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Costco has stopped carrying Phonak hearing aids

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A couple of thoughts on these discussions …

Phonak won’t be selling so they say. But they’re a brand, not Sonova, a manufacturer. I had seen Sonova aids being evaluated by the US FCC that referred to sales outlets that seemed to be OTC candidates, like WalMart (from memory).

I wouldn’t project Costco fearing competition from the OTCs. Why not join the party and sell them too?

Proof? No. I was going by a quote from a Phonak rep in the article linked above:

“Sandy Brandmeier, President of Hearing Instruments Wholesale for Sonova USA, released this statement … we can confirm that the Phonak brand will not be offering an over the counter () solution.”

In reply to @Um_bongo

@Um_bongo said:

Obviously Costco wants a strong product from each of the main manufacturers. If the Costco offering is being let down in terms of the service ratio requirements; they’re going to see that amongst their users pretty early on.

The Kirkland Signature trademark is very important to Costco, at least that is my understanding. I agree with your statement about possibly Phonak/Sonova not measuring up to the KS reputation.

In reply to @Um_bongo

@Um_bongo said:

but could it just be because the Sonova product is a bit sh1t? Or merely not designed to fit in with the Costco ‘fire and forget’ model?

Well I’m not so sure the product is crap, remember we’re talking about the P90 (KS10) I haven’t heard much in the way that these are having any more issues then other brands, bar of course the rechargeable batteries/charger, which obviously got out of hand, on the other issue that possibly sonova didn’t fit Costco’s business model (because of to many returns?) I can only say that it took them a hell of a long time to come to that conclusion, the thing is tho, sonova stated they were losing money on this(a couple of months back) which is one of the reasons they pulled out, it comes across as Costco didn’t have a say in the decision? The removal of all Phonak branded products as well seems a bit strange, did Costco make this decision I wonder?
Well..we’ll find out sooner or later in the next episode I’m sure.

@ssa:, I doubt that Sonova’s intelligence-sharing agreement with the NSA will pemit them to walk away from the intel cache the market represents.

How long could Costco continue to offer top shelf aids and reduce the price by $100 every year? I think we may have an answer…

Are there any trustable reviews on aids out yet? Everyone’s talking about OTC, but I have yet to see a person with moderate or greater hearing that compares them to standard .

In reply to @whatdidtheysay

I think hearing folks will consider them as all day earbuds… name an ear bud that can be worn all day and have a long battery life like 18 hours or greateer on a charge ?

Wait…Hearing tracker" **Holy Moly! I’m just now realizing i’ve been tagged like a Yosemite bear! How long until they come and remove me to another part of the wilderness? I’m heading off to the nearest store to buy a set of self protecting butter knives. As Luke Skywalker says, “use the forks” when threatened by backcountry rangers at your door.

In reply to @jim_lewis

All good points. They’re burying their head in the sand and will come to regret it. Thinking you can protect what was a high end/high margin business from lower end competition is a textbook business error and wishful thinking on their part. I’m on my 3rd set of Phonaks (currently P90 Audeo Marvels) and when these die I’ll be looking at before anything else. If Phonak is not planning now for a lower margin future then they’ve already lost the war. There’s nothing my P90’s do that a lower end competitor couldn’t do just as well, it’s all just software now.

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