Costco testing out the Goodyear waters?

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I was at Costco in San Leandro last night picking up some things for Thanksgiving and I noticed they had some Goodyear marketing up at the tire install bays. I walk into the tire shop and they had a few Goodyear tires on display - mostly the Assurance FuelMax and Wrangler SR-A. The guy working the counter said they are testing them here and if goes well, Costco will be carrying Goodyear alongside Michelin and Bridgestone. The Assurance FuelMax was priced well below the Bridgestone Ecopia and Michelin Defender XT. Since Sears is teetering towards irrelevancy and the only major national accounts Goodyear has is Wal-Mart and Big O/NTB/Midas, could Goodyear be doing to get market share?
 
The truth of the matter is that Costco needs some family of tires they can sell at a lesser price. While we know that the prices they charge for top tier tires are very competitive, there are people that don't buy tires from Costco because they don't have a selection on "less expensive" tires.

Goodyear-would solve some part of the equation.
 
BJ's buyers club up this way sells Goodyear but they're regional. Goodyear Europe sells some very good tires, few of which make it to the US.
 
Originally Posted By: CKN
there are people that don't buy tires from Costco because they don't have a selection on "less expensive" tires.

Goodyear-would solve some part of the equation.


I figured that - Costco might have been losing some tire business - someone has a car they don't need high-end on, and they lose the sale. But if that was the case and if Costco wanted to have something to compete with Prime Well/Sailun/Milestar couldn't they have picked up Uniroyal since logistically it is a Michelin brand and uses the same distribution channels? Costco did sell Kirkland Signature tires which were made by Michelin's BFG operations.
 
Goodyear also has a bunch of corporate stores. They tend to run good promotions in the store that I don't think I've bothered to price match. Best deal was when they had a buy 3 get one free and also an $80 rebate on top of that which they doubled if you had a Goodyear credit card.
 
We have a costco card and I like the store just fine. Even with 70 dollar off promo their prices are too high for what I buy.

They seem to be only carrying super premium tires.

I don't buy el-cheapos, but like something in the middle.
 
Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: CKN
there are people that don't buy tires from Costco because they don't have a selection on "less expensive" tires.

Goodyear-would solve some part of the equation.


I figured that - Costco might have been losing some tire business - someone has a car they don't need high-end on, and they lose the sale. But if that was the case and if Costco wanted to have something to compete with Prime Well/Sailun/Milestar couldn't they have picked up Uniroyal since logistically it is a Michelin brand and uses the same distribution channels? Costco did sell Kirkland Signature tires which were made by Michelin's BFG operations.



It's my understanding that Michelin/Bridgestone dealers bought tremendous pressure on Michelin to stop producing the Kirkland tires due to lost sales where a Costco Warehouse was located. That's was the reason they were discontinued. At least that was the story I got.

Also, it's all about "the art of the deal". I am sure that Goodyear will/has made them a sweet offer.

The American Express card Program at CostCo is coming to an end April of next year because American Express and CostCo couldn't make a deal. It should be noted that American Express Cards will be excepted shortly at Sam's Club!
 
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Originally Posted By: JustinH
We have a costco card and I like the store just fine. Even with 70 dollar off promo their prices are too high for what I buy.

They seem to be only carrying super premium tires.

I don't buy el-cheapos, but like something in the middle.



This. I don't buy tires at CostCo either for this very reason.
 
On the flipside though, every single costco tire center seems packed and people are waiting several hours to get their tires done. I've never seen a not-busy costco tire center with guys just standing around waiting for customers.

So it seems they might be limited by facilities anyway...
 
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Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: JustinH
We have a costco card and I like the store just fine. Even with 70 dollar off promo their prices are too high for what I buy.

They seem to be only carrying super premium tires.

I don't buy el-cheapos, but like something in the middle.
This. I don't buy tires at CostCo either for this very reason.
Originally Posted By: raytseng
On the flipside though, every single costco tire center seems packed and people are waiting several hours to get their tires done. I've never seen a not-busy costco tire center with guys just standing around waiting for customers.

So it seems they might be limited by facilities anyway...

Costco price is not as good as AT/DT on sale at major holidays, especially AT/DT prices match online.

Waiting time is too long at local store for simple services such as flat repair or rotation, and they don't accept appointment.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: JustinH
We have a costco card and I like the store just fine. Even with 70 dollar off promo their prices are too high for what I buy.

They seem to be only carrying super premium tires.

I don't buy el-cheapos, but like something in the middle.
This. I don't buy tires at CostCo either for this very reason.
Originally Posted By: raytseng
On the flipside though, every single costco tire center seems packed and people are waiting several hours to get their tires done. I've never seen a not-busy costco tire center with guys just standing around waiting for customers.

So it seems they might be limited by facilities anyway...

Costco price is not as good as AT/DT on sale at major holidays, especially AT/DT prices match online.

Waiting time is too long at local store for simple services such as flat repair or rotation, and they don't accept appointment.


It depends on the location for appointments. The one in Culver City/Marina Del Rey started taking them as did the Alhambra one.
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: JustinH
We have a costco card and I like the store just fine. Even with 70 dollar off promo their prices are too high for what I buy.

They seem to be only carrying super premium tires.

I don't buy el-cheapos, but like something in the middle.
This. I don't buy tires at CostCo either for this very reason.
Originally Posted By: raytseng
On the flipside though, every single costco tire center seems packed and people are waiting several hours to get their tires done. I've never seen a not-busy costco tire center with guys just standing around waiting for customers.

So it seems they might be limited by facilities anyway...

Costco price is not as good as AT/DT on sale at major holidays, especially AT/DT prices match online.

Waiting time is too long at local store for simple services such as flat repair or rotation, and they don't accept appointment.


But AT/DT isn't everywhere - there's billboards for America's Tire where in Oakland but it's a 20 minute drive to Concord/Walnut Creek or 30 minutes to Dublin/San Ramon/Union City for the closest ones.

But we have Firestone/Wheel Works everywhere...
 
Originally Posted By: raytseng
On the flipside though, every single costco tire center seems packed and people are waiting several hours to get their tires done. I've never seen a not-busy costco tire center with guys just standing around waiting for customers.

So it seems they might be limited by facilities anyway...


The Costco by me only installs Michelin and Bridgestone. And even then they won't stock competing products. They'll stock high-end Michelin Premier passenger car all-seasons, but not Michelin snow tires. Those are all Bridgestone WS-80's. The "value" all-season tire is the "eco-friendly above all else" Bridgestone Ecopia 422. I wish they'd install some Goodyears, although they'd still likely be Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires. Meh.
 
Ive never found DT prices to be compellingly good. Costco has come out ahead by a decent amount more than once...
 
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