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I find going to Costco in an urban area really painful. Lines just for parking 3 blocks away. Crowds of pushy unpleasant people and lines. If you value your tim
by mpalczewski 7y ago
I find going to Costco in an urban area really painful. Lines just for parking 3 blocks away. Crowds of pushy unpleasant people and lines. If you value your time and well being, it ends up not so much of a bargain. Now using Instacart to get Costco delivered, love it.
- moltar 7y agoYou just have to time it right. I try to walk in 15 minutes before they stop letting people in. At my local store that’s 30 mins before official closing time (8:30pm). By the time you finish your round, all of the people before you already exited the store. Also, never on a weekend. Monday tends to be the slowest day in retail.
- techntoke 7y agoHaha, the worst are the people that go in there to get all the free food samples and carelessly block the isles with their shopping carts while they stand there and eat like they are oblivious to anything but food. Or when you go to leave the store after paying $200 and you have to wait in a long line for them to check the receipt. They need a fast lane for people that just want to get stuff and go, and store clerks that fine people for blocking traffic.
- jdironman 7y agoOr, make it impossible to go anywhere but out after paying. Just like ticket gates / events funnel people in, just funnel them out.
- techntoke 7y agoThis is actually a great idea. I know there has to be a better way than lining up people and having usually a single receipt checker looking through people's carts and drawing a line down their receipt.
- jdironman 7y agoI don't know why it isn't already in place. Once you go through cashiers and pay, you should be ready to leave, nip it in the bud and design the building exits for that purpose.
- thaumasiotes 7y agoOnce you go through the cashier and pay... you're in the food court. Most food courts aren't designed to kick people out immediately.
- jdironman 7y agoThats fine and dandy, food courts should be in a hall like structure then on the way out.
- thaumasiotes 7y agoI've never seen or heard of a food court in a hall-like structure. They invariably have an open area where you can sit while you eat.
- tyoma 7y agoThe Costco shopping experience is atrocious. Huge lines, people running over you with giant carts, completely unmarked aisles and you have to run around trying to find an employee to ask where something is. And then there is the checkout gauntlet where a funnel of grumpy people has receipts checked by just one or two checkers. The low prices and in some cases availability of certain products is the only reason I go.
- blhack 7y agoWhat city are you in? That is absolutely nothing at all like anything I’ve ever experienced in any of the Costco’s I’ve ever been to! That sounds terrible! Honestly you should send them an email a lot this, especially getting run over by carts.
- tyoma 7y agoHad the same experience in Chicago and San Diego. The Chicago one was bad enough that I didn't come back to a Costco for about two years.
- projektfu 7y agoI've never seen marked aisles aside from the number. I always assumed it's because Costco wants you to visit every aisle.
- tyoma 7y agoI’m certain its so you spend time wandering around and buy more stuff.
- rficcaglia 7y agoAgree. They also move items around. So you can’t just zoom to the one item you need, you have to go hunt.
- thaumasiotes 7y agoThis is the source of one of my favorite jokes from The Simpsons: MONSTROMART "Where shopping is a baffling ordeal"