Not a chance. I know how these deals go down. If anything sales contracts may dictate it be more worth his while to go buy the stock up himself.Be careful, he may be the one that closed the deal.
Winston rods at Costco..whodda thunk
- Thread starter SurfnFish
- Start date
I remember when this happened to Sage and (I thought Simms too) hearing that someone did that - they went and bought up the whole stock from Costco.
Millsfly
Steelhead
that's not what happened. They're not warrantied because they didnt come though the proper sales channel. Search up grey market purchasing by costco in the googles and it's right there. They've been sued over it. Omega watches lost in court. It's happened to companies like Yakima Racks, Sage, Simms, Filson and more. Just shady AF
Millsfly
Steelhead
both had to go through that goat rope
A
Anonymous member 148
Guest
I worked in sales a bit, in the food industry. Companies dawn kneepads and a can do attitude for anything Costco or Winco wants. The return policies at Costco were ridiculous. I'm talking people eat the whole cake and leave a tiny slice, then return it. Maybe that could be the warranty? Break the rod and if your a Costco member just take it back!
jaredoconnor
Peabrain Chub
As someone who doesn’t care for the BS of the fly fishing industry, I condone this behavior by Costco. I guess we now all know how much a Winston rod is actually worth.
I get what you are saying but I've never been blown away those that actually work in the fly fishing industry are making amazing money doing it....
Someone affiliated with Winston took an order from an address in Seattle for + or - 100 - 9 foot five weights, they got built and shipped to Costco, and now Winston is pissed? Come on!
Say what you will about "big boxes" but it is unfortunate that the overwhelming majority of suppliers and manufacturers in the fly fishing industry do not offer a comparable level of customer service and product guarantees that is customary on all goods and services marketed and sold at Costco. Nor do they command an equivalent degree of employee satisfaction and loyalty. In spite of their corporate presence it is hard to label Costco the bad guy.
speaking of six weights.
www.yellowstoneangler.com
Yellowstone also has various other weight shootouts...best budget rod in the 5's and 8' is the Fenwick Aetos, my personal fave pricepoint rods
2021 SIX WEIGHT SHOOTOUT
Our renown Yellowstone Angler "shootouts" directly compare similar fly rods against each other. See how we've ranked today's most popular fly rods.
www.yellowstoneangler.com
Yellowstone also has various other weight shootouts...best budget rod in the 5's and 8' is the Fenwick Aetos, my personal fave pricepoint rods
Gear Reviews Archive
Our renown Yellowstone Angler "shootouts" directly compare similar fly rods against each other. See how we've ranked today's most popular fly rods.
www.yellowstoneangler.com
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jaredoconnor
Peabrain Chub
I’m all for companies charging whatever they think people will pay. If that allows someone to do their dream job, more power to them.
I’m not for “authorized distribution channels” that are clearly manipulating the price. This is the land of the free (market).
The irony of Winston being butthurt over this, all the whole touting “USA made”, is funny to me.
I remember on a different thread where some said 'let me buy the rod without a warranty'. If I want it I will pay extra. Well here is your chance to buy one without a warranty if it is true Winston will not accept a Costco sale as an authorized dealer.
I know Winston maintains a lot of history by serial number. With their records they agreed a warranty repair of a rod I bought. I am not sure if they track serial numbers by authorized seller. So if I bought a Costco rod and said I bought it from an authorized seller if it ever would be caught?
With all that being said I do feel for /support those manufacturers where products end up in the grey market. The manufacturers need to vet the authorized sellers better and have provisions in their contract with them the penalties that could be applied if they support grey market sales. They also should be even better on clarity of warranty coverage for the consumer. I have seen where a manufacturer lists all authorized sellers. Maybe call Winston before a purchase to verify a new rod is covered by a warranty? How about sell all rods without a warranty? If a consumer of a new rod purchase also buys a warranty directly from Winston? Is the problem of grey market solved with this approach? I think so...
I know Winston maintains a lot of history by serial number. With their records they agreed a warranty repair of a rod I bought. I am not sure if they track serial numbers by authorized seller. So if I bought a Costco rod and said I bought it from an authorized seller if it ever would be caught?
With all that being said I do feel for /support those manufacturers where products end up in the grey market. The manufacturers need to vet the authorized sellers better and have provisions in their contract with them the penalties that could be applied if they support grey market sales. They also should be even better on clarity of warranty coverage for the consumer. I have seen where a manufacturer lists all authorized sellers. Maybe call Winston before a purchase to verify a new rod is covered by a warranty? How about sell all rods without a warranty? If a consumer of a new rod purchase also buys a warranty directly from Winston? Is the problem of grey market solved with this approach? I think so...
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Divad
Whitefish
I do not think people understand what grey market purchasing is (assuming that’s what happened here). As a once buyer for the big A, we never participated but had every tool to find them and do so. Instead we went after the brand (ASP targets) who then went after the discount distributor.
Costco is more of an “opportunist” in grey market purchasing, ie: finding closeout retailers or foreign stock and buying it up to flip. (Those retailers given their position have a hard time saying no to the money.) Utilizing their expansive distribution network and decision tree, they’ll find Bend OR Costco as the optimal spot to flip fast and sell like hotcakes.
Even if it’s only 100 rods let’s say, it’ll bring in folks to walk the lines buying more. As others noted it is a shady purchasing environment.
Costco is more of an “opportunist” in grey market purchasing, ie: finding closeout retailers or foreign stock and buying it up to flip. (Those retailers given their position have a hard time saying no to the money.) Utilizing their expansive distribution network and decision tree, they’ll find Bend OR Costco as the optimal spot to flip fast and sell like hotcakes.
Even if it’s only 100 rods let’s say, it’ll bring in folks to walk the lines buying more. As others noted it is a shady purchasing environment.
Divad
Whitefish
Furthermore Costco doesn’t care if the brand won’t provide a warranty, they will. And the finance team on the backend has a lot more power to work lump sum payments into investments that hedge returns for the long run.
What’s unfortunate is those rods won’t breathe a second life one day after a break, they’ll most likely be returned and dumpstered.
What’s unfortunate is those rods won’t breathe a second life one day after a break, they’ll most likely be returned and dumpstered.
Im gonna ask. How do you folks get that there is no warranty for this rod? Its a Winston. If Winston has a warranty, how can they not honor it, if they made that rod? Do they purposely make lesser quality rods just for this kind of purpose and if so, how can a consumer tell the difference.
Thanks for the help.
Bob
Thanks for the help.
Bob
No stake in this as I'm not a fan of Winston rods, not a fan of Costco, and I believe Costco can (not should) do whatever it wants so long as it's legal, but Winston's own policy is fairly straightforward and standard:
"The WINSTON UNCONDITIONAL LIFETIME GUARANTEE covers every new Winston boron/graphite and graphite fly rod and blank against breakage or manufacturer’s defects. This warranty is available only to the original owner of products purchased from an authorized Winston Dealer."
If Costco is an authorized Winston dealer, cool. If not, which some are questioning, then there's your answer. As for how they can set up their warranty this way—it’s their prerogative as a company.
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Thanks Jake.
Its weird to me that if its a true Winston, and its bought new, why would it not be honored? Somehow Costco got the Winston rods, if they are indeed true Winston Rods. Those rods had to have come from Winston. Just doesnt seem right not to honor a warranty, no matter how a consumer obtained it, as long as it was obtained legally. As mentioned above, at some point in time, Winston shipped a massive order to Costco, or maybe to another third party. Those rods were most likely not made any different from the ones sold to authorized dealers.
Bob
Its weird to me that if its a true Winston, and its bought new, why would it not be honored? Somehow Costco got the Winston rods, if they are indeed true Winston Rods. Those rods had to have come from Winston. Just doesnt seem right not to honor a warranty, no matter how a consumer obtained it, as long as it was obtained legally. As mentioned above, at some point in time, Winston shipped a massive order to Costco, or maybe to another third party. Those rods were most likely not made any different from the ones sold to authorized dealers.
Bob
They're not. Orvis makes clothes specifically for that market (or has clothes made).
The add did say it was covered under costco's warranty. The link is down now, so must be all sold. I looked, even though I still think my next rod will be another 10' carbon XL, in 4wt.