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Costco vs Apple vs Amazon

D

DynamicNotch

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 22, 2013
99
24
Which one to go with for best warranty, service and avoiding 2nds?
Not trading.
6 hours away from either store.
Does Costco offer edu. discount?
Returns comparisons?
 
Last edited:
trans-olsx said:
Which one to go with for best warranty, service and avoiding 2nds?
Not trading.
Does Costco offer edu. discount?
Click to expand...
Costco gives you a 2 year warranty for free. Not really sure how it works when it comes to actually using it though. You also get a discount off AppleCare+ and the computer. They don't offer school discounts.

I would avoid amazon.

Best Buy is another option. They price match Costco and amazon and usually have same day pickup.
 
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Amazon is fine for customer service, and you get until Jan 31 for returns of unopened or DOA stuff, but they don't have the quickest availability right now, it appears, and all other warranty work would go through Apple (probably same for Costco). There are no seconds at any authorized dealer, which includes Amazon and Costco.
 
Costco's Policy:
2nd Year Warranty
Free Technical Support
90 Day Return Policy
I've read on this forum that if you purchase using the Costco Citi c/c you also get an extra 2 years warranty but that sounds too good to be true.
The 90 day return policy and 2 year warranty are compelling reasons to consider Costco over the other vendors.
 
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My current rule with Amazon is nothing over $100. Either it showed up poorly packaged or broken or a discontinued version. Amazon customer service is fine if you're firm. Their Marketplace vendors can be very difficult. Why bother when any number of decent retailers can meet or beat their price?

My go to's are Apple or B&H, OWC for I/O.
 
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Apple directly or Costco — definitely not Amazon for Apple products, unless you’re talking about cables, chargers, cases, etc. — I would never get the actual hardware from Amazon no matter what the price.
 
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trans-olsx said:
Which one to go with for best warranty, service and avoiding 2nds?
Not trading.
6 hours away from either store.
Does Costco offer edu. discount?
Returns comparisons?
Click to expand...
Something to keep in mind about Amazon is inventory co-mingling. For many items–note that I don't specifically know about Apple hardware offhand–Amazon mixes its own stock ("Sold by Amazon") with Amazon Marketplace seller stock ("Sold by XXX, Shipped by Amazon"). This allows Amazon to ship a product from the warehouse that is closest to a buyer, regardless of who the seller is.

So if you want to minimize the possibility of receiving something that is not exactly what you ordered, I would stick to Costco or the Apple Store.
 
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I bought an 65" rear projection TV one time from Amazon and the screen was shattered when it arrived. Delivery guy didn't even take it off the truck but accepted it right then and there as a return. Amazon was amazing. They couldn't get the same TV (closeout sale) but they gave me a signifcant credit on the newer model and that arrived with white glove support all around. All in all a very good experience.
 
Apple Store with Edu discount. Also I find that Amazon charges too much tax vs Apple Store. 7.5% vs 10.5%
I'd buy with an Amex card to get an extra year of warranty.
 
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KaliYoni said:
Something to keep in mind about Amazon is inventory co-mingling. For many items–note that I don't specifically know about Apple hardware offhand–Amazon mixes its own stock ("Sold by Amazon") with Amazon Marketplace seller stock ("Sold by XXX, Shipped by Amazon"). This allows Amazon to ship a product from the warehouse that is closest to a buyer, regardless of who the seller is.

So if you want to minimize the possibility of receiving something that is not exactly what you ordered, I would stick to Costco or the Apple Store.
Click to expand...
Don't understand the connection between those two paragraphs, and I've never heard what you say about Amazon's mixing of products between vendors (I don't think that's how it works), but I haven't seen customer reviews complaining they got the wrong Apple computer at Amazon, in any case.

Lucas Curious said:
Apple Store with Edu discount. Also I find that Amazon charges too much tax vs Apple Store. 7.5% vs 10.5%
Click to expand...
Amazon collected 6.75% from me.
 
I feel like with Amazon you’re way more likely to end up with one that was already returned. I would avoid. But if you insist, just pay close attention to the seller. Buy the seller.

Costco has a 90 day return policy and extended warranty. Only problem is they only carry base models. No education discount that I’m aware of. But often you can get models on sale for lower than apples edu price. If you are shopping for a base model ..
 
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Sanpete said:
Feelings are important, but that's not allowed by Apple (or the law, I imagine). Amazon's an authorized Apple reseller.
Click to expand...
Yeah, well, when you’ve bought as many things from Amazon as I have, you learn to trust your feelings. Amazon isn’t a company I’d trust with that large of a purchase. I’ll continue purchasing little inconsequential junk from them but an expensive computer that should last for many years? I’m not buying that from a marketplace with multiple sellers and returns getting routed through Amazon warehouses and all of that nonsense. I’m buying direct from the manufacturer, or maybe from Costco for the perks that come along with that.
 
Camarillo Brillo said:
Yeah, well, when you’ve bought as many things from Amazon as I have, you learn to trust your feelings. Amazon isn’t a company I’d trust with that large of a purchase. I’ll continue purchasing little inconsequential junk from them but an expensive computer that should last for many years? I’m not buying that from a marketplace with multiple sellers and returns getting routed through Amazon warehouses and all of that nonsense. I’m buying direct from the manufacturer, or maybe from Costco for the perks that come along with that.
Click to expand...
Apple 100% backs what you buy at any authorized reseller. There's no reason to think Amazon is mixing its stock with that of others, selling used equipment as new (again, not allowed), or whatever else it is you're worried about.
 
Even if that's true, I'd never spend more than a couple hundred dollars on an amazon purchase. Too risky. Why when you could order direct from apple? What, do you work for amazon?

I have personally received items from amazon as new that were obvious returns. So my fears are not unfounded.

Also I have had items break after the 30 day return window and amazon told me to get ****ed. Yes, a macbook pro would still be covered by apple, but why bother? The only way I'd order a mac from amazon would be if I lived somewhere where that was my only option. No apple online ordering, no costco.

Costco at least has the advantage of extended return window and extended warranty

What advantage do you get ordering through amazon? The advantage of wondering how many hands your computer passed through before you received it?
 
Camarillo Brillo said:
Even if that's true, I'd never spend more than a couple hundred dollars on an amazon purchase. Too risky. Why when you could order direct from apple? What, do you work for amazon?

I have personally received items from amazon as new that were obvious returns. So my fears are not unfounded.

Also I have had items break after the 30 day return window and amazon told me to get ****ed. Yes, a macbook pro would still be covered by apple, but why bother? The only way I'd order a mac from amazon would be if I lived somewhere where that was my only option. No apple online ordering, no costco.

Costco at least has the advantage of extended return window and extended warranty

What advantage do you get ordering through amazon? The advantage of wondering how many hands your computer passed through before you received it?
Click to expand...
Yes, Costco has a better warranty, which you pay for. If you've already paid, makes sense to me to use it and buy there.

No, Amazon isn't more risky in other ways. When you've bought as many items from Apple as you have from Amazon, you'll have a better basis for comparison. You can read up on complaints about other retailers, including Apple, to get additional context.
 
Sanpete said:
Yes, Costco has a better warranty, which you pay for. If you've already paid, makes sense to me to use it and buy there.

No, Amazon isn't more risky in other ways. When you've bought as many items from Apple as you have from Amazon, you'll have a better basis for comparison. You can read up on complaints about other retailers, including Apple, to get additional context.
Click to expand...
Despite your best efforts, I still probably convinced at least a couple people not to order from amazon ?
 
Sanpete said:
Because?
Click to expand...
I’ve had too many questionable products from Amazon on smaller purchases (legitimacy, appear used, etc.), that I don’t want to take the chance with a large purchase. Same reason why I buy camera equipment from B&H over Amazon as well.

My iPhone purchase is always from Apple, but also for anything else where I want to use the Apple Card, monthly payments, or I am gifting something. Otherwise, I buy some from Costco.
 
Camarillo Brillo said:
Despite your best efforts, I still probably convinced at least a couple people not to order from amazon ?
Click to expand...
Ha, congrats, I guess. Reality hasn't changed, though.

Kierkegaarden said:
I’ve had too many questionable products from Amazon on smaller purchases (legitimacy, appear used, etc.), that I don’t want to take the chance with a large purchase. Same reason why I buy camera equipment from B&H over Amazon as well.
Click to expand...
Replied to this above.
 
I remember amazon gave me 100% refound on my 2015 MBP 22 months old with battery problem. Amazing customer service. Apple would fix the battery but I prefer the refound for the same money I payed 22 month ago!

I bought several iphones and macs, never had any problem with Amazon, but ALWAYS check “sold and delivered by amazon” (not 3er part vendors).
 
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I've purchased many MacBook Pros and Airs from Costco for customers over the years and it's been all good. So far no need to use their 2 year warranty, but I have had a couple customers that, for whatever reason, needed to return them (one on the 89th day) and Costco had no issues returning them and refunding the cost. I personally have done both Apple and Costco (and once at B&H Photo) and will usually choose Costco if they have the item I personally want in stock. However, Costco does not do custom builds so as long as the model you want with the options you want is pretty basic, they are a good option. Otherwise Apple for more specific builds.
 
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I just bought a MacBook Air for Christmas. I was thinking of buying AppleCare but Costco has the free 2nd year warranty so I did not think it made sense to purchase it if the Costco warranty is any good. Does anyone have an experience how Costco's 2nd year warranty actually works?
 
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