Anybody here shop at CostCo? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Local2ED · #1 07-10-2010, 11:03 PM

http://www.workinglife.org/wiki/index.php?page=The+Costco+Challenge%3A+An+Alternative+to+Wal-Martization%3F+%28July+5%2C+2005%29

pj67coll · #2 07-10-2010, 11:45 PM

Yes. Wife, who used to work as manager at Walmart, got me a costo membership, today in fact. I'll be going there tomorrow to see if their photo printing service is any good.

- Peter.

davidmash · #3 07-11-2010, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

Yes. Wife, who used to work as manager at Walmart, got me a costo membership, today in fact. I'll be going there tomorrow to see if their photo printing service is any good.

- Peter.

It's very good. Been using it for years. We have professional photographers that come in to use the services.

Been shopping there for 10 years and working there for 2 years.

alabbasi · #4 07-11-2010, 12:36 AM

Love it, the money you save on gas will quickly pay for the membership.

elchivito · #5 07-11-2010, 12:40 AM

More proof that a giant co. can take care of it's people and still make money. We don't have one locally, but drive an hour once a month to stock up on essentials, paper products, bathroom and laundry stuff etc and check out meat specials. As grocery store meat goes, there's is pretty good. I don't buy commercial beef, but they usually have whole pork loins at a great price. Their house brand food products are uniformly excellent. Their beer is brewed by Gordon Biersch brewery and a great buy for summer swilling. We typically drop a couple of hundred. I got a great price on Michelins for the 240D there and we've had them rotated once since while we shopped.
Unfortunately but understandably, the entire front of the store is what I'd describe as impulse buy stuff and that's not why I go there. You kinda have to dig towards the back to find all the commodity stuff we're there for. I also like their no questions asked 90 day electronics return policy. WalMart used to be good about returns but anymore they've changed their policy and really put you thru the wringer if you want to bring something back. No more "renting" tools from WalMart.

#6 07-11-2010, 12:43 AM

Unless you are like me and buy a sam's club/costco/whatever membership, leave with about 400 pounds of Cheetos (or something equally worthless), and never set foot in the place again. After doing that a few times, I've given up on discount clubs.

Skid Row Joe · #7 07-11-2010, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Local2ED

Anybody here shop at Costco?

No way. I know the founder's business plan - it's a good one BTW.

I have found that spending time in a store like Costco/Sam's Club makes it very possible to tempt me in parting with money that I did not need to part with in the first place.

davidmash · #8 07-11-2010, 01:23 AM

I do agree that if you don't have self control Cost Co or the other ware houses stores can be a dangerous place. We go with a list and we are pretty good at sticking to it. I purchased a vacuum sealer a when I started shopping there so I cold get 7 lbs of chicken breast asn not have them go bad on me when I was single. I vacuumed them 3 pieces to a bag and froze them. They lasted for ever.

Here is another article on the store. Pretty accurate from my stand point.

Cost Co

Hatterasguy · #9 07-11-2010, 01:23 PM

No I don't shop at big stores when I can avoid it. I use the little mom and pop grocery store down the street.

Its closer, the prices are about the same, and I know everyone inside. Last Friday we had a little hot dog cook out and a few beers in the back.

Everything else I buy online.

Kuan · #10 07-11-2010, 01:56 PM

I get my beef and lamb from Costco. Nice selection, but they could do better with the Veal. The butchers there aren't that great so I normally just get subprimals from them and butcher it myself.

Out of season produce is good there too, but in season their prices never budge whereas you can get local for 1/4 the price.

4x4_Welder · #11 07-11-2010, 02:03 PM

That article is five years old, for the record.
I would still use Costco if not for two reasons- Their nearest store is 80miles away, and they have a strict anti-gun policy. A sign that says "no firearms" actually says "everyone here is unarmed". I am not going to take off my gun and leave it in my car where it could possibly be stolen, plus that kinda defeats the purpose of carrying in the first place.
As far as bulk buying, I do have a Sam's Club membership since they are just 20miles away, and a large chest freezer. We also have a food saver vacuum sealer, so no issues with stuff going bad when we buy that 7lbs+ of chicken.

aklim · #12 07-11-2010, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

More proof that a giant co. can take care of it's people and still make money.

WalMart used to be good about returns but anymore they've changed their policy and really put you thru the wringer if you want to bring something back. No more "renting" tools from WalMart.

10.5 Billion (Not sure how much was spent to make that) vs 880 Million is a very far stretch to compare the two. Either way, it is not Wal*Mart or anyone's responsibility but your own to revitalize any class you choose. It isn't my dentist's job to make sure that my suits are cleaned and pressed, is it? Wal*Mart or Costco is a business not a charitable organization. After all, if they stop doing well, are you going to shop with them just because? I shop for price and value of the merchandise. When that goes somewhere else, so do I. I have no loyalty to the store and I don't expect the store to have any other ties to me. I don't buy hand tools from Wal*Mart because they cost less today but more in the future. Value is not there. I go buy say Craftsman tools. I will not buy from Wal*Mart just because. Therefore, I have no right to demand that they do more than provide me with the merchandise I want.

Don't call it "renting" since when you "rent" there is money going one way. Lets call it what it is, "stealing". After all, now that product can no longer be sold as new. And you wonder why it is more difficult to return a product?

aklim · #13 07-11-2010, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

Unless you are like me and buy a sam's club/costco/whatever membership, leave with about 400 pounds of Cheetos (or something equally worthless), and never set foot in the place again. After doing that a few times, I've given up on discount clubs.

I bought a membership thru my company but decided that since the move, it is too difficult to go to it. So, when it expires, I am done. Not sure why but I never had that issue. Wife doesn't like Sams because they have too many food samples and I get my lunch here sometimes.

Something about how embarrassing it is to ask for 3rds when it comes to samples.

Wal*Mart has still got a lot of good buys but they are being infiltrated more and more by the cheap junk. Until I can't get what I want there, I'll still shop there since it is convenient. Take his morning for instance. We went to Wal*Mart, got a haircut, eyebrows waxed (They don't do Brazilian wax), stuff for the camper and food for the week. All the normal sundries that we need. Bottom line, I don't have to chase around to 5 different places. As long as they have what I want, the prices that are around the lowest and make my life convenient, I'm there. When that stops, I'm gone. Right now, Kwik Trip, the C-store is selling eggs at 69 cents while Wal*Mart is $1 more. Guess where I buy eggs when I fuel up.

Kuan · #14 07-11-2010, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Something about how embarrassing it is to ask for 3rds when it comes to samples.

Hah! I was once told in a very loud voice by a lady that THIS IS SAMPLES NOT BUFFET!

aklim · #15 07-11-2010, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuan

Hah! I was once told in a very loud voice by a lady that THIS IS SAMPLES NOT BUFFET!

Really? What lady was that? My wife will make a preemptive strike and pull me away before that happens. Something about being an embarrassment or words to that effect.