On 30 July, 11:48, "Robin" wrote:
A relative buys from Richer Sounds, says good prices and good
warranties. Believe when he buys an extended one he gets money back
if he does not make a claim.

That is not how insurance works.;-)

"It's insurance Jim but not as we know it"?

Richer Sounds have for years now offered "Supercare". * If there's no
claim after 5 years they refund the original payment. *Of course they
have had the use of the money in the meantime (while inflation erodes
its value to the buyer). *I assume they make their profit from that
(much as eg Lloyds underwriters used to).

And I think it is not strictly an insurance scheme: the whole thing is
run by Richer Sounds and they are not regulated by the FSA. *So no
government bail-out if 100,000 TVs go pop
--
Robin
PM may be sent to rbw0{at}hotmail{dot}com

I had that kind of deal from (I think) Currys on my first digital
camera many years ago when they were very expensive. It died within
the 5 years, but by that time it was cheaper to by a secondhand
replacement on eBay. At the end of the 5 years I applied for and got
refund of the "insurance". They didn't send me any reminder that it
was due, and there was a very short time window to claim, so I guess
they win by most people forgetting. I had set up a computer reminder.

Chris

"Scott M" wrote in message
...
Invisible Man wrote:

With all the clever countdowns and displays it never ceases to amaze me
that so few washing machines have a facility to sound a warning when the
cycle is complete.

Zanussi WMs do this. And bloody irritating it is too! They beep at the end
of the cycle (so far so good) but, if you don't go and acknowledge it,
it'll just carry on until the end of time at short intervals.

My Samsung makes a tune at the end, it then makes another after about 10
minutes as it shuts itself down.
There is a button to turn the sound off which is remembered even if you
unplug it, I think.
Damn thing can be so quiet I have been in to turn it on thinking I had
forgotten.

Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:

The house is unlikely to collapse or hit an aeroplane, so what's it
for exactly? What are the most common claims?

So, just one claim on house insurance and two minor ones on contents.
You've obviously made a substantial loss on premiums overall then, as I
have.

I'm thinking of not renewing mine (£300 quoted) as I think I'm
relatively low risk. You are too, so why do you pay to keep it going?

The point of insurance is not to get back what you paid in. Think of it as
a bet which you would prefer to lose. You insure things because the
potential loss is more than you could sustain. It is based on the
assumption that a small premium buys peace of mind in the case of a major
disaster; that most people will pay the premium but not need to claim.
Unfortunately too many people think that they have lost out if they don't
get back the premiums by making a claim, the consequence is that the
premiums go up and insurance is poor value for everybody.

If its contents insurance, and you don't have anything valuble that money
can replace then you possibly don't need it. On the other hand, unless you
have the cash to rebuild your home if it burns to the ground, you almost
certainly need buildings insurance. Public liability insurance is perhaps a
corner case, your less likely to attract ambulance chasers if you have
nothing.

The best way to cut premiums is to have policy with a high excess: it
assures the insurance co you will not be making small claims.


--
djc

Clive George wrote:
On 30/07/2010 17:21, Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:
On 30/07/2010 16:35, Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:

Have you ever claimed on your house insurance, I wonder? Mine's
just come up for renewal and I can't recall ever making a claim in
35 years except one in 1990 for a relatively small amount of damage
caused by a couple of ridge tiles being dislodged by high winds.

The house is unlikely to collapse or hit an aeroplane, so what's it
for exactly? What are the most common claims?

I'm thinking of not renewing mine (£300 quoted) as I think I'm
relatively low risk. You are too, so why do you pay to keep it going?

You talking buildings or contents?

It's both.

I've got buildings, because should something go wrong like a house
fire, I simply can't afford a full rebuild. The chance is very low,
but I'm prepared to take a loss on the bet because the potential loss
of not taking it is catastrophic.

Yes, since open fires went, and we don't smoke, the risk really is only of
something going wrong while cooking or an electrical fault. You just don't
see house fires like you used to!


I'll agree contents is closer to optional, but again, take the house
fire example : there's a lot of stuff to cover. I could probably start
again, but it would be very tight for a while.

Contents also gets you third party insurance when out of your house,
which is potentially useful. My parents claimed on it for a bike
crash I caused when I was a kid.

True, but again the risk is very low, I'd have thought. You're most
unlikely to lose the lot in one go.

Invisible Man wrote:

We pay £180. I am retired and don't have £1/4M+ to rebuild and replace
the contents. That is why we have house insurance, not for day to day
small losses.

Fair enough, but the chances of having to rebuild everything and to replace
all the contents must be exceedingly low. Normally, it's just a bit, and a
small bit at that, isn't it?

Fire, lightning, storm, subsidence and impact can easily run into 5
figures. £180 is a small amount to pay for peace of mind. Contents
insurance usually includes personal liability insurance so if you poke
someone's eye out with an umbrella, injure someone with a
non-motorised bike etc the insurance company pays.
Going back to the original topic we have a Sony KDL-52Z4500 which at
the time cost £2100 from Digital Empire but I have not felt a need to
take out any guarantee or specific insurance on that.

On 30/07/2010 21:42, Norman Wells wrote:
Clive George wrote:
On 30/07/2010 17:21, Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:
On 30/07/2010 16:35, Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:

Have you ever claimed on your house insurance, I wonder? Mine's
just come up for renewal and I can't recall ever making a claim in
35 years except one in 1990 for a relatively small amount of damage
caused by a couple of ridge tiles being dislodged by high winds.

The house is unlikely to collapse or hit an aeroplane, so what's it
for exactly? What are the most common claims?

I'm thinking of not renewing mine (£300 quoted) as I think I'm
relatively low risk. You are too, so why do you pay to keep it going?

You talking buildings or contents?

It's both.

I've got buildings, because should something go wrong like a house
fire, I simply can't afford a full rebuild. The chance is very low,
but I'm prepared to take a loss on the bet because the potential loss
of not taking it is catastrophic.

Yes, since open fires went, and we don't smoke, the risk really is only
of something going wrong while cooking or an electrical fault. You just
don't see house fires like you used to!

Maybe not, but the risk is still there. Don't forget to include other
sources of ignition - including malicious (burglar dropping a fag?).

I'll agree contents is closer to optional, but again, take the house
fire example : there's a lot of stuff to cover. I could probably start
again, but it would be very tight for a while.

Contents also gets you third party insurance when out of your house,
which is potentially useful. My parents claimed on it for a bike
crash I caused when I was a kid.

True, but again the risk is very low, I'd have thought. You're most
unlikely to lose the lot in one go.

But if you do, you're screwed, and really badly so.

Are you prepared to take the risk that in high winds, a slate or tile
flies off and injures somebody, meaning you get sued personally and have
to sell the house to pay for their care?

Of course you're entirely at liberty to take the risk, and it will give
you a little bit of extra cash. The chances are that you'll be ok, and
quite strongly in your favour. But are you prepared to gamble your house
on that? It's bad enough suffering a biggish claim if you are insured.

('course if your house is in the right place, could be that the land
underneath it is worth enough for you to simply sell on the bust house
for redevelopment and you buy a cheaper one elsewhere. Doesn't work for
big 3rd party claims though)

On Friday, July 30th, 2010 at 21:42:43h +0100, Norman Wells declared:

You just don't see house fires like you used to!

Unless you live in southern California.

http://www.google.COM/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g4rSxtb6hFEjzSiMFwAKeOSyEC9gD9H9HDA01

On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:16:36 +0100, Invisible Man
wrote:

We pay £180. I am retired and don't have £1/4M+ to rebuild and replace
the contents. That is why we have house insurance, not for day to day
small losses.

£180 is a tiny percentage of £1/4M+. In practice there is not just the
cost of rebuilding and the replacement of the contents but also the cost
of somewhere else to live while the house is being rebuilt.



--
Peter Duncanson
(in uk.tech.digital-tv)

In message , john hamilton
writes
I'm just about to buy a Sony television for about £500 from ebuyer. A
friend says that LCD televisions are now very reliable. So is it really
worth paying extra for a five year guarantee?

The only extended warranties I ever buy are from Richer Sounds - they
are redeemable at the end of the warranty period, as long as you
remember to do so, you have a month either side of the purchase
anniversary



--
geoff

In message , The Natural Philosopher
writes
David wrote:
"Michaelangelo" wrote in message
...
john hamilton burst on the scene, and said:
I'm just about to buy a Sony television for about £500 from ebuyer.
A friend says that LCD televisions are now very reliable. So is it
really worth paying extra for a five year guarantee?

Personally, I think extended warranties on anything are a rip-off. I
embraced them fully when they first appeared but after a few years
realised that I had spent hundreds on them and had got nothing back -
even on products that you might expect to be at high risk of needing
repair, such as washing machines.

Why not buy your TV from a supplier that offers a free five year
warranty. I know someone who had a Sony TV from John Lewis. After
about 4 years he noticed a group of dead pixels. The screen couldn't
be replaced because of its age - no longer available - so he got a
new TV of his choice (with cash adjustment) from JL. John Lewis
include free 5 year warranties with most (all?) of their TVs,
including Sony, whether bought in-store or online There may well be
other retailers who do the same, JL just happen to be the one that I know of.

A relative buys from Richer Sounds, says good prices and good
warranties. Believe when he buys an extended one he gets money back if
he does not make a claim.

That is not how insurance works.;-)


It is if most people forget


--
geoff

In message , Adrian C
writes
On 30/07/2010 08:39, Vortex7 wrote:
COSTCO offer free 5 year Warranty on all TV's as well as seemingly being
best value obtainable.

If you qualify, or can "guest" your way into a COSTCO via a 3rd party
then it's worth a visit before you commit.

The negative is you cannot browse the deals online. You have to go there
in person.

Returning items you've tried and don't like in Costco is a revelation.

Me: I'm returning this
Them: OK, here's your money.


Or ...

I'd like to return this which I bought last week, it's £10 cheaper this
week

I'm expecting 'Best Buy' to be much the same as Costco, based on my
shopping experiences in the states.

Thing that I don't like about Costco, is their an 'anti-riff-raff'
policy on selecting only trade or professional status UK customers. I
don't see evidence of that in their American stores.

I presume there must be some reason

It is good in the morning before the "riff-raff" are allowed in





--
geoff

In message , Peter Duncanson
writes
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:01:08 +0100, Peter Duncanson
wrote:

in the middle of the night to be told the machine mashine has finished.

"mashine"? How did that get there?


Maybe you were using it to make illicit spirits from beer ...

--
geoff

In message , Java Jive
writes
Over the years, consumer advice has consistently been against paying
for such extended warranties. They are a rip-off. In fact, if you
think about, there is a sense in which all insurance is a rip-off.

The best form of insurance is to have enough money earning interest to
replace whatever it is that is being insured.

Really ?

Would you like to remind up how much money you would have to put away
for how long at today's interest rates to replace an item which cost,
shall we say, £400 ?


--
geoff

In message , Alan White
writes
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:49:55 +0100, Invisible Man
wrote:

Whenever someone tries to sell me a warranty or insurance I say I worked
for an insurance company for 36 years and don't believe in it. Car
insurance, house and contents insurance and travel insurance I do have.

I ask them do have so little faith in the reliability of the product
that they think I need it. Some get very cross when pressed for a 'yes'
or 'no' answer.

What's the point ?

They are only sales assistants there to sell products for the store i.e.
The goods and the extended warranty. It's not their product, not their
store, they don't make the rules or choose what the store sells


--
geoff

In message 1jC4o.4422$MT5.3386@hurricane, Norman Wells
writes
Invisible Man wrote:

Whenever someone tries to sell me a warranty or insurance I say I
worked for an insurance company for 36 years and don't believe in it.
Car insurance, house and contents insurance and travel insurance I do
have.

Have you ever claimed on your house insurance, I wonder? Mine's just
come up for renewal and I can't recall ever making a claim in 35 years
except one in 1990 for a relatively small amount of damage caused by a
couple of ridge tiles being dislodged by high winds.

The house is unlikely to collapse or hit an aeroplane, so what's it for
exactly? What are the most common claims?


Your house is unlikely to fall down or suffer expensive damage

HOWEVER ...

If it was to do so, could you afford to buy a new one ?

If the starter motor in your car died, could you afford to replace it?

Most probably - so IMO, parts warranty on a car isn't worth it

As someone else said, in general, only insure what you can't afford to
replace yourself (with the exception of richer sounds extended
warranties)


--
geoff

In message 9PG4o.4134$Rv5.1773@hurricane, Norman Wells
writes
Clive George wrote:
On 30/07/2010 17:21, Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:
On 30/07/2010 16:35, Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:

Have you ever claimed on your house insurance, I wonder? Mine's
just come up for renewal and I can't recall ever making a claim in
35 years except one in 1990 for a relatively small amount of damage
caused by a couple of ridge tiles being dislodged by high winds.

The house is unlikely to collapse or hit an aeroplane, so what's it
for exactly? What are the most common claims?

I'm thinking of not renewing mine (£300 quoted) as I think I'm
relatively low risk. You are too, so why do you pay to keep it going?

You talking buildings or contents?

It's both.

I've got buildings, because should something go wrong like a house
fire, I simply can't afford a full rebuild. The chance is very low,
but I'm prepared to take a loss on the bet because the potential loss
of not taking it is catastrophic.

Yes, since open fires went, and we don't smoke, the risk really is only
of something going wrong while cooking or an electrical fault. You just
don't see house fires like you used to!


I'll agree contents is closer to optional, but again, take the house
fire example : there's a lot of stuff to cover. I could probably start
again, but it would be very tight for a while.

Contents also gets you third party insurance when out of your house,
which is potentially useful. My parents claimed on it for a bike
crash I caused when I was a kid.

True, but again the risk is very low, I'd have thought. You're most
unlikely to lose the lot in one go.


Do you have a mortgage ?

If so, it is prolly a condition of the mortgage

If not, your call
--
geoff

In message , J G Miller
writes
On Friday, July 30th, 2010 at 21:42:43h +0100, Norman Wells declared:

You just don't see house fires like you used to!

Unless you live in southern California.

They say it never rains there

I've often heard that kind of talk before

--
geoff

On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:36:25 +0100, geoff wrote:

In message , Peter Duncanson
writes
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:01:08 +0100, Peter Duncanson
wrote:

in the middle of the night to be told the machine mashine has finished.

"mashine"? How did that get there?


Maybe you were using it to make illicit spirits from beer ...

I've never tried that. If the spirits are strong enough the "spin cycle"
would be the world as seen through the eyes of the drinker after a
suitable quantity.

--
Peter Duncanson
(in uk.tech.digital-tv)

In message , Invisible Man
writes
On 30/07/2010 17:21, Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:
On 30/07/2010 16:35, Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:

Have you ever claimed on your house insurance, I wonder? Mine's just
come up for renewal and I can't recall ever making a claim in 35
years except one in 1990 for a relatively small amount of damage
caused by a couple of ridge tiles being dislodged by high winds.

The house is unlikely to collapse or hit an aeroplane, so what's it
for exactly? What are the most common claims?

A very long time since I was involved in household business.
Theft
Burst pipes
Storm
Accidental damage - spills on carpets etc.
All risks - loss of jewellery, specs, dentures etc.
Fires caused by chip pans, smoking materials, electrics
underground pipes
accidental damage to sanitary fixtures etc.
Impact by vehicles
Flood
Malicious damage
subsidence
glass

I think I have personally had 1 claim for impact to a front wall and 2
for loss of specs

So, just one claim on house insurance and two minor ones on contents.
You've obviously made a substantial loss on premiums overall then, as I
have.

I'm thinking of not renewing mine (£300 quoted) as I think I'm
relatively low risk. You are too, so why do you pay to keep it going?



We pay £180. I am retired and don't have £1/4M+ to rebuild and replace
the contents.

While I do, I'd still rather lay off a couple of hundred a year than
have the potential need to spend it on replacing such a high value item

--
geoff

In message , The Natural Philosopher
writes
Norman Wells wrote:
Invisible Man wrote:

Whenever someone tries to sell me a warranty or insurance I say I
worked for an insurance company for 36 years and don't believe in it.
Car insurance, house and contents insurance and travel insurance I do
have.
Have you ever claimed on your house insurance, I wonder? Mine's just
come up for renewal and I can't recall ever making a claim in 35 years
except one in 1990 for a relatively small amount of damage caused by a
couple of ridge tiles being dislodged by high winds.
The house is unlikely to collapse or hit an aeroplane, so what's it
for exactly? What are the most common claims?

Theft.

Fire.

Theft I claimed about £6000 off. Had a real battle with teh loss
adjuster who claimed all my second hand junk furniture bought for a
couple of hundred was worth thousands of pounds, so wanted to adjust
my loss downwards.

Lost some garden machinery to the moonlight boys from the traveller
camp,.. Claimed a couple of grand on that. Thst conetnts of course.



Fire can take the whole house. That's house insurance. I cant see I
would ever need it, but storm damage can run into a lot

Brings to mind that tornado in Handsworth in Brum a couple of years ago,
or the one in N London where the roofs were peeled off a whole row of
houses

Not important - until it happens to you



--
geoff

In message , Peter Duncanson
writes
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:36:25 +0100, geoff wrote:

In message , Peter Duncanson
writes
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:01:08 +0100, Peter Duncanson
wrote:

in the middle of the night to be told the machine mashine has finished.

"mashine"? How did that get there?


Maybe you were using it to make illicit spirits from beer ...

I've never tried that. If the spirits are strong enough the "spin cycle"
would be the world as seen through the eyes of the drinker after a
suitable quantity.

But I do like this new word mash-shine that you have just coined

--
geoff

In message tAC4o.3421$vu3.671@hurricane, r.bartlett
writes
Who in their right mind would want to watch an LCD TV for 5 minutes let
alone 5 years- when Plasma offers a far better picture..

Me

I'm more concerned with what's on the TV (i.e. my brain is following the
story being presented) than what may or may not be a marginally better
picture (or not)

I find that excessive audio / videophiles tend to be either very rich or
very sad

which are you?

--
geoff

geoff wrote:

Do you have a mortgage ?
If so, it is prolly a condition of the mortgage

Buildings insurance I have (it *is* a condition of the mortgage)

If not, your call

Contents insurance, haven't had that since about 1988.

On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:56:04 +0100, Geoff wrote:

Your house is unlikely to fall down or suffer expensive damage

Unless it is located on the North Yorkshire coast (Scarborough area)

http://www.culture24.org.UK/art/live+%2526+public+art/art77602

In message , Tim
Streater writes
In article , geoff
wrote:

In message , J G Miller
writes
On Friday, July 30th, 2010 at 21:42:43h +0100, Norman Wells declared:

You just don't see house fires like you used to!

Unless you live in southern California.

They say it never rains there

It doesn't rain for perhaps 8 months of the year.

Then it pours, man it pours


Oh dear, do I have to post the lyrics ?

http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/itneverr.htm

--
geoff

In message , J G Miller
writes
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:56:04 +0100, Geoff wrote:

Your house is unlikely to fall down or suffer expensive damage

Unless it is located on the North Yorkshire coast (Scarborough area)

http://www.culture24.org.UK/art/live+%2526+public+art/art77602

But houses oop north, especially on cliff tops only cost 6d

everyone knows that


--
geoff

On Saturday, July 31st, 2010 at 00:38:29h +0100, Geoff declared:

But houses oop north, especially on cliff tops only cost 6d

everyone knows that

As opposed to the ones on Devon clifftops costing GBP 150 000?

http://www.dailymail.co.UK/news/arti...rock-fall.html

On Friday, July 30th, 2010 at 23:56:04h +0100, Geoff declared:

Your house is unlikely to fall down or suffer expensive damage

Unless there is a colony of gray squirrels in the neighborhood.

http://www.dailymail.co.UK/news/article-1298984/Squirrels-chew-electrical-wires--burn-luxury-400-000-home.html

In message , J G Miller
writes
On Saturday, July 31st, 2010 at 00:38:29h +0100, Geoff declared:

But houses oop north, especially on cliff tops only cost 6d

everyone knows that

As opposed to the ones on Devon clifftops costing GBP 150 000?

http://www.dailymail.co.UK/news/arti...-paid-150-000-
cliff-property-loses-garden-5-000-tonne-rock-fall.html



Makes you realise that Dennis is a brand name, not just a fool

--
geoff

In message , J G Miller
writes
On Friday, July 30th, 2010 at 23:56:04h +0100, Geoff declared:

Your house is unlikely to fall down or suffer expensive damage

Unless there is a colony of gray squirrels in the neighborhood.

http://www.dailymail.co.UK/news/arti...-chew-electric
al-wires--burn-luxury-400-000-home.html

I think you have your attributes mixed up there but, no matter

a house is an expensive item to replace


--
geoff

Adrian C burst on the scene, and said:


Thing that I don't like about Costco, is their an 'anti-riff-raff'
policy on selecting only trade or professional status UK customers. I
don't see evidence of that in their American stores.

Costco are wholesalers. In the UK that means they cannot legally sell
to the 'riff-raff' (your term - which seems to include yourself). They
can only legally sell to retailers, businesses, professionals and
institutions.

--
Michaelangelo
www.flickr.com/photos/mikenagel

Self-catering, holiday accommodation in the Scottish Highlands - for
disabled people:
www.woodhead-cottage.co.uk

Adrian C wrote:

Thing that I don't like about Costco, is their an 'anti-riff-raff'
policy on selecting only trade or professional status UK customers. I
don't see evidence of that in their American stores.

I don't mond that, it's the fact that there are so few branches and they
are all in out-of-the-way places that puts me off. I've seen on at
Trafford Park near to the giant Asda which I suppose is convenient for
some, but the others I've seen are in places line Avonmouth (why? the
place is a dump) and the nearest to me is 35 miles away as the crow
files (1h15m by car) and 56 miles by dual cariageway/motorway (59
minutes). That's a lot of fuel to go shopping.

Are they actually any better on price/service than the likes of
Makro/Bookers? I've never found either of those to quibble about
returns.

On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:48:12 +0100, geoff wrote:

What's the point ?

It was a cold call, I was in the middle of my lunch and it irritated me.

--
Alan White
Mozilla Firefox and Forte Agent.
Twenty-eight miles NW of Glasgow, overlooking Lochs Long and Goil in Argyll, Scotland.
Webcam and weather:- http://windycroft.co.uk/weather

geoff wrote:
In message , Java Jive
writes
Over the years, consumer advice has consistently been against paying
for such extended warranties. They are a rip-off. In fact, if you
think about, there is a sense in which all insurance is a rip-off.

The best form of insurance is to have enough money earning interest
to replace whatever it is that is being insured.

Really ?

Would you like to remind up how much money you would have to put away
for how long at today's interest rates to replace an item which cost,
shall we say, £400 ?

If it's something electronic, about £200.

Tim Streater wrote:

Insurance only really works when risks are fairly low. So if 1 in
10,000 houses burns down each year, and the average house is worth
say �250k, everyone pays �25/year in fire insurance (plus a bit
more). That means all 10,000 householders can cease to worry about
that particular risk.
That's what you're paying the premium for - so you don't have to
worry. It's for you to decide which risks you don't care about. To do
that in a sensible way, of course, you'll have to do a risk
assessment for each type of risk. That's what insurance companies do,
and they're quite good at it (they go bust if they're not). Better at
it than you are, at any rate.

Judging by the profits they make, they're much, much better at it than me,
to the extent of charging me possibly double what the risk actually is.
That's the gripe.

I just wonder if anyone here has actually received back from their house
insurance company more than they've paid out in premiums. There should be
some if the companies aren't rampantly profiteering on the back of
unjustified anxiety.

Norman Wells burst on the scene, and said:


I just wonder if anyone here has actually received back from their
house insurance company more than they've paid out in premiums.
There should be some if the companies aren't rampantly profiteering
on the back of unjustified anxiety.

You don't really understand insurance, do you?

--
Michaelangelo
www.flickr.com/photos/mikenagel

Self-catering, holiday accommodation in the Scottish Highlands - for
disabled people:
www.woodhead-cottage.co.uk

"Michaelangelo" wrote in message ...


You don't really understand insurance, do you?


So how about explaining the misunderstanding, instead of just making a snide
comment?

SteveT

On Sat, 31 Jul 2010 06:01:32 +0100, Michaelangelo wrote:

Adrian C burst on the scene, and said:


Thing that I don't like about Costco, is their an 'anti-riff-raff'
policy on selecting only trade or professional status UK customers. I
don't see evidence of that in their American stores.

Costco are wholesalers. In the UK that means they cannot legally sell to
the 'riff-raff' (your term - which seems to include yourself). They can
only legally sell to retailers, businesses, professionals and
institutions.

And in practice, in my nearest Costco (Thurrock, Essex) there are plenty
of 'riff raff'! They seem to qualify somehow...



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

Bob Eager burst on the scene, and said:


And in practice, in my nearest Costco (Thurrock, Essex) there are
plenty of 'riff raff'! They seem to qualify somehow...

Indeed. People 'borrow' legitimate users cards. Difficult for a company
like Costco to control that. Checking the validity of every customer
would take time and cost money, so prices would rise. It's also not
good for business if customers are routinely challenged in-store.

--
Michaelangelo
www.flickr.com/photos/mikenagel

Self-catering, holiday accommodation in the Scottish Highlands - for
disabled people:
www.woodhead-cottage.co.uk

...so I guess
they win by most people forgetting. I had set up a computer reminder.

A very good point I had overlooked.

One other point about Richer Sound's Supercare. It used to be
transferable if you sold the goods, unlike at least some of the
insurance-based schemes. (FTAOD I have no connection with them and
haven't bought from them for some years; but I am old enough to have
first bought when
they had just the one shop at London Bridge.)

--
Robin
PM may be sent to rbw0{at}hotmail{dot}com