Why does Costco shortchange loyal renewing customers?

I posted “Why does Costco shortchange loyal renewing customers?” as a comment on CostCo’s Facebook page yesterday. And Costco’s social media teams replied promptly (within the hour) to inform me my concerns have already been sent to the appropriate team(s). Will see what happen next.

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For the record, here is “Why does Costco shortchange loyal renewing customers?” ,

Hi, We just had a rather #awful Costco Wholesale Canada membership renewal experience this past Friday. Ended up spending ~30 minutes talking to three (4) different customer service employees/manager with one of them even threatened me to stop writing down her name (I said I might want to complain about my experiences at some point). I was told I’m not allowed to remember their names in order to properly complain if I wish to. Is this normal and standard operating procedure of CostCo employees to threaten members who may want to complain with precision?
Can someone explain why does CostCo treat loyal customers WORSE than brand new customers? Shouldn’t renewal NOT be taken “for granted”? Is it wrong to think each renewal should be treated as EARNED?

— Calgary Zoo example
In stark contrast, Calgary Zoo does things right and treat each member who decides to renew (some don’t renew) with full respect and work hard to earn each renewal. As a start, the zoo treats a renewing member EQUALLY as a new member and would NEVER shortchange/disadvantage a loyal existing member!

— CostCo: a multi-billion dollar entitled company?
Now back to CostCo, please correct me if I am wrong. When a NEW customer decide to take out a NEW membership on November 1st, his/her membership will expire in 2020 November 30th, correct me if I am wrong?
Now when we renewed on November 1st, we were told that our membership expired on September 30th! Major #fail with CostCo! In fact we were further explained, for ANYONE who “renew” within three (3) months of their previous membership expiration date, their membership expiration is the OLD date! So for example, members who decide to renew 89 days after expiration will have their membership shortchanged with 89 days LESS!
Fair? I don’t think so. This, to me and to be frank, is the actions of a multi-billion dollar entitled company that disrespect loyal customers because “it has always been done like this” or it is in the “terms and conditions” (which I tried to read “Membership Conditions & Regulations, and Privacy Policy” but is unable to find the exact exploitative legal language).

— More Training (not punishment) & Will CostCo start treating Loyal/Renewal customers with respect??
I will NEVER want anyone be punished for my stupid complains. Life is too short. Training may be. I want other customers be treated much better than I had been.
I take time to complain not just to benefit myself (sure, I want my complains fixed) BUT I take time to publicly complain in order to raise issues that I think companies like CostCo should think seriously and consider fixing.
I’ve laid out my complains and the issues (hopefully clearly and factually). Will CostCo review your corporate policy and START respecting all Loyal/Renewing customers reminds to be seen. Don’t take my words for it, Google or ask Calgary Zoo how they treat their renewing members and if they treat their loyal renewing members as good as their new ones and if they also shortchange their members because many are too busy to ask?

經濟分析師陳心田與獨立記者林錦堂講一講 – 小皇帝：中國的”一家一孩”政策對行為的影響

The news report “One-child policy: China’s army of little emperors – The one-child policy has fundamentally changed the psychology of a generation” intrigued Economic Analyst +Wallace Chan  & this independent reporter. So night, we held a LIVE YouTube chat about the research paper “Little Emperors” and China’s One-Child Policy in two languages. Here are the recordings.

(in Cantonese) 經濟分析師陳心田與獨立記者林錦堂講一講 – 小皇帝：中國的”一家一孩”政策對行為的影響

(In English) Kempton & Wallace talk Little Emperors: Behavioral Impacts of China’s One-Child Policy 

Ref: (1) “Little Emperors: Behavioral Impacts of China’s One-Child Policy” by L. Cameron, N. Erkal, L. Gangadharan, X. Meng

(2) “沒有兄弟姐妹的社會” by 張五常 (Steven Cheung)

Jan 26, 2013 Update: Here is a new Jan 2013 video clip of “Nobel Laureate Ronald Coase on China’s One-Child Policy“. For more (including link to transcripts) see this article.

陳心田與林錦堂講一講美國金融懸崖、經濟前景等題目

(廣東話) 今月較早時候，經濟分析師陳心田與獨立記者林錦堂講一講美國金融懸崖、經濟前景等題目。

(in Cantonese) Earlier this month Economic Analyst +Wallace Chan & Independent Reporter Kempton Lam chatted about the following topics.

Topics discussed:
* US’ fiscal cliff & economic prospect in 2013
* Huawei selling telco & consumer equipment to the world
* China’s new leadership & its 2013 challenges/opportunities
* Problems caused by Instagram’s Terms of Services change. Facebook trying to make money somehow.

講一講加國行長Mark Carney空降英倫銀行

(廣東話) 經濟分析師陳心田與獨立記者林錦堂講一講加國行長Mark Carney空降英倫銀行

(in Cantonese) Economic Analyst +Wallace Chan & Independent Reporter Kempton Lam chat re Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney to lead Bank of England.

香港誠品、Apple Store、希慎廣場、租務策略

I sometimes conduct research and read stuff to gain new understanding and to satisfy my own curiosity. In this case, I’ve done a little digging to get a better understanding (at least for me) re 香港誠品、希慎廣場、租務策略. Instead of spending the time I don’t have to write an article, I am sharing with you my raw data/material. Feel free to leave your comments.

Anchor Tenants: See previously posted article re “香港誠品“. From 9to5mac “Hong Kong’s second Apple Store landing in Hysan Place, opening later this year?”

Good read: Knowledge@Wharton, “Can J.C. Penney’s New CEO [Ron Johnson, chief of Apple’s retail stores] Reinvent the Department Store?”

From 2011 希慎管理層的討論與分析

“希慎廣場
希慎廣場(位於軒尼詩道500號的重建項目)是集團下一個發展里程,包括15層寫字樓及17 層商舖,總樓面面積共達710,000平方呎。希慎廣場將為希慎的整體物業組合帶來長遠的策 略價值:
• 希慎廣場的商場部份將大大強化集團的整體商舖物業組合,使總樓面面積增加50%,同時 帶來更精彩的租戶組合,當中不少租戶為首次進軍香港的品牌。
• 新廈將提供優質樓面,為希慎寫字樓組合的發展注入一股強大動力,增進集團甲級寫字樓 組合作為中環商業區最自然延伸的優勢。新廈將是2012年港島區唯一落成的 AAA 級寫字 樓,其符合可持續發展概念的設計,採用最高標準的建造規格,而所有寫字樓樓層均坐擁 維港美景。

Fake Apple Store in China

From AppleInsider, “Chinese officials investigating fake Apple Stores as customers complain”

“塑膠” $100 – 廣東話分析

加拿大十一月推出新的 “塑膠” $100，Bank of Canada 今日提早向市民介紹。以下是我的廣東話分析。英文原稿及科技分析另見”Canada New Polymer $100 Notes in Nov 2011 – Now your money is smooth & will bounce!”。