions I have for now. Lol!
You folks have been a great help!
Thanks!

I’m trying to shorten my signature so it doesn’t take up as much space. I pasted in a table and also pasted in a Snipping Tool image of the table and it still shows it as if it is double-spaced. I have shortened each cell on the original Word table, but when I copy and paste it still shows up with the extra spacing. Any ideas?

Don’t use a table. Just open Notepad and use line breaks.

I went in to a local audi to discuss purchasing new digital HA’s.
The audi didn’t give me a hearing test though because I had a recent one with me that they were comfortable using.

HA’s suggested were:
Phonak Naida Q 70 at $4800 for a pair with lifetime batteries and 2 year warranty.
Unitron Max 6 at $4000 for a pair with lifetime batteries and 3 year warranty.

Anyone know anything about these aids? What about the quoted prices?

While I like the free batteries for life idea but I may move in the near future to another state which I’ll loose all support from this audi. With that in mind my next step is to make an appointment with Costco and see what their suggestions are. I hope Costco service and support is available from any store other than only at the store I purchased them from.

I have an appointment at Costco for Aug 6.

@Jerry_NJ said:

Yes and the Costco Amex has no member fees… is “free”. The payback/discount on purchases goes a long way toward paying for Costco membership from just the HA purchase. I have two Visa (one with United and one with Amazon) so I didn’t need another card, but it makes sense economically to take out the Costco Amex. I like the card too because it has my picture on the back. Then… when I went to the customer service counter when I came in to purchase/order my HAs (I had joined a couple of days earlier $55 plus sales tax) they said they have a special offer: If I upgrade form member to Executive member (double the membership cost, it is $110 plus tax) Amex will refund to me $55. I took it. I had to “eat” the 7% sales tax but the higher payback/discount of the Executive level again made it a “no brainer” economically. So I am now an Executive member of Costco. The Amex card gives some discount of gas, I filled up tonight with Exxon using my new Amex and will see what I get back from Amex on that one.

Third day living with my Kirkland Signature 5, and I “love 'em”.

I just signed up for Costco/Amex today. I learned that to get the $55 refund was by switching over to the Executive account and spend $250 or more before the refund is honored. They charged the $110 Executive cost to my newly created Amex account which I was told also goes towards the minimum $250 purchase to get the rebate. I didn’t have to pay any tax though. Also I was told I can switch back to a regular $55 membership on my next renewal. Another thing I was told was that if I didn’t purchase HA’s from them I could change my membership back to regular and they will refund me the $55. You can’t beat that!

Thanks to everyone for this thread and who’s answered my many questions.

I was fitted with KS5s about 2 months ago. I am impressed with the Costco HA. They had problems with the fitting on the left ear and did the second mold and changed the material in the mold. Both fit great. I got the Blue Tooth and also the TV streamer. Working well for me.

I have KS5 for over 5 months and I am very happy with it. When I compare it to my bernafons, they are simply awesome. Audiologist in my costco is really good. I had always problem with right ear nothing wanted to sit there, till the time she took impression. I have very comfy fitting custom molds. The processing of sound is amazing too

I had Rexton which is made by Siemens for 7 years and they were wonderful. I know have Costo’s brand and they are just as good as the Rexton. BTW, I have the Rexton HA in a plastic bag with rice as a backup. They still work function.