Costco

[scottk]

More security at Costco than the TSA. Photo ID and card to enter the building, Another card scan just to pay for your items, A receipt lookup and confirmation at the exit. And your paying a premium just to be part of the club which is another form of security. Can they at least drop the scan needed at the register?

The scan of your card at the register allows them to track your purchases, which makes returning items without a receipt a breeze. It also allows you to have a digital receipt in your Costco account, which also makes it easier for you to compare prices throughout the year.

Indirectly, they probably also look at what you buy to send you emails that target certain items.

[Mballard85]

Went to pick up a few things last night, it was a very easy process. If this is an issue or you don't like how they do things, don't go. People love to complain just to hear it.

[jn1780]

Went to pick up a few things last night, it was a very easy process. If this is an issue or you don't like how they do things, don't go. People love to complain just to hear it.

Yeah, I do complain when companies invest in technology that makes the line to enter the building longer when your lines to checkout and exit the building are just as long.

That's fine. My 60 bucks will go to Sam's next year. I might as well fully embrace the self-checks out and AI.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Yeah, I do complain when companies invest in technology that makes the line to enter the building longer when your lines to checkout and exit the building are just as long.

That's fine. My 60 bucks will go to Sam's next year. I might as well fully embrace the self-checks out and AI.

Sam's Club yearly has deals for the membership at 15 or 20 bucks.

[MagzOK]

Yeah, I do complain when companies invest in technology that makes the line to enter the building longer when your lines to checkout and exit the building are just as long.

That's fine. My 60 bucks will go to Sam's next year. I might as well fully embrace the self-checks out and AI.

Costco won't miss you.

[scottk]

Costco won't miss you.

In the short term, No, but as we have seen, companies that invest in technology to improve point of sale and customer service have long term success.

K-Mart and Sears were once as big as Costco in the retail marketplace and didn't evolve with customer needs and did not invest into newer tech. They basically don't exist anymore.

SAM's has Walmart backing them for point of sale technology, but also has a much better website experience and offer drive-up ordering. Target's website and drive up experience is wonderful and accurate.

These type of methods are in demand for consumers, especially millennials and generation Z, that want on-demand service much more than Gen X and Boomers. Amazon has heavily invested in efficient delivery methods for these types of consumers.

Costco is going to have to evolve more, instead of holding on to hot dogs and $5 chicken to gain and adapt to younger (...and future) customer needs.

I go to Costco to buy staple items, luckily because it is in bulk, I don't have to buy them often, but I would much rather drive up and not spend an hour in the store and check out line, the store is purposely designed to waste your time. Eventually, that has to catch up to them.

[gjl]

Just reading this thread makes me pretty sure I will never set foot in a Costco, but I go to Sam's once a month.

[mugofbeer]

In the short term, No, but as we have seen, companies that invest in technology to improve point of sale and customer service have long term success.

K-Mart and Sears were once as big as Costco in the retail marketplace and didn't evolve with customer needs and did not invest into newer tech. They basically don't exist anymore.

SAM's has Walmart backing them for point of sale technology, but also has a much better website experience and offer drive-up ordering. Target's website and drive up experience is wonderful and accurate.

These type of methods are in demand for consumers, especially millennials and generation Z, that want on-demand service much more than Gen X and Boomers. Amazon has heavily invested in efficient delivery methods for these types of consumers.

Costco is going to have to evolve more, instead of holding on to hot dogs and $5 chicken to gain and adapt to younger (...and future) customer needs.

I go to Costco to buy staple items, luckily because it is in bulk, I don't have to buy them often, but I would much rather drive up and not spend an hour in the store and check out line, the store is purposely designed to waste your time. Eventually, that has to catch up to them.

I have not seen the Sam's app, so they may have the same things but on the COSTCO app and see the multitude of services and things you can buy beyond what's in the store. As an example, their travel services are great and you can't beat their rental car park prices.

[MagzOK]

In the short term, No, but as we have seen, companies that invest in technology to improve point of sale and customer service have long term success.

K-Mart and Sears were once as big as Costco in the retail marketplace and didn't evolve with customer needs and did not invest into newer tech. They basically don't exist anymore.

SAM's has Walmart backing them for point of sale technology, but also has a much better website experience and offer drive-up ordering. Target's website and drive up experience is wonderful and accurate.

These type of methods are in demand for consumers, especially millennials and generation Z, that want on-demand service much more than Gen X and Boomers. Amazon has heavily invested in efficient delivery methods for these types of consumers.

Costco is going to have to evolve more, instead of holding on to hot dogs and $5 chicken to gain and adapt to younger (...and future) customer needs.

I go to Costco to buy staple items, luckily because it is in bulk, I don't have to buy them often, but I would much rather drive up and not spend an hour in the store and check out line, the store is purposely designed to waste your time. Eventually, that has to catch up to them.

Well it certainly hasn't caught up to them yet. When and if their sales start slipping then surely they'll make changes. But based on the amounts of people I see in there each and every time I'm in ours on Memorial -- and going by the ones in the Dallas area when I'm there -- they're not hurting for business. I take my mom to one in Plano when I go visit and it's even more jam packed than ours with every parking space full and people sharking around looking for a place to park.

Going to Costco is an adventure, I love it. Most people there love it, too. Sure standing I line usually sucks, but it doesn't bother me as much as to stop going. And I'm not the only one as evidenced by all the people always there. Even as you said about yourself, you are still a regular even though you'd rather drive up and not spend an hour in the store and check out.

[oklip955]

I love shopping at Costco but as an older person with bad knees, I cannot stand that long but many times sitting is far worst. I cannot use one of those sitting carts. I wish some stores had a standing electric cart. Sometimes my knees hurt so bad I just in to where the card checker is and have them have an employee get the few items I need and then meet them at the check out. Other times I will shop part of the store and then try to wait in the long lines. I have to give Costco credit that there have been a few times when a manager has seen me in line and pulled me out and opened up a check out and checked me out. One of the last times i was in there and he did that he did tell me that they are working on a solution for older people and those who cannot stand long in the lines. he did not/could not tell me what it was. I would suspect that they might be going to do either curbside pick up or some kind of tech or at least a handicap line/senior check out line. Something is in the works.

[mugofbeer]

COSTCO could simply stand to have a 5 items or less express lane.

[Jeepnokc]

at least a handicap line/senior check out line. Something is in the works.

This! And...had expectant mothers even if it is just certain hours of the day. (I don't qualify for handicap, senior or expectant mothers...just think it would be respectful and great)

[JDSooners]

I hate the membership card check at the front door, and some guy at the exit putting a marker slash on your receipt is needless, he spent zero time looking at my purchased goods and all the time making sure his slash looked cool. While a presence is needed at the exit, Sam's almost has it figured out with their imaging system. Some one telling you good bye and thanking you for your purchase would be better served then the needless slash on your receipt.

[bombermwc]

The new experience honestly makes you feel like you're being treated like a convict instead of a customer. Doing the whole card check with your picture to let you in, then the whole messed up experience at checkout with the missing hand guns, etc. It's really all pointless anyway. They are trying to get where you have to be a member to shop there. Ok fine. But with today's apps, they didn't do that at all.

All you've done is make it so i have to be with the person that's buying the stuff. Big whoop. I'll show you my card, I'll scan my card at the register. I'll pay with my card. Then when i go out to my car, they'll CashApp me over the amount and you still didn't get that person as a member. What's the whole point here?

Like someone else said, if I cancelled, they wouldn't care. I'm one person out of 80 million customers so I mean nothing to them. But their whole customer experience has gone down the toilet in the last year. Same is SOOOOOO much further along with technology and keeping the experience a positive one. And they have the same problems CostCo does. Sams just doesn't treat their customers like they're out to "get" the company at every turn.

[jn1780]

I have not seen the Sam's app, so they may have the same things but on the COSTCO app and see the multitude of services and things you can buy beyond what's in the store. As an example, their travel services are great and you can't beat their rental car park prices.

That's nice, but that's really online services at that point.

[jn1780]

This! And...had expectant mothers even if it is just certain hours of the day. (I don't qualify for handicap, senior or expectant mothers...just think it would be respectful and great)

Just add 1 or 2 more checkers and add the scan guns back to self checkout and you don't have to worry about the long lines being unaccommodating to people who have disabilities or physical conditions. Special hours or lines are great, but they are not solutions.