Philips HearLink 9050 to hit Costco soon? With similar tech to Oticon Intent?

I guess those reports don’t come from the Costco stores I shop at. If there was a pattern of buying and returning hearing aids just until the next model appeared and then there was a rinse and repeat like happened with TVs they might adjust their return policy. As I said above, I told my Costco audi that I was buying the Rexton Reach and the Philips 9050 and would be returning one or both after I tried them. Her only advice was not to switch them back and forth because that would not provide a good test. Given the thousands of dollars we spend at Costco for food and other items each year I don’t feel bad about triggering whatever return arrangements they have with Rexton and Philips. If they were in the practice of cutting members off after two or three returns I doubt they would have the business they do. One of the huge attractions of Costco is their return policy. Take advantage of it. They would like to have your business for the long term.

@MDB said:

I would agree that they can’t refuse to accept a return if you’re complying with rules but I’m pretty sure they could refuse to sell you a hearing aid. We’ve certainly had reports of that happening. Rationale: They don’t think it will meet your needs.

I disagree. I think that people are easily intimidated. I can’t imagine that they could get away with refusing to sell a product to a member who has already paid a fee for the right to shop there if that member insisted.

@billgem said:

I can’t imagine that they could get away with refusing to sell a product to a member who has already paid a fee

You are mistaken on this
Any business has the right to refuse service.

I imagine they could refund the membership if the member complains and then say buzz off. I can’t believe I’m standing up for big business, but here we are.

Hearing impaired people complain for years about the stupidly high cost of hearing aids. Then Costco comes along and offer not only lower prices but a generous return period as well. Then, being clever dicks, we start returning hearing aids that we might be perfectly happy with just because we can. Then (if enough people get on the bandwagon) Costco hearing centres start losing money. What happens next I wonder?

Having said all that, I’ll be returning my Jabras. Possibly today. The Costco audiologist knows they’re not working for me and has done his best to smooth the transition. He’s treated me with care and respect. I’d like to treat him respectfully. It’s possible that when the dust settles, I’ll have to wear the cost of two sets of hearing aids so that I get the ones I want in the end. So be it. It’s still less than half the cost of one set from the audiologist down the road.

Endeth the sermon (sorry).

Yes, it can. It is a private business operating on private property, not a “public accommodation.” A private business can refuse service to anyone, unless it is for a discriminatory reason.

A wee story from 1984 Rick, living in Edinburgh, in what can only be described as “The House of the Rising Sun”… A conglomerate of every sexuality known to man, waifs, strays, gays, straits & bi’s, we had them all, it opened my eyes to the world, and taught me many valuable lessons, fundamentally how diverse we all are, it gradually washed away any prejudices I once harbored, and made me see all people in a totally different light… Anyway, to my story, every morning, I walked round to the local bakery, to buy rolls, bread & milk, this particular morning it was packed out with customers, perhaps 30 waiting to be served, as I neared the service counter, one of the assistants clocked me, and said in an extremely loud voice, so everyone could hear “GOOD MORNING KEVIN, YOU KNOW, IT IS ALWAYS AN EXTREME PLEASURE TO SERVE YOU EVERY MORNING, YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON WHO COMES IN HERE, THAT SAYS, PLEASE AND THANK YOU”!!! I was to say the least, mortified with embarrassment, scarlet… But it brought home to me, how “Under-appreciated” some retailers feel, we take them for granted! Civility costs us nothing, go on and make somebody’s day, Pease & Thank You, is only a tiny gesture, but it means the world to feel appreciated Cheers Kev

https://amtrustfinancial.com/blog/small-business/can-a-business-legally-refuse-a-customer#:~:text=Business%20owners%20have%20the%20right%20to%20refuse%20service%20or%20turn,as%20they%20are%20not%20discriminatory23.

I did not see anything about posted requirements. All I saw is that it can’t be discriminatory based on the listed classes.

It may not be required to post it, but a wise business practice would be to put such practice in writing (at least internally) and apply it consistently. Perhaps an override decision against policy at a certain level of management based on the situation.

WH

Thank you for the kind words @RSW… We live and learn. Cheers Kev

Anyone hearing information about the availability of the Philips 9050 at Costco?

I think it’s getting close.

One, the Costco guy that runs his own YouTube channel stated he knows the date, but can’t reveal it.

Two, someone posted earlier that the Costco fitter said to wait until the 9050 came out when looking to get the 9040.

Three, I thought the owner of this web site, Hearing Club, stated the Costco employees when going for training for the 9050.

Fourthly, I thought the owner of this web site said September.

The real answer is no one here really knows. That’s your scuttlebutt news for the day.

I was at Costco yesterday. They said no one has been scheduled for training on the 9050’s

Same with mine. No training yet and no release date. My Costco said to expect them maybe at end of year or early next year. They also said they dont expect a huge upgrade from the 9040, similar to the new Jabra that is basically the same as last years model just slightly smaller and with a few more hours of charge per day.