I've reason to believe we all will be received in Kirkland
Is there a Nobel Prize for sociology? If there is, I know how to win it. Just hang out at a Costco warehouse and watch the research papers roll in.
Last evening at about 7, I decided to make a quick dash to the nearest Costco, to get gas in the car and pick up a few staples. The place would be open until 8:30, and I knew I could be there by 7:30. Plus, on a Tuesday night, getting toward closing time, it probably wouldn't be crowded. Right?
Er, no.
When I arrived, to my shock and dismay the parking lot was as full as on a late Saturday afternoon. At the gas pumps I foolishly lined up behind a guy in a GMC Denali, which had a behemoth fuel tank that took forever to fill. After I filled my normal one for $72 (thanks, Republicans) and headed over to shop, I had to park way closer to the gas pumps than to the store.
At the warehouse door, I couldn't believe how many people were just getting there with infants, toddlers, or both in tow. It's now quarter to eight at night, and you and the babies are checking in at Costco?
When a Costco is crowded, it helps if everyone realizes that other people exist, and that standing around in the middle of aisle gawking and lollygagging holds up your fellow bargain-hunters. If you need to stop, fine, but pull over! Not this crowd. More than the usual number seemed like they had just disembarked from a ship from a faraway continent, or planet even.
But I could afford to be patient. I took my time picking up my handful of items, figuring that if I waited a while, the checkout would be less crowded. Wrong again! At quarter after eight, the lines to pay were so long that they were blocking the cross-aisles in the all-important junk food section. It was worse than Christmas. I benefitted from a new feature where a person scans your items while you're still in the line, but the two shoppers in front of me were each paying in cash; that seemed to trip up the checker and her supervisor, cancelling out the time saved.
Anyway, by the time I'm through the checkout it's after 8:20, and the place is supposed to close in less than 10 minutes. But the food court is still rocking at Saturday afternoon volume! All manner of people are standing around awaiting their $1.50 hot dogs or store-bought pizza.
I maneuver past them to the exit. After the guy at the door makes sure I'm not stealing anything, I'm stepping out into the dark night, when passing me on the left is a hipster-looking guy just now showing up! And in his cart is some sort of power tool, which I guess he's returning for a refund, with mere minutes to spare. I'm sure that will be a big hit at Customer Service.
Is it always this crazy on Tuesday night at quitting time at Costco? Or was this particular Tuesday busier than usual because it was the first day after a holiday weekend? Or maybe because it's early in the month, and people still have some money? Is it due to a phase of the moon, or the stars?
Whatever it was, it came as a big surprise to me. My $13 pants-buying experience had a lot more hustle and bustle than I had budgeted for.
The wife and I are the ONLY people we know in our very wide circle of firends who aren't Costco members.
ReplyDeleteWe're not anti Costco and were members for years, but the kids are gone and it's just the two of us. The 48 oz box of cereal goes stale before we can finish it and I can't drink enough lemonade to purchase a 5lb sack of lemons. Now I know, the cash back pays for the membership card, they have a great return policy, the gas is cheaper, etc. The gas is only available at their location and not down the street from where I live; I have never had problems returning items elsewhere as long as I have a receipt, and from Costco's own website, you have to buy $542 a month to earn the card fee back. That's a lot of stuff that ends up eventually getting tossed or donated.
Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Les Schwab are simply not willing to cede a single $1 of their business to Costco. No Costco hate here; it's simply not worth the hassle described above.
This is why I don't go to Costco. It isn't worth the savings. It's a nightmare. I'll take a quick trip to a grocery store or gas station down the street anytime. Talk about a depressing environment. Nothing like wandering through a floodlit warehouse to go buy things in bulk. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteThe local stores are more convenient and I shop there most of the time . I also plan my trips and purchases at Costco (it’s really not hard to do) and those trips save me far more than the membership fee.
ReplyDeleteThe Executive membership costs twice as much as a regular membership but it gives you an extra card for a spouse, cash back that more than covers the extra cost, and the priceless benefit of getting in early so you can be done shopping before the masses enter.
ReplyDeleteGrocery prices having been increasing rapidly during the reign of Donald of Orange, so I'm guessing that people are trying to cope with that by doing most of their shopping at Costco instead of Safeway or Fred Meyer. The airport Costco is crazy.
ReplyDeleteGo midweek as early as possible.
DeleteHa, "When a Costco is crowded, it helps if everyone realizes that other people exist..."
ReplyDeleteThat just reminded me of when I used to remark, many years ago, (and privately, mostly) that 'men should have their own supermarkets'.
You guys are doing much better these days, by the way, we were glad when y'all finally figured out on your own where the oreos/dog treats/motor oil would be.
No Costco in KFalls but two (!) in Medford...about a 75 mile drive, one way. But earlier this year we got a WINCO....and their store (speaking of "size") seemed almost Costco-sized to me. I did not put a calculator to my store receipt but am certain I saved money VS going to Freddy's or Safeway for exact same items. I tend to buy many of the same things/same brands so am aware of prices. My mailman says his wife told him they saved at least one-third from what they would have spent at the two just mentioned. The slight downside is long lines at checkout sometimes with few checkouts open. The remark about "men having their own supermarkets'? PRICELESS!!!!!!!! hahaha Paul Hanson
DeleteWINCO: No crowds. No high prices. No credit cards. Open 24 hours. Great store.
ReplyDelete