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All the comments appear to be US centric, but Costco is also in other countries. So to tell you about the UK: Here membership is unusual in that it isn't techn
by khurs 3mo ago
All the comments appear to be US centric, but Costco is also in other countries. So to tell you about the UK:
Here membership is unusual in that it isn't technically open to everyone, it's business and certain professions: https://www.costco.co.uk/membership https://www.costco.co.uk/membership but in reality anyone who wants to join can find a way.
Also no mention in the article of non-food. In UK Costco is known for special offers on electrical and white good and more. And cheap car tyres iirc
In the UK not everyone drives like USA and Costco's are few and far between, so that limits who shops there. So a niche player compared to the Supermarkets for consumer shopping.
And people also have smaller homes compared to USA and smaller families maybe (or smaller portion sizes...!), and Costco here is more geared towards selling in bulk, and to corner shops and other small businesses. It's more of a hybrid Wholesaler.
- doginasuit 3mo agoThat's interesting, what do people have to do to get membership?
- fmajid 3mo agoHave a limited company or be in a baroque list of occupations: https://www.costco.co.uk/membership-goldstar-questions https://www.costco.co.uk/membership-goldstar-questions
- jephs 3mo agoWhat on earth is the point of limiting membership to such random and specific groups?
- saratogacx 3mo agoGovernment Regulations[1] > According to the Costco U.K. website, memberships to those stores are only available to certain groups of people. Since the store is classified as a wholesaler, this complies with the U.K.'s wholesale store laws. These dictate that wholesale stores are only accessible to those working for select business sectors. [1] https://www.thedailymeal.com/1483679/costco-uk-membership-requirements/ https://www.thedailymeal.com/1483679/costco-uk-membership-re...
- names_are_hard 3mo agoIt's funny when quintessential American business models bump up against foreign regulations and they have to find workarounds to keep in line with the law while trying to stay true to character. Not long ago I was in a Five Guys in France. There was a sign saying that by law free refills are not allowed, please scan the qr code to fill your cup. I guess there was a qr code on the receipt, I don't know, as far as I can tell there was no enforcement and people just kept filing up their drinks like true Americans. Let freedom ring, I guess.
- insane_dreamer 3mo agoTIL there is Five Guys in France (I thought they were only in the US)
- jszymborski 3mo agoSome in Canada too!
- fmajid 3mo agoIn the UK as well.
- fmajid 3mo agoThey have an equally baroque list of people who can vouch for you in passport applications: https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications/accepted-occupations-for-countersignatories https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications/acce... Reminiscent of Borges' list: https://thewhippet.org/the-whippet-134-those-that-tremble/ https://thewhippet.org/the-whippet-134-those-that-tremble/
- frollogaston 3mo agoUSA Costco does also have a business wholesale side
- rahimnathwani 3mo agoFWIW you can use your US membership in the UK. I ordered a dishwasher from Costco UK last week.
- thijson 3mo agoI used mine in Iceland too. It was one of the cheaper places to eat there. Still expensive though compared to the USA. I heard that the Costco hot dog and a soda is still $1.50 in Hawaii, that's a bargain.
- 5555624 3mo ago> Here membership is unusual in that it isn't technically open to everyone, it's business and certain professions: Price Club, a Costco predecessor was the same way. In the early 1990s, Walmart (Sam's Club) wanted to merge with Costco. Costco said no and merged with Price Club.