Costco Member Privileges and Conditions

Cropduster172 said:
I generally agree. I'm no Costco fan boi...paying for the right to shop and spend your money is a pretty good scam.
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It's not a scam. Its upfront that you are paying for a membership to shop there. Nothing hidden, nothing dishonest.

They are checking membership at the door, so that in some communities, one person does not get a card, and 20 families use it.

Also, i have not seen reports of grab and run robbery there, like walmart and other stores have experienced.

I have a membership to sams and costco. We like items at both stores.
 
Wow!

For all you Costco members who think it’s a genuine pain to shop there, there’s a very simple solution: drop your membership!!

That way you won’t have to suffer the pains and agony of shopping at a store the rest of us don’t mind shopping at.
 
JHZR2 said:
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.
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Sadly - I only see Walmart receipt checkers around Christmas
 
dkryan said:
Wow!

For all you Costco members who think it’s a genuine pain to shop there, there’s a very simple solution: drop your membership!!

That way you won’t have to suffer the pains and agony of shopping at a store the rest of us don’t mind shopping at.
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Good idea. I’m on it. What I get out of these threads is they vary greatly from store to store. Ours is crowded with foreigners who bring large families that clog the aisles. Parking is horrible - gas pumps jam the entrance/road - traffic is bad around it …
I’m done …
 
Costco and BJ’s member here. 30+ years @ Costco, just joined BJ’s last year on a deeply discounted rate because a new one opened very close to me. Since joining I’ve saved enough on just gasoline @ BJ’s to cover the costs of both memberships. BJ’s much less crowded, larger variety of items. Certain items we only buy at one or the other. Often enter the Costco through the exit to eat before shopping . Never been hassled. YMMV.
 
4WD said:
Good idea. I’m on it. What I get out of these threads is they vary greatly from store to store. Ours is crowded with foreigners who bring large families that clog the aisles. Parking is horrible - gas pumps jam the entrance/road - traffic is bad around it …
I’m done …
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You are correct in that your mileage may vary from store to store.

The one I shop at has a well thought out ingress/egress for their gas pumps, unlike another Costco in the area that is not worth the effort to try and re-fuel at all.

And while some members can’t avoid having to shop on a weekend, the more sage folks wait and shop mid-week to avoid the expected weekend crowds.

If I have one complaint about the store I use, it’s the issue previously mentioned above: crowds around the food sampling carts. According to some employees I have talked with, some members visit every single sample cart in the store, some multiple times, obviously trying to make a meal out of their effort.

I just assume they are waiting for the pharmacy to finish filling their prescription for Ozempic.
 
dkryan said:
You are correct in that your mileage may vary from store to store.

The one I shop at has a well thought out ingress/egress for their gas pumps, unlike another Costco in the area that is not worth the effort to try and re-fuel at all.

And while some members can’t avoid having to shop on a weekend, the more sage folks wait and shop mid-week to avoid the expected weekend crowds.

If I have one complaint about the store I use, it’s the issue previously mentioned above: crowds around the food sampling carts. According to some employees I have talked with, some members visit every single sample cart in the store, some multiple times, obviously trying to make a meal out of their effort.

I just assume they are waiting for the pharmacy to finish filling their prescription for Ozempic.
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The gas pumps could have easily been on the opposite side of the parking lot - instead they put them in such a bad place that the jam effects the feeder road … People make illegal turns trying to get pass the mess.
I’m sure someone thought it was strategic - but people already flock to Costco gas like flies on dung …
Our Walmart was previously like that - then one day they unloaded big yellow machines from CAT … Adios …
 
We have memberships in both, as we shop where the two stores are across the interstate from each other. I track all expenditures there, and my 9 month savings are Sam's $446 and Costco $218 in a two person household. Costco has been given permission to build a new store near us in Lawrence KS, so my purchasing habits may change. I will continue to track the purchases to determine if my savings exceed the membership fees. This does not count any of the Sam's cash back or Costco credit card savings. We do buy one large household item each year, from Sam's with free delivery to the door. Otherwise everything is routine purchases made when I have to go for my KC metro area doctor's appointments.
 
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I’m not sure how folks are defining entrance and exits …
But, if I need to renew a card - need to tell them bcs you are going against the flow. In this case - I wait to get a cart after the new card …
 
JayhawkRoy said:
We have memberships in both, as we shop where the two stores are across the interstate from each other. I track all expenditures there, and my 9 month savings are Sam's $446 and Costco $218 in a two person household. Costco has been given permission to build a new store near us in Lawrence KS, so my purchasing habits may change. I will continue to track the purchases to determine if my savings exceed the membership fees.
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What is the benchmark on the savings determination?
 
JayhawkRoy said:
I compare either to each other's pricing, and to equivalent value of items at my local Walmart or Amazon if WM doesn't carry it. It is surprising what the price spread can be on some items.
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Yes, it’s a widespread - and I still like brick & motar bcs of the clearance sales …
 
GSCJR said:
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.
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Where does it say the last line you have listed? Are you referencing an updated "Member Privileges and Conditions" that I can't find?
 
4WD said:
Yes, it’s a widespread - and I still like brick & motar bcs of the clearance sales …
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Wife does all the clearance shopping, too, locally or near where I get my medical treatments or visits. I am not a shopping person but do a certain amount of purchasing on line. Our habits may change when I will have fewer reasons to visit outside the Lawrence area, and we will see how that affects our purchases. Some of my medical will be more local, but my group of specialists will not change, but my visit requirements will be less.
 
JayhawkRoy said:
Wife does all the clearance shopping, too, locally or near where I get my medical treatments or visits. I am not a shopping person but do a certain amount of purchasing on line. Our habits may change when I will have fewer reasons to visit outside the Lawrence area, and we will see how that affects our purchases. Some of my medical will be more local, but my group of specialists will not change, but my visit requirements will be less.
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Indeed - I love Christmas bcs all the expensive lawn products go on clearance (to make room for China junk) 😷
 
4WD said:
Indeed - I love Christmas bcs all the expensive lawn products go on clearance (to make room for China junk) 😷
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I'm waiting for a sale on a quality battery powered snowblower. We are transitioning from 2 acres to less than a quarter acre and I am going electric. Lawn mower is working well, so I have to figure out snow blower since I don't have any tractors anymore. So far, only one snow and we were not around for it. We shall see what January and February brings.
 
I flat-out love Costco. Crowds? Yep, that's why I get there when they open. Riffraf? Yep, they let me in.
I am about to order rubber for the M3P. Hard to beat, but I do wish they had alignment racks...
Costco house and car insurance has been outstanding. Big fat TVs. Levis are $30. Michelin wipers are 2 for 1 on sale.

The annual Citi Costco card rebate rocks! My Lexus dealership lets me use it for $5,000 on car purchases.

$1.50 hot dog for the win!
 
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