Mavic now available @ Costco

mark_t · Jun 5, 2017

triggerhappylombax said:
According to DJI you would not have a warranty. It could be argued that the original owner bought from an approved dealer, but I wouldn't bank on it. As far as I know you can get DJI care within 48 hours after activating the drone (so no 'flown once or twice' ones), but I still have not seen a statement that DJI care covers everything the original warranty does.

You can get DJI Care Refresh after the first 48 hour period, but there is a process to go through which requires a video showing various aspects of the aircraft both static and in flight so they can see it is working normally.

... and no, Refresh doesn't replace the warranty, it offers two replacements over a 12 month period for an additional fee for each replacement on top of the original Refresh cost.

Costco have sold DJI products before now so the warranty issue should have been tested on a P4 for example, I don't recall any horror stories about this...

PT_Mavic · Jun 5, 2017

triggerhappylombax said:
@PT_Mavic: I would have believed the same, but knowing DJI's Policy I thought it prudent to inquire, which yielded the result I posted. Costco very clearly said (tech support) they don't deal with DJI drones after 90 days, but to contact the manufacturer after the 90 days are up. And where that leads with DJI you can imagine.

I certainly don't doubt that's what Costco says, but that implies "After 90 days, it's DJI's warranty that protects you." We need to hear what DJI says.

Given the volume of product that Costco, Best Buy, Target (yes, they're on the approved list) would commit to, these aren't units that "fell off the truck" as you might suspect for an eBay listing. I very much doubt any of these companies would enter a purchase order wherein DJI says "Ok, here's your 20,000 units, now get out of here - we never heard of you" as that would be fraught with customer dissatisfaction.

Maybe DJI is just slow to update the list; they have issues with customer relations, after all.

domination · Jun 5, 2017

hookalakupua said:
Being sold at Sam's Club as well. The world is coming to an end! hahaha
View attachment 14372

Good!! Get the Mavic in more hands and we will have more champions for the cause - including those casual/first time users! I was a first time user in January. (as we ALL WERE at one point!) Now I have 175+ flights. It's not all gloom and doom. I think, with mass appeal, we won't be viewed as 'fringe' users spying on people once everyone sees and experiences, in amazement, the actual capabilities of the MP. Besides, if any crazy legislation passes, I'm quite confident, given the brain power and expertise of this very forum, a suitable 'workaround' would be formulated. [emoji6]

triggerhappylombax · Jun 5, 2017

PT_Mavic said:
I certainly don't doubt that's what Costco says, but that implies "After 90 days, it's DJI's warranty that protects you." We need to hear what DJI says.

Given the volume of product that Costco, Best Buy, Target (yes, they're on the approved list) would commit to, these aren't units that "fell off the truck" as you might suspect for an eBay listing. I very much doubt any of these companies would enter a purchase order wherein DJI says "Ok, here's your 20,000 units, now get out of here - we never heard of you" as that would be fraught with customer dissatisfaction.

Maybe DJI is just slow to update the list; they have issues with customer relations, after all.

I fully agree with you. Getting first-hand DJI answers would be important, but so far I have failed to get anything out of them. Of course the idea that Fry's, Costco, Sams Club and a bunch of other major retailers sell drones 'that fell off the truck' is absurd, especially with DJI's own marketing materials. I just wonder whether the companies don't know about DJI's policies, don't care or hope that DJI will relent if trouble should strike. I asked Fry's and got the most generic answer possible.

adcd19 · Jun 28, 2017

I went to my local Costco last week and they did not have the Mavic. Went online to Costco's website and purchased it there. A few days later they said it was out of stock and canceled my order. Anyone seen these available in Costco recently?

Racenviper · Jun 29, 2017

I see them at Sams Club.

rumblefish · Jun 29, 2017

just an fyi, costco's drone policy is rigid 90 return policy. its not their normall policy
i think the mavic might be going away at costco. had to costco two days in a row last week. Day 1, the display was full of purchase cards, next day all the cards were gone and looked the display was being broken down.

HKFEVER · Jun 29, 2017

Good, this kind of big store chain will show DJI what's customer service.

Either you make it & with good QC, or else I am going to it refund.

zztinker · Jun 29, 2017

Sold out in Bakersfield.

PT_Mavic · Jun 29, 2017

rumblefish said:
just an fyi, costco's drone policy is rigid 90 return policy. its not their normall policy

i think the mavic might be going away at costco. had to costco two days in a row last week. Day 1, the display was full of purchase cards, next day all the cards were gone and looked the display was being broken down.

90 days return at Costco is pretty nice, actually; but what about warranty coverage from DJI beyond that?

I'm wondering if the Costco stores got a display with a fixed number of purchase cards and no ability to reorder more? That would tell me that DJI is blowing out units from inventory in preparation for something coming later this year. Otherwise, why not let Costco order more and sell as many as possible?

If their Mavic 1 inventory is essentially sold out around the time the Mavic 2 is introduced, that removes any incentive to discount them at that time to clear them out - DJI's rigid price management of this product has been impressive; even now that it's widely available it seems 'discounting' is still limited to 2 or 3%

With the Spark priced fairly close to the Mavic, having to discount it just cannibalizes their own product line and cuts into revenue and profits - introducing a new one just as the old one is sold out, and the selling price stays where it is or is another $100 or so, would be a genius marketing move if they can pull it off.