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Costco is testing out a new system for entering stores
(www.cnn.com)
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this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2024
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Well that sucks. A lot. We only have a Sam's Club here, but my family buys very little in the sizes that they offer things. There's one exception which is a much bigger expense otherwise, so we borrow my wife's co-worker's card every other month, buy a few boxes, then do it again. So we are there like four times a year and maybe spend $400 total. With a membership, it would be another $50 on top of that. For going four times a year. I'm sure they'll follow Costco's lead.
I wish more places had the Scan and Go option in the app like Sam’s Club. Not having to visit a register is so nice.
You make a very good point. This thread is a Costco circle jerk apparently. Bulk addicts gonna tweak lol.
Costco treats its employees very well and they should be lauded for that, but frankly, I think the whole idea of paying a corporation for the privilege of shopping in their store is bullshit and should not be encouraged.
Meh, it depends on how much you really need to buy. We have a big household so we do genuinely save buying in bulk when we'd usually need to get at least a couple packages of whatever food to feed everyone.
Doing probably 75% of my shopping there with the 2% cash back has allowed my membership to pay for itself. And personally, knowing that they treat their employees fairly well is big draw, especially with how draining retail work can be.
So it's definitely not for everyone, but if you do actually use all of the stuff you buy, it does have decent benefits.
Sure, but why should you have to pay for the privilege of shopping there in the first place?
Because it's part of what allows them to keep costs down. If you're only going to go once or twice a year, they're losing money on you. They need a way to compensate for unprofitable shoppers, and a bit of sunk cost to keep the regulars coming back.
Still, I tallied up my last Costco trip with the equivalent of the same items at our regular grocery store and came up about $35 cheaper, that's already a decent chunk towards my membership cost and doesn't include cash back. In capitalism, that's about as close to a win-win as you can get.
Because they offer something that other stores cannot. Why do you pay for any privilege that you pay for?
Amen to that. It feels like I'm subsidizing wages. If your business needs me to pay for the merchandise AND a pass for entry you can fuck right off.
Economics of scale mean bulk purchases are cheaper. They get them much cheaper than you do when you buy there (given it'll usually be less per unit compared to other stores). This is akin to Amazon adding ads to their PAYING customer's plans or Netflix backtracking on account sharing. Corpo BS of the highest degree.
Imagine if you had to buy a McDonalds membership at $50 a year in order to buy a Big Mac...
Keep going… imagine that every Big Mac you buy now is 25% cheaper. If you buy enough Big Macs, you might save money over the course of the year. At some point, the 25% cheaper thing is going to be far more than the $50.
I swear people have no math or finance skills anymore…
You're still paying for the privilege of shopping there. I have no idea why you think that is how things should run.
I’m not. I’m paying for the benefits they provide.
When I go shopping I pay for the goods I'm buying. Not anything else.
Yes… at a higher price than you would otherwise. That’s why you’re not paying for a membership.
I don’t see why this is so hard for you to understand.
We shop differently, I'm not here trying to convince you that you're wrong. I don't need a 400 pack of bog roll for the 2 souls in my home... I guess get over yourself?
I’m not telling you that you have to shop at Costco, my guy. Sounds like you’re the one that needs to get over yourself. The world doesn’t revolve around you. I’m just explaining why other people might choose to get a membership at Costco since you seem incapable of doing basic math.
The world doesn't revolve around me? No shit, it revolves around it's axis...
You're trying really hard to get me to unleash an emotional retort but I just don't care enough. It doesn't make sense for me to buy a membership to a bulk retailer because I have a small family. But do go on and tell me I don't know how to do basic math or I feel like the center of the world..
I don't like corporate dipshits milking people for profits. Sorry that offends you, but I hope you stay mad about it for at least the rest of your day 🤣
I’m not trying to get you to do anything. You have a real self-centeredness complex. I’m only pointing out that you’re wrong to suggest that it’s not worth it to have a membership to a store.
As for the last bit, that would require me to be mad. Unlike you, I don’t wish ill will on people for no reason.
How is it wrong (using your words here) for a family of 2 to not be able to justify a Costco membership? You say I can't do basic math so I want to see your breakdown. Clearly you're right and that's why you keep responding 🤣
We use about 5 rolls of tp a month and don't drink excessively so let us see those numbers fly.
Be sure to clear it with Costco HR, wouldn't want to misrepresent your products.
I never said it was wrong for a family of 2 to do anything. You’re just being dishonest now. You said that this is akin to Amazon adding ads or some other nonsense or Netflix backtracking on account sharing. I’m just pointing out that that is incorrect. Costco has never allowed you to share a membership outside of the household and the membership provides benefits that people are paying for. That’s it. That’s the whole thing.
Also, the fact that you think the only way someone would disagree with you is that they literally work for Costco is telling. Says a lot about how you view the world.
This is what you commented earlier.
This is in your last comment. Gaslighting is a terrible way to debate.
Also, I read your whole comment and saw ZERO mathematical functions.
I don’t see how what I said and what you claim are at odds or how anyone is gaslighting you. No one is gaslighting anyone. You’re just being dishonest.
If it’s worthwhile for even a single person, then your initial statement was wrong. I never said anything about a family of 2, you did.
My initial statement about my moral stance on corporate interests was my opinion. Opinions can't be wrong you dense fuckwit.
directly quoting your comment is "being dishonest". Right, enjoy your Costco card lmao.
You quoted it and then claimed I said something I didn’t. It is dishonest. Get outta here with that dumb “bet” shit. Use your words.
This you?
Lastly, "Outta" isn't a word, use REAL words like 'bet'.
Yes… and then you said that I claimed it wasn’t worth it for a family of 2. I never said that. You’re being dishonest.
You said it was wrong and that I couldn't do basic math. You had forgotten that people exists in a myriad of states and not every person has the same requirements as you.
So not only are you WRONG, you're being ignorant and doubling down on your bad-takes while pointing at me like I'm somehow to blame for the shame you feel. If you can admit you slipped up you may still learn something. Until then you can go fuck yourself in that Costco parking lot (assuming you have a valid membership card which I am beginning to doubt).
What if I wanted to buy something from Costco without the discount?
Since you can’t buy items not in bulk, you can only buy things that don’t have that discount, as I already mentioned. The discount is the benefit you’re paying for, amongst others.
What if they didn't charge you money for the discount? Do you really think they would go out of business?
I don’t know but that’s not relevant. Since membership fees are their primary and largest source of revenue, they might.
You're still paying for the privilege of shopping there. I have no idea why you think that is how things should run.
I’m not paying for that. I’m paying for the benefits the membership provides.
It’s why you can use the pharmacy and buy certain items without a membership. Those aren’t benefited in the same way as the rest of the purchases you can make there.
Wrong, Costco cannot legally prevent you from using the pharmacy. All health services are available to the public by law. Alcohol too although that law is because they are issued a public license.
Can you provide an example of anything Costco makes available to the general public the same as their members when they don’t have to?
The closest I can think of is online shopping but that adds a 5% surcharge and I don’t even know if you still can do that.
Your membership is paying to be able to shop there, the advantage being the lower prices they achieve by purchasing wholesale and limiting markup, no more than 14% for regular and 15% for Kirkland I think.
Edit: I looked at your comment history. Don’t bother replying, I’m not interested in anything you have to say and I can go to a Costco if I want to be pitched on their membership.
I’m not sure what you’re arguing against. You’re just making my point for me that the membership is paying for benefits that normal non-members don’t get.
Even if you just buy gas, condoms, and medicine at Costco, you'd break even quickly. Depending on your location, even just one gas stop at Costco gas saved us $60, the price of a membership.
Medicine that costs north of $130 at CVS costs $47 at Costco. Some of the stuff you can get at Costco, like berries, are half the cost as normal grocers, and usually much higher quality goo. Some, you even get an entire carton of milk free vs buying the same ultra pasturized milk at other stores. We go there and split up a Costco run by our families :)
Hell, even in college, Costco saved us students so much money. We were so hungry, haha.