Costco Member Privileges and Conditions

[dogememe]

They can be in more affluent areas, but not always. I see them in my area in lower income cities relative to the region. The only Costco in Marin County is in Novato, which is the least expensive urban/suburban part of the county.

Often it’s a matter of where they could find a place to build. I’ve been to an urban Costco built around a parking garage.

I’ve been to that Novato Costco many times and while yes Novato is not perfect it’s still generally a nice place.

The only “bad” place in Marin county is probably Marin City and maybe one corner of San Rafael lol but I’m not going to name it.

There isn’t even a Walmart in Marin county lol.

 

[PandaBear]

Non members pay higher prices at the pharmacy.

Yes, but that is not the original goal about whether you can get into Costco without scanning it or not.

 

[PandaBear]

Do I feel like a criminal when they want me to show my card? A little. However that prevent a lot of people having no business being there and reduce my stress that it is a relatively good thing.

I have been to the San Leandro Costco and the San Leandro Walmart, and the Costco feel the same whether you are in San Leandro or Fremont, but the Walmart? Let's say it feels like the local neighborhood store in the location they are in. The staff and the customer, as well as how unorganized the stores are, all of them.

Membership store feels silly but sometimes you can't make a profit when different social economical classes are in the same shop together. You can focus on ONE end of the spectrum but you can't make a dime if you try to be all for all. A lot of deals are not meant to make a profit but to bring you in (like the $5 chicken and $1.5 hotdog), but if you have no membership that means they can get taken advantaged of without generating other profit from sales.

You can't have it both ways.

 

[PandaBear]

They can be in more affluent areas, but not always. I see them in my area in lower income cities relative to the region. The only Costco in Marin County is in Novato, which is the least expensive urban/suburban part of the county.

Often it’s a matter of where they could find a place to build. I’ve been to an urban Costco built around a parking garage.

I would say Costco would build where they can make money. The definition of affluent can be different depending on where you are.

San Leandro is not affluent but if they are the cheaper as a whole compare to Safeway they will have business even in low income neighborhood. Afterall the membership cost $60(?) a year and you get that back just for getting gas if you commute long distance.

Forget all this chit chat - are people actually against vigorous prosecution of thieves?

Human nature: we all want to prosecute thieves but when people "more affluent" accuse us of looking like thieves we all get offended.

 

[SOUNDMAN5000]

Huh? Oh, just finished reading your post. True, warehouse clubs is a "Club" you agree to the terms and conditions.

As far as a public store in ANY state, no, of course you cant be required to show a receipt is my feeling. I see people stopping at places like Walmart to show receipts. I used to see it at Best Buy but have not for years now. I always walk right past them. Im not showing receipts to anyone except warehouse clubs, which is a club and membership conditions that you agree too.

*LOL* what are they going to do, tackle you? Accuse you of a crime they have no evidence of? Sorry but this is the USA, land of the free, innocent unless proven guilty. I feel insulted if patronizing a store and then want to see a receipt when I leave. No way.

The last time I shopped at Costco I decided I will not return...
It was a few days before Thanksgiving, I ran it quick to buy a turkey but all were larger than I needed so I attempted to exit the store without making a purchase with my empty cart.

This old guy ( employee) grabs my cart to stop me as he then searches my empty cart. My cart is empty but this nut case all but gets on his knees looking at an empty cart as if I'm hiding something in plain view.

This old guy does not do a quick search but drags it out and I say "dude" can't you see the cart is 100% empty? He continues his search and I say dude, I didn't buy anything, I'm simply returning the empty cart from the place I found it and I guess you have more time that me so YOU take my cart and continue your search or do whatever you will...

This guy then grabs the cart harder and gets in front of me to keep me from being able to exit and tells me NO I must return the cart to the proper location after his search. I pushed the cart into him ( not hard ) and walked out the door.
That old guy had some kinda issue but after that I now shop and prefer Sam's Club...

 

[JHZR2]

So, are you “treated like a criminal” when you drive onto a military installation?

Long line in the morning. Each ID is handed over and scanned. Gate personnel confirm your access before allowing you to proceed.

Last Walmart I visited (Denver, CO) - they were checking everyone as they left. Everyone. How is Costco worse?

Nobody here is objecting to either of those processes. I just don’t see the big deal at Costco.

The complaint about parking? Yeah, well, as discussed, it’s popular. Go on a weekday morning, or embrace the suck. No different than going to a beach on Spring Break, or a Ski area over President’s weekend. It’s going to be crowded.

If it’s really that objectionable (and I’ve been to Costco on a Saturday morning - it’s a zoo) then don’t go. Simple as that. Nobody is forcing you to endure the experience.

You know exactly what to expect - so this is a matter of choice for you.

We both know that a military installation is a vast difference from a shopping club where their revenue model is on people spending $55 to come through the door and buy something.

The former has the law behind it first and foremost. The other is an optional vendor. Which comes back to what I’ve said multiple times, as has others. We can vote with our wallet. Nobody has to be employed on a military base if they don’t want to deal with that. Nobody has to buy stuff in Costco if they don’t want to deal with that.

I’ve also said multiple times, I just dont go there much. I buy less there. They lose on thousands of dollars p.a. because of that. To a billion dollar company, they obviously don’t care. But it’s just the reality. It’s acted upon. I use Costco for tires and gas mainly. That’s just done. I’ll walk in if I choose, but I avoid it.

And to talk about other stores? Yes, I’ve covered that. I can go in through the gates at Walmart, throw up my receipt on the way out, and be far more efficient in and out, and in the checkout line, despite the crowds there too. Same for Best Buy, the supermarket, whatever else. There are no situations with two people impeding a narrow chute to enter or exit, with lines of 30 people waiting to move. I simply can go in and out much faster with less impediment, and generally find what I need at comparable prices.

I bought my wife an iPad for her birthday, I bought it at bestbuy because it was literally a five minute transaction for the same cost. She bought us an MBP for Christmas. - that was had at Costco despite the hassle because the net deal was better.

Point is we have choices, and poor logistical practices for entry/exit, and time wasted in store are considerations. I can vote with my wallet how I do, anyone else can do as they wish as well. Very simple.

 

[JustinH]

It's a private club that you pay money to enter the business. That is why you show the card when you walk in. It is not open to the public without a membership card.

 

[Pablo]

I'm pretty sensitive to intrusion and I never felt strongly about showing a card or receipt. If you feel like a criminal, that seems foreign to me. It's a little ironic to ask big.brother.gov for relief.

 

[alarmguy]

I was at Costco about a week ago and checking out ended up being -maybe- 5 minutes. But an employee came and scanned all the items while in line. Then the checker simply took the card, scanned it, did the credit card trasaction and DONE.

After scanning they recounted the number of items. The register employee also counted the number of items as did the door checker on the way out. I bet it still was 5 minutes or more less than What Walmart could have pulled off in their best case scenario. Key words; "best case" Not gonna happen a lot at Walmart. I can't comment on Sams because I can't fathom paying money just to enter a Walmart owned store.

What it comes down to is the overall experience at Walmart is so terrible, I just cringe at the thought of going there unless I know they have something nobody else carries. A great alternative is Meijer. As soon as I walk in, the experience is so much better and refreshing it's a relief that I have that option. The newest downside is Meijer doesn't carry jugs of ESP 0w-20 so I go to the freak show for that. I'll check Meijer again next time but I'm not counting on it. Usually the Mobil 1 jugs are about $2 more but at times I'd get them on sale for the same or less than Walmart's regular price. I'll gladly pay the $2.

It’s a lot easier to check out at Sam’s Club then at Costco.
You can scan everything on your phone and pay then walk out the door

As far as both those stores, why would anybody join a club and then feel negative about showing your member membership card?
That’s the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard of. I would like to use some other words, other than bizarre.

 

[JHZR2]

The thing I notice about Costco is that they are in affluent ares. There are 3 Costcos around the north side of Columbus.

Agree; it’s a way to keep out rifraff

Costco has a customer base with higher incomes than The People of Walmart (photos / videos).

Yes, note my first post about marijuana odor at Walmart (a reason I avoid most of their stores too).

I was at Costco about a week ago and checking out ended up being -maybe- 5 minutes. But an employee came and scanned all the items while in line. Then the checker simply took the card, scanned it, did the credit card trasaction and DONE.

After scanning they recounted the number of items. The register employee also counted the number of items as did the door checker on the way out. I bet it still was 5 minutes or more less than What Walmart could have pulled off in their best case scenario. Key words; "best case" Not gonna happen a lot at Walmart. I can't comment on Sams because I can't fathom paying money just to enter a Walmart owned store.

What it comes down to is the overall experience at Walmart is so terrible, I just cringe at the thought of going there unless I know they have something nobody else carries. A great alternative is Meijer. As soon as I walk in, the experience is so much better and refreshing it's a relief that I have that option. The newest downside is Meijer doesn't carry jugs of ESP 0w-20 so I go to the freak show for that. I'll check Meijer again next time but I'm not counting on it. Usually the Mobil 1 jugs are about $2 more but at times I'd get them on sale for the same or less than Walmart's regular price. I'll gladly pay the $2.

Yup, I’ve always hated Walmart though since the closure of Kmarts, haven’t had much a choice. Target and Costco go hand in hand in terms of the rationale of why folks shop there. Fortunately, Walmarts have gotten better by me while Costco has gotten worse in terms of in and out speed. Certainly not two long lines of people in a row waiting to be audited to exit, or even leave empty handed.

Forget all this chit chat - are people actually against vigorous prosecution of thieves?

Absolutely, but I find it dubious that there is vigorous prosecution. I’ll bet the lawyers say the risk of lawsuit isn’t worth it.

And since generally I’ve found pricing for many items on par at other places, I’ll have to guess that the benefit
Is only to my stock ownership of Costco, not to my procurement bottom line.

 

[JHZR2]

I'm pretty sensitive to intrusion and I never felt strongly about showing a card or receipt. If you feel like a criminal, that seems foreign to me. It's a little ironic to ask big.brother.gov for relief.

It’s not the action of showing. It’s the impediment as the lines have gotten longer, processes have gotten worse (e.g., the shift from looking at your card as you walk in to an active scan that you have to wait in line for).

Stores should work for my business, I don’t need to be a sheep begging Costco to take my money. Including my time since time is money. They could change their entry/exit approaches to speed up by having more greeters and checkers. They don’t. That’s probably my biggest gripe of all. They’re raking in the money, they aren’t improving. Why should anyone be justifying mediocrity in this portion of the shopping experience?

 

[rijndael]

I'll post a positive .... their gas lines are solid. I go in the morning to avoid lines, rarely wait more than 30s to get a pump, have the best prices for premium, and all I have to do is scan my costco credit card which gives me 5% back!

 

[JHZR2]

It’s a lot easier to check out at Sam’s Club then at Costco.
You can scan everything on your phone and pay then walk out the door

As far as both those stores, why would anybody join a club and then feel negative about showing your member membership card?
That’s the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard of. I would like to use some other words, other than bizarre.

You mean some other stores can give better prices and more convenience? Novel thought.

The issue is NOT showing a card for a membership store. It’s the slowing you down and NOT improving processes to make it faster and more convenient. Creating longer lines, with bigger crowds, more hassle. This really isn’t a hard concept.

I scratch my head why anyone would want to justify a worse shopping experience that takes longer and is more of a hassle. But that’s just me.

 

[Dave Hess]

I'm pretty sensitive to intrusion and I never felt strongly about showing a card or receipt. If you feel like a criminal, that seems foreign to me. It's a little ironic to ask big.brother.gov for relief.

What if there’s a security guard named Bubba demanding shopper show him their receipt ?

 

[Pablo]

What if there’s a security guard named Bubba demanding shopper show him their receipt ?

Where?

 

[spasm3]

It’s a lot easier to check out at Sam’s Club then at Costco.
You can scan everything on your phone and pay then walk out the door

As far as both those stores, why would anybody join a club and then feel negative about showing your member membership card?
That’s the most bizarre thing I’ve ever heard of. I would like to use some other words, other than bizarre.

It is way faster. They still spot check items at times. We have both costo and sams memberships. I prefer the fuel at costco as its top tier. Some items at costco we prefer. Meat section is better.

For paper goods, frozen items, condiments etc. we buy most at sams.

 

[alarmguy]

You mean some other stores can give better prices and more convenience? Novel thought.

The issue is NOT showing a card for a membership store. It’s the slowing you down and NOT improving processes to make it faster and more convenient. Creating longer lines, with bigger crowds, more hassle. This really isn’t a hard concept.

I scratch my head why anyone would want to justify a worse shopping experience that takes longer and is more of a hassle. But that’s just me.

I guess you must have an itchy head
Your presumptions are incorrect for the Sam’s Club and the Costco where I shop.

A. There is no line to get into Sam’s Club. They do not check for a membership card.

B. There is no line to get into Costco as you walk into the store. There are two scanners you can chose to walk by, you run your card under the scanner and keep walking. It’s as instantaneous as you can get you literally run your car and just walk by.

Ps I have no idea why you asked that question in the first line

 

[alarmguy]

It is way faster. They still spot check items at times. We have both costo and sams memberships. I prefer the fuel at costco as its top tier. Some items at costco we prefer. Meat section is better.

For paper goods, frozen items, condiments etc. we buy most at sams.

Sam’s Club used to zap three things in your shopping cart as you left the store with their infrared gun.
In the last year, Sam’s Club has this lack of better words infrastructure when you’re exiting the store. Built-in looks like a series of cameras so you can have two lines of people going through and there’s only one lady Now at the door with an iPad and I . don’t know what to say. All I know is she always waves us past, it’s recording the items in your cart and I think comparing the pictures to what we used our Scan and Go app with.

The way you just described the two stores is pretty much our feelings on what we buy, including gasoline.
But I have to admit, even the gasoline is easier to buy at Sam’s Club. I just use the Sam’s Club app scan the QR code at the gas pump and that’s it. I don’t have to scan a membership card or a credit card. But again, I will choose Costco gas if there isn’t a line because of the top tier.

Without question, the technology at least here is far far superior at Sam’s Club
However, without question, I enjoy shopping in Costco more

 

[Imp4]

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

I appreciate places that are trying to keep fraud down and, by extension, keeping prices down for those of us that follow the rules.

Scanning your membership card at the entrance just isn’t that difficult.

 

[Hall]

are people actually against vigorous prosecution of thieves?

Where did that come from ?