Prairie~Phlox Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 You expected it to still work after 4 years and they had a 100% satisfaction guarantee. (Product is a humidifier if that makes any difference and they do still carry it, at least I saw an opened product on the clearance rack recently (i think it was the store model). Hubby is mixed about returning it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Do you still have the receipt? Sam's Club is a stickler for not letting you return an item without one. You would think that with it being a membership-only store that it wouldn't be difficult to look up the purchases you've made, but apparently they use a very outdated and antiquated computer system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 No. IME four or five years is about the life expectancy of a humidifier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 How long is the manufacturer's guarantee? Probably a year? After four years I wouldn't take something like that back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 If I looked really hard, I could dig out a receipt, dh is self employed & we keep everything. According to their website, if u don't have a receipt, it's the last sale price. This is a product that only they carry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssavings Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I wouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 No, I would not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathmarm Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 IF I had the receipt, IF it was supposed to still be working in 4-years according to the companies literature and IF it would be costly to replace and IF I still needed one, then YES. That is what guarantees and warranties are about. Helping you be satisfied, holding the company accountable and providing you with the product or service that you intended to purchase! I am absolutely open to taking back things that break, don't work like they are supposed to, don't satisfy me the way that the company promised me that they would. If I wanted to waste money I'd just burn in the fireplace and save my self the hassle of buying duds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I would not and it would never occur to me to return it. Take it back to kohls. (That was a joke :)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emzhengjiu Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Can you take it back to Sam's after 4 years? I would think you would have to go through the manufacture's warranty after this length of time. I'm all for taking back items that aren't satisfactory, but 4 years is a long time. I probably would call to talk to a manager at Sam's about the issue first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Absolutely not. FWIW, it would never even occur to me to return something after FOUR YEARS! :eek: I'm sorry, but that seems like it would be taking complete advantage of the store. You used the item for four years!!! Even if you'd purchased an extended warranty when you bought it, it wouldn't have covered it by now. I honestly can't imagine that you would even consider trying to return it. You may have expected it to last longer, but at this point, it doesn't really matter what you expected. If you are disappointed in the product, send a letter to the manufacturer and complain about it, but don't expect the store to pay you back for using an item for four years. That's just ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 If it were touted as lasting that that long, then yes, I might. But four years does seem like a decent lifespan for such an item, and I'd expect that it would wear out around that point. My vacuum, for instance, came with a five-year warranty from the company, so I expected it to last that long, and if it hadn't, I wouldn't have thought twice about asking for it to be repaired or replaced. But now that it's almost six years old, I am okay with accepting that it's lifespan may be over (thankfully, it doesn't seem to be). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I would expect a humidifier to work for longer than 4 years. The ones we have are still working after ~10 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I would expect a humidifier to work for longer than 4 years. The ones we have are still working after ~10 years. I wouldn't. But even if I did, I wouldn't expect the store to refund my money after four years when the warranty had probably expired around three years ago. If you buy an item with a one year warranty and it lasts for four years, you're already ahead of the game. If you want something that will last for many years, either buy a more expensive model with a longer warranty or buy the extended warranty from the store when you buy the item. But in this case, even an extended warranty would have expired by now. Realistically, it doesn't matter how long we expect an item to last. I would be happy with a humidifier lasting for four years, but if I wasn't, I would react by buying a different brand the next time around, not by trying to get my money back for something I'd used for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Do you still have the receipt? Sam's Club is a stickler for not letting you return an item without one. You would think that with it being a membership-only store that it wouldn't be difficult to look up the purchases you've made, but apparently they use a very outdated and antiquated computer system. Would you really expect them to be able to find a record of an item you purchased four years ago? I do agree that it would be nice if they kept track of purchases that were made within the past month or so -- Lowe's is great about that -- but can you imagine trying to keep a record of everything every single member purchased at Sam's Club for the past four years? :svengo: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowing Brook Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Sadly in this day and age four years is about right. We are well past the days of buying a appliance or something similar and it lasting ten to twenty years. Have you checked the warranty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Sadly in this day and age four years is about right. We are well past the days of buying a appliance or something similar and it lasting ten to twenty years. Have you checked the warranty? Yeah, years ago, appliances lasted practically forever. That's just not the case any more, no matter how much you spend on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I wouldn't. My cousin works customer service at Costco and you wouldn't believe the stuff people try to return. Pee soaked mattresses, mattresses bought 2 yrs ago, huge unopened packages of meat that expired a week earlier, used underwear and socks, etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 No. If it were less than a year, certainly. I think 4 years is a good life for a humidifier. Unless it says on the box it's guaranteed longer than that. :iagree: BTW, I love it that your little title thingie says "Rabid." :D Is that new, or am I just more clueless than usual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Is anyone else thinking of going through their house and seeing what they can return? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 If you are referring to a general Sam's Club satisfaction guarantee, no I wouldn't take it back after 4 years of use. If the actual product had a guarantee, I would consider going through them. Finally, so many appliances just don't last any length of time and it going after 4 years doesn't surprise me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Is anyone else thinking of going through their house and seeing what they can return? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I would not, but if I did, I'd go to the manufacturer not the store. A 100% satisfaction guarantee is not the same as a lifetime guarantee. They guarantee you'll be satisfied with it, the way it works, if it does what the company claims it will, etc. It doesn't mean it will never need to be replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 No, I wouldn't. I've never had a recent humidifier last more than a winter. My mom had the same one for me my entire childhood, but who knows what the difference is now. I would return to Costco within a year (stated return policy) or two years for electronics (also stated return policy) because that's part of the reason I buy from them. If the manufacturer says it will last more than 4 years, I'd deal with them. I might get Sam's/Costco involved if the manufacturer were unresponsive. Costco has been helpful with that for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 What does the guarantee say? It doesn't hurt to ask. Maybe it's defective. I would call the manufacturer of the company and talk with them. Sometimes they will replace the part or item if it fails, even after 4 years. My husband called the maker of a ceiling fan we had for 4 years and they sent him the part to fix it for free. So it doesn't hurt to ask. Our humidifier is 15 years old and has worked well. I would expect a humidifier to last more than 4 years, although the repairman who looked at our dishwasher said the expected life of most new appliances is 5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 No way. Probably it had a one year warranty. That is rather normal. However, there are products that have a Lifetime warranty. I have a folding luggage cart, made in Chicago as I recall, and when I lived in the states, I sent defective carts back to them, once or twice, and they sent me a new one. I still have one and I used it to bring the 25 kilo bag of dog food into the house yesterday, after it was delivered to our house. In any case, even if there is a lifetime warranty, it is something you should deal directly with the manufacturer about, IMHO, and not involve your local retailer. We have a Whrilpool washing machine that later this month will complete 19 years of service, but it only had a one year warranty and after the warranty expires, one shouldn't complain. I believe, when I purchase something Brand New, that the warranty is 50% of what I am buying, but after the warranty expires, we are on our own... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathmarm Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Would you really expect them to be able to find a record of an item you purchased four years ago? Absolutely. The notion isn't nearly as "out there" in the year 2014 as it would've been in 1994. Plus, this is Sams Clubs. They are connected to one of the largest companies in the country--I know good and well, without a single doubt in my mind, that WalMart/Sams Club has had the capability of finding and affording to keep records on all purchases made in the last 4 years, and I would venture to guess much longer than that. You can find posts on just about any active internet forum from 4 years ago. You can read blogs from 15 years ago. I fully expect that Sams Club/WalMart can keep--and probably HAS KEPT-- those records in more detail that most consumers would care to believe. Even if they aren't used at the warehouse level, that data isn't just 'gone'. There is no such thing as 'just gone' with electronically stored/processed data any more. I do agree that it would be nice if they kept track of purchases that were made within the past month or so -- Lowe's is great about that -- but can you imagine trying to keep a record of everything every single member purchased at Sam's Club for the past four years? :svengo: Yes, I can imagine it and I know that hundreds of companies aren't imagining it--they are doing it. You are on the internet for crying out loud in the year 2014. Trust me, it isn't a far-fetched notion in the least. One of the ways that WalMart rose to such prominence in the late 80's was their innovative and high tech, satalite communication system which enabled them to keep better, more accurate records of inventory and sales than their competitors so it seemed that they never ran out and always had in stock what it was supposed to. Really their computers kept inventory and orders were made more efficiently and always at the right time. They were able to analyze data and see trends and have enough things in stock when "XYZ Season" rolled around. A successful corporation like WalMart isn't going to just abandon what was one of its most successful tactics and useful tools in the business--their information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 No. Typically I think that you are dealing with the manufacturer, not the seller, four years into the life of the product. I would expect that the 'life time guarantee' is not guaranteed by whoever sells it. Usually stores have a return policy of a specific period of time. So see if you can find a number for the customer service department of the manufacturer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trlt Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 No. I wouldn't even consider it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmtzc2009 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I possibly would! I am not a SAMs club member but we signed up with Costco last year. One of the features the sales lady pushed was that we should be all electronics & such at Costco because at any time down the road if it broke we could bring it back & get a new one. I would never suggest trying to violate a company's policies. But if your acting within the rules they've put in place, I'd say yes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookValley. Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 No, I wouldn't. But I might call the manufacturer if I thought it should still be working. They may help you troubleshoot or offer a solution less expensive than buying a new one, e.g., replacing a part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Within the first year, yes. After that, no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Within the first year, yes. After that, no. This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Would you really expect them to be able to find a record of an item you purchased four years ago? I do agree that it would be nice if they kept track of purchases that were made within the past month or so -- Lowe's is great about that -- but can you imagine trying to keep a record of everything every single member purchased at Sam's Club for the past four years? :svengo: Actually, we received a call from Costco a few years ago about a recall on some cheese we bought there.... TWO YEARS previous. So, yeah, stores keep track of us. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 4 years? No way. That's actually a pretty good life for a humidifier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 If it was within a year I would, but not four years out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Was this a model that the company claims will last longer than 4 years? I'd look at that literature. Was this very expensive, and marketed to last a long time? Honestly, 4 years, and I'd not even consider returning a humidifier. I try not to take advantage of stores with generous return policies so those policies stay generous, and I'd probably think that 4 years of use on a humidifier was a fair return on the investment. (Unless, of course, it was marketed to last longer and you bought it for that reason, which is why I'd be looking at the literature.) We have the same sort of dilemma going right now. We have a fairly expensive leather furniture set from Costco that should have lasted longer than 4 years. But ... It is in terrible shape. Our research has shown that the company that made it is no longer in business due to the same issues we're having. We saw that some people had returned it to Costco after the 5 year mark, and gotten refunds. But we feel uncomfortable about returning an item after using it that long. So we are sitting on our furniture while we decide. Pun intended. :) Most likely, we will chalk this up to a learning experience because neither DH nor I can see returning something we've clearly used for this amount of time. One year out, fine. 4 years ... No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 It would never even have crossed my mind after 4 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I possibly would! I am not a SAMs club member but we signed up with Costco last year. One of the features the sales lady pushed was that we should be all electronics & such at Costco because at any time down the road if it broke we could bring it back & get a new one. I would never suggest trying to violate a company's policies. But if your acting within the rules they've put in place, I'd say yes! I think the Costco lady lied to you. Their return policy for electronics isn't as generous as it used to be, mainly because people took advantage of it and ruined it for all of the honest customers. Apparently, people would buy a brand new TV, use it for a few months until a new "latest and greatest" model came out... and they would return the first TV and get the newer model... and then in a few months a new model would come out... so they would repeat the process. As I understand it, Costco's current return policy for electronics is 90 days. They do, however, extend the regular manufacturers' warranty from one year to two years, so if your TV (or whatever) breaks within two years, Costco will cover it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I think the Costco lady lied to you. Their return policy for electronics isn't as generous as it used to be, mainly because people took advantage of it and ruined it for all of the honest customers. Apparently, people would buy a brand new TV, use it for a few months until a new "latest and greatest" model came out... and they would return the first TV and get the newer model... and then in a few months a new model would come out... so they would repeat the process. As I understand it, Costco's current return policy for electronics is 90 days. They do, however, extend the regular manufacturers' warranty from one year to two years, so if your TV (or whatever) breaks within two years, Costco will cover it. Isn't it that with everything!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momofeat Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I would expect a humidifier to work for longer than 4 years. The ones we have are still working after ~10 years. What do you have??? We're looking for the perfect humidifier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I think the Costco lady lied to you. Their return policy for electronics isn't as generous as it used to be, mainly because people took advantage of it and ruined it for all of the honest customers. Apparently, people would buy a brand new TV, use it for a few months until a new "latest and greatest" model came out... and they would return the first TV and get the newer model... and then in a few months a new model would come out... so they would repeat the process. As I understand it, Costco's current return policy for electronics is 90 days. They do, however, extend the regular manufacturers' warranty from one year to two years, so if your TV (or whatever) breaks within two years, Costco will cover it. Certain electronics do apply to this rule but not everything. From the Costco website: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund. The following must be returned within 90 days of purchase for a refund: televisions, projectors, computers, cameras, camcorders, touch screen tablets, MP3 players and cellular phones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Sadly in this day and age four years is about right. We are well past the days of buying a appliance or something similar and it lasting ten to twenty years. Have you checked the warranty? I wish I could return my washing machine that is almost 2 years old. It is such a piece of junk. I would have gladly return it after the first rubber seal tore up when it was a few months old. Now it is in need of the 4th replacement. :cursing: Either appliances or complete junk now or they just hate me but I would be shocked to have one last 10 years. As to the OP, no it would never occur to me to return something that is 4 years old. My dad has been able to return some things to Costco that I never would have thought they would take back so who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I think the Costco lady lied to you. Their return policy for electronics isn't as generous as it used to be, mainly because people took advantage of it and ruined it for all of the honest customers. Apparently, people would buy a brand new TV, use it for a few months until a new "latest and greatest" model came out... and they would return the first TV and get the newer model... and then in a few months a new model would come out... so they would repeat the process. As I understand it, Costco's current return policy for electronics is 90 days. They do, however, extend the regular manufacturers' warranty from one year to two years, so if your TV (or whatever) breaks within two years, Costco will cover it. My parents had a TV they bought at Costco that broke and they were able to have it replaced. It was several years old but they had the 2 year coverage from Costco and I believe a 3rd year from their CC but I'm not exactly sure on the details. They also were able to return a washing machine that broke after a couple of years to Costco. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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