Why do people like Costco so much?

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Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,790
8,285
136
All hail Costco.
I'm due to go, will bring a list as always. It's been a month, had endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery mean time. Am near total functional now, but there's nothing I need badly yet, so probably wait until next week. I stocked up before the surgery.

Costco's my one gotta go place to shop.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,429
3,532
126
The Costcos around here are always crazy busy. BJs is much calmer and opens at 8am everyday which works well for us since we're early risers due to our jobs. I'll trade fewer samples for less pandemonium. And BJs employees don't seem to hate their jobs as much as Sam's club employees.
 

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
2,764
1,342
136
The Costcos around here are always crazy busy. BJs is much calmer and opens at 8am everyday which works well for us since we're early risers due to our jobs. I'll trade fewer samples for less pandemonium. And BJs employees don't seem to hate their jobs as much as Sam's club employees.
What is BJ?
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
28,787
21,509
146
Got my law degree there


My wife has been to the one they opened here a couple of years ago. It's a madhouse evidently. I have the scan&go app for Sam's so I only interact with one employee, the one at the exit. If not for the autonomy Sam's allows, I'd do the Thunder lips OUT OF MY WAY WORMS! at Costco.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,790
8,285
136


My wife has been to the one they opened here a couple of years ago. It's a madhouse evidently. I have the scan&go app for Sam's so I only interact with one employee, the one at the exit. If not for the autonomy Sam's allows, I'd do the Thunder lips OUT OF MY WAY WORMS! at Costco.
Costco's in the Bay Area that I have been to (at least 5) have never been crazy busy, IIRC. It varies. My biggest concern about that is the checkout lines, but they are pretty quick too. Usually a helper there with a portable barcode scanner, and if people are like me, they have everything in their cart arranged for instant scan (no adjustment necessary).

Biggest issue for me at Costco is where things are. They move stuff a lot. Most of the employees roaming around know the current location. I go to the front sometimes and ask. I even call ahead of time on occasion and ask if item#726451 or whatever is in stock and if not, if and when it will restock. It's all there in their system for the phone answerer or person at the front desk to look up.

I buy my gas there too, cheapest around. There's lines always but I'm usually out in less than 15 minutes, then park and do my warehouse shopping, which is at least 1/2 the time food items only.

The free samples are fun, if distracting. Sometimes they have lines while the servers work on preparing their trays. I feel like I get 1/2 a meal from the samples! I never dread Costco. OTOH, I despise Safeways. Basically every time.
 
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Reactions: DAPUNISHER

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
28,787
21,509
146
Costco's in the Bay Area that I have been to (at least 5) have never been crazy busy, IIRC. It varies.
You have 5, we have one in a 50 miles radius.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,790
8,285
136
A problem with Costco is they don't have consistent inventory. Some is seasonal and you are guessing, do they have it or not? Other stuff, they just don't have it and if their data doesn't reflect that it's on order you don't know if they will restock.

I bought a large jar of organic Greek black olives at my local Costco, in Oct. 2022

Kalamata organic Greek olives 10.89 60oz, 30oz drained weight Item#1520297 Running out now, only 20 olives left. Asked at Richmond, CA Costco ~2 months ago, they don't know if/when they will restock

Does anyone know anything about this? Where can I get something equivalent or similar.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
58,489
12,781
136
A problem with Costco is they don't have consistent inventory. Some is seasonal and you are guessing, do they have it or not? Other stuff, they just don't have it and if their data doesn't reflect that it's on order you don't know if they will restock.

I bought a large jar of organic Greek black olives at my local Costco, in Oct. 2022

Kalamata organic Greek olives 10.89 60oz, 30oz drained weight Item#1520297 Running out now, only 20 olives left. Asked at Richmond, CA Costco ~2 months ago, they don't know if/when they will restock

Does anyone know anything about this? Where can I get something equivalent or similar.
Yeah, that's true, and some items they carry at one store near me, they don't carry at the other. One had a specific variety of shredded cheese I was buying for a couple years, now it's gone. They also had some breakfast flautas that fit well into my diet, but seemed like they only got one shipment or something because I was only able to buy them twice. But this also happens with standard grocery stores, an alternative milk I've been buying for a year or two seems to have disappeared from the one store I was able to get it at (they still have others from the same seller), couldn't find a tag on the shelf for it anymore.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,790
8,285
136
Yeah, that's true, and some items they carry at one store near me, they don't carry at the other. One had a specific variety of shredded cheese I was buying for a couple years, now it's gone. They also had some breakfast flautas that fit well into my diet, but seemed like they only got one shipment or something because I was only able to buy them twice. But this also happens with standard grocery stores, an alternative milk I've been buying for a year or two seems to have disappeared from the one store I was able to get it at (they still have others from the same seller), couldn't find a tag on the shelf for it anymore.
I keep a data table of grocery shopping. It started out as Costco only but I'm putting forays into other grocery stores now too. Each entry has date and items bought, quantity and price. I don't usually add the item#'s, but they are potentially really helpful to find out if they are stocking (and how many items they have) or set to restock. It's usually the first thing they ask for if you ask them if they have or will get an item. They can also lookup in their system if other local stores have the item, and how many.
 
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JujuFish

Lifer
Feb 3, 2005
11,028
751
136
I tried (a quarter of) the new Costco food court chocolate chip cookie. Came away pretty disappointed. Like an inch in from the edge was dry and hard.
 

I'dluv2

Member
Oct 21, 2022
132
224
76
Costco's return policy is second to none. Try this anywhere else.

link

After 2 years Jackie said she didn't have the receipt for the couch anymore, but the employee was able to locate the order on their store computer. She explained that she was returning the couch because her family didn't like the color anymore, and Costco gave her a full refund for the purchase.
 
Feb 4, 2009
34,696
15,931
136
Costco's return policy is second to none. Try this anywhere else.

link

After 2 years Jackie said she didn't have the receipt for the couch anymore, but the employee was able to locate the order on their store computer. She explained that she was returning the couch because her family didn't like the color anymore, and Costco gave her a full refund for the purchase.
Fucking ridiculous. For these reasons:
a) shoppers pay for that
b) the cost of that comes out of bonuses & pay
 
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