Costco Member Privileges and Conditions

[grasscutter]

Member Privileges and Conditions

In that membership policy statement, I see nothing that states a member MUST enter the store using the entrance.

Do you think they would actually go so far as to revoke a person's membership because the member peacefully and quietly prefers to enter the store through the exit? Yes I understand entering the store through the exit may impede the flow of traffic exiting the store, but keep in mind that said member does not enter the store with a cart. The member obtains the cart AFTER the member has entered the store. There's usually plenty of vacant carts inside the store that are unattended.

I really don't care if they pull my membership. I just think it would be ridiculous reason to do so.

The only thing I buy there mostly is frozen bags of ice and vitamin supplements.

 

[jcy]

as opposed to the unfrozen bags of ice? i think they want you to scan your card to record attendance, those scanners would not be by the exit

 

[BHopkins]

Costco is trying to control fraud, by having their members scan their membership at the entrance. If someone is consistently entering through the exit, Costco may think they are intentionally trying to circumvent their security measures.

you have to enter the exit to get to customer service and tires...

Yup, that is true at the Costco locations in my area also. My impression is that they are ok with that, considering that these visits are exceptions, and not the normal method of entering the warehouse, for the vast majority of their members.

 

[Cropduster172]

Such bold and courageous bucking of authoritarianism.
You go girl!

 

[grasscutter]

as opposed to the unfrozen bags of ice? i think they want you to scan your card to record attendance, those scanners would not be by the exit

The thing is though, they don't have those scanners at the store I go to. I don't think the other stores in town do either.

 

[rstsco]

Member Privileges and Conditions
...but keep in mind that said member does not enter the store with a cart. The member obtains the cart AFTER the member has entered the store.

Not ours. All carts are outside before entering the store. It's strictly BYOC.

 

[Gyro Gearloose]

I loathe places that make it difficult for me to give them my money.

 

[4wd]

Not ours. All carts are outside before entering the store. It's strictly BYOC.

Same … carts are under a roof outside the entrance …

 

[97prizm]

The thing is though, they don't have those scanners at the store I go to. I don't think the other stores in town do either.

The Costco near me has them now. I'm assuming they're phasing them in batches.

 

[Astro14]

This is the hill you’re going to die on?

“I insist on entering through the exit”?

really?

From a strictly business perspective - here’s a shopper who is a pain in the backside, who only buys ice and frozen veggies.

Why put up with his shenanigans that inconvenience us, and the rest of our shoppers? There is so little ROI for the extra burden that he causes.

 

[Hermann]

When the wife was still alive we loved Costco. 3 years ago I rejoined after 10 yr or so. Costco you have gone downhill so much, and let the shareholders dictate your former advantages out of existence.

 

[rijndael]

We've been a member since the days of Price Club.

I generally don't like being herded like cattle and treated like a thief when trying to leave, but them's the rules; I enter the building knowing the game.

 

[Cropduster172]

This is the hill you’re going to die on?

“I insist on entering through the exit”?

really?

From a strictly business perspective - here’s a shopper who is a pain in the backside, who only buys ice and frozen veggies.

Why put up with his shenanigans that inconvenience us, and the rest of our shoppers? There is so little ROI for the extra burden that he causes.

I never see abandoned carts in Costco near us...and it's a very busy one. All carts are in the exterior covered entrance/exit or in cart corals in the parking lot.
Those carts he believes are abandoned are more likely a cart a decent customer was shopping with and was looking for something not in view of the cart only to return to their cart and find it missing.
So add unnecessarily inconveniencing another person to the list of right fighting Costco.

 

[Cropduster172]

We've been a member since the days of Price Club.

I generally don't like being herded like cattle and treated like a thief when trying to leave, but them's the rules; I enter the building knowing the game.

I generally agree. I'm no Costco fan boi...paying for the right to shop and spend your money is a pretty good scam. But there's advantages to it and it's a conscious decision to join and shop there. There membership fee is worth it to me if only for their whole bean coffee and my annual purchase of pool chlorine tabs.
Their house, their rules.

 

[GSCJR]

It varies by location and these are my personal observations at our local Costco:

1.) Two membership card scanners displaying your photo to store greeters, are located at the entrance.
2.) A membership is required to make purchases at a register, including self-checkouts, but no longer verified by staff in the lineup.
3.) Memberships are not verified to receive promotional products or to gain access to amenities (food court supplies, restrooms, water fountain etc).
4.) A membership is not required to make purchases at the food court, and cash is no longer accepted.
5.) You should have your receipt ready at the exit for a staff member, but I'm not sure if this is mandatory or not, I just show mine.
6.) Members who attempt to enter through the exit, will be asked to exit the store, and re-enter through the entrance.

 

[JHZR2]

We've been a member since the days of Price Club.

I generally don't like being herded like cattle and treated like a thief when trying to leave, but them's the rules; I enter the building knowing the game.

Agree, I don’t appreciate being treated that way. So I use my wallet to dictate my choice. Granted, between tires and gas, the savings, particularly with the Costco cc, just with the most basic membership, pays for the membership and makes it worthwhile. But it’s a long thought about whether or not I’ll buy anything else there when just as good can be found for just as good prices elsewhere typically.

If they did something to reduce congestion, great. They don’t. They just treat you like a fraudster at the entry, and a thief at the exit.

But it keeps the rifraff out. I sure don’t smell marijuana on peoples clothes the way I do when I walk through Walmart. Costco lets certain elitist types avoid groups they quietly dislike and fear, while still putting on their show.

 

[Astro14]

Agree, I don’t appreciate being treated that way. So I use my wallet to dictate my choice. Granted, between tires and gas, the savings, particularly with the Costco cc, just with the most basic membership, pays for the membership and makes it worthwhile. But it’s a long thought about whether or not I’ll buy anything else there when just as good can be found for just as good prices elsewhere typically.

If they did something to reduce congestion, great. They don’t. They just treat you like a fraudster at the entry, and a thief at the exit.

But it keeps the rifraff out. I sure don’t smell marijuana on peoples clothes the way I do when I walk through Walmart. Costco lets certain elitist types avoid groups they quietly dislike and fear, while still putting on their show.

Oh, yeah, this interaction sure is awful -

“Good morning, sir, may I see your membership card?” “Sure, here you go” “Thank you, have a blessed day”

“Good morning, sir, may I see your receipt?” “Sure, had it ready for you” “Thank you, have a wonderful day”.

That’s being treated like a criminal? Really? How do you think actual criminals are treated?

If you want to complain about the number of patrons, OK sure, the store is crowded because the store is popular, but you must be shopping at some horrible iteration of the store because to be quite frank the people at the Costco where we shop are pleasant, and polite

 

[Cropduster172]

Agree, I don’t appreciate being treated that way. So I use my wallet to dictate my choice. Granted, between tires and gas, the savings, particularly with the Costco cc, just with the most basic membership, pays for the membership and makes it worthwhile. But it’s a long thought about whether or not I’ll buy anything else there when just as good can be found for just as good prices elsewhere typically.

If they did something to reduce congestion, great. They don’t. They just treat you like a fraudster at the entry, and a thief at the exit.

But it keeps the rifraff out. I sure don’t smell marijuana on peoples clothes the way I do when I walk through Walmart. Costco lets certain elitist types avoid groups they quietly dislike and fear, while still putting on their show.

Their claim that they check your receipts to make sure you weren't charged twice for items not because they think your a thief is an insult to everyone's intelligence.

 

[Inked]

I have both a Costco and BJ’s membership and only go to Costco when I want some thick Prime steaks. I avoid Costco like the plague otherwise and shop at BJ’s the vast majority of the time. I’ve only shopped at the store closest to me so I don’t know if it’s the same experience at others but many of the shoppers are either rude or egocentric. One example are the people who insist on stopping at every food trough cart. I don’t begrudge anyone from trying samples but pull your cart out of the way so others can pass as you discuss the nuances of that microwaved nibble of processed food with the cart employee. LOL

 

[Cropduster172]

I have both a Costco and BJ’s membership and only go to Costco when I want some thick Prime steaks. I avoid Costco like the plague otherwise and shop at BJ’s the vast majority of the time. I’ve only shopped at the store closest to me so I don’t know if it’s the same experience at others but many of the shoppers are either rude or egocentric. One example are the people who insist on stopping at every food trough cart. I don’t begrudge anyone from trying samples but pull your cart out of the way so others can pass as you discuss the nuances of that microwaved nibble of processed food with the cart employee. LOL

My only issue with BJs is there whole bean coffee sucks.