good god Cocsto is a nightmare and their selection/prices arent even comparable to WinCo much less merit a $55 entry fee (Kennewick: credit, Home Depot)

[west seattle gal]

I have never liked Costco.

[Ultrarunner]

Are you a member?

[pnwguy2]

She doesn't need to be a member to have an opinion. I'm not a member, but I have family members who can get me in, and I can also have an opinion. I don't like Costco either.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

I don't like Costco either, but I'm glad that I can get my dog's medication at the Costco pharmacy for a lot less than elsewhere...they keep tempting me to join again by telling me they'll knock a few more bucks off her meds if I was a member, & the stuff is expensive, so...

On the other hand, I WISH there was a WinCo nearby...went to one while traveling in Idaho...what an amazing store! They would get ALL my business! I think they're employee owned?

[Yakscsd]

It's simple...if it's not a value to you, don't shop there. If it is a value, shop there.

I will add that as a household of two, we find plenty of items which justify the membership price and are not in crazy quantities. If you are unable to find value there because you don't need a gallon of mustard, you may be missing the forest for the trees. Even for a household of one, there are bargains to be had that more than offset the membership costs.

[j_k_k]

I like Costco in some ways as a company. They seem to buck the trend of management asking itself, every year, "What could we do to make this an even more horrible place to work? What would be the one action we could take that would wring out a few extra nickels of profit, at the acceptable cost of making us more deeply hated?" Reasonable pay, benefits, and so on. I wouldn't shop at Wal-Mart at bayonet point.

Of course, when Costco thinks it sees green, it definitely will throw its political weight around. They bankrolled WA's privatized liquor initiative (remember how much your liquor prices went down due to the free market competition? funny, me neither). I don't like when corporations get away with bankrolling any change in laws.

The worst thing about the Kennewick (maybe it's actually in Richland, not 100% sure where the line is on Gage) Costco is the people. Tri-Citians are the world's worst meanderthals in grocery stories, constantly blocking the aisles while they pick out their merchandise, then looking up and noticing that yes, someone else would like to get past, and giving you this stupid little "Oh, I'm such a ditz" smile. No, lady, you're not a ditz. You're an inconsiderate moron. Costcos are bad everywhere for crowding and aisle-blockers, but the one in Kennewick really takes the cake when some aisle hog manages to obstruct the middle while she seeks to decide between the 55-gallon drum of grape jelly or orange marmalade. It is made worse by the sample stations, which the company ought to station in the front entry corridor after they check your card.

[ScottPlake]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

How do employee benefits compare?

Costco is generally welcomed in communities that won't allow Walmart or Winco.

There are people against Winco? I did not know that. I thought with them being employee owned they would be a little more welcome than the others. I guess they don't pay to well or have good benefits?

[M3 Mitch]

I'm not a fan of Costco, their location is not near my usual commute route, prefer not to drive out there on weekends, their huge sizes are generally not what DW and I actually want and can use up before it expires. I don't hate them or anything, just that for me, the joining fee wouldn't be re-couped over the year it's good for.

Winco. I do shop there about 1-2 X per month. The Richland and Kennewick locations are both inconvenient to me, but they do have some products that no other stores in town carry, and the prices are quite good.

Occasionally shop at Wal-Mart, although when I do I always leave with a slight dirty feeling, like I did something vaguely wrong.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

She doesn't need to be a member to have an opinion. I'm not a member, but I have family members who can get me in, and I can also have an opinion. I don't like Costco either.

Of course...

You must be proactive if you wish to shop there for merchandise.

The simple solution would be to save the membership fee or the bother of asking to go with a friend.

I was there last night just as the entrance door was closing in Lacey WA... thought I they might still let me in as there were plenty of shoppers and I needed only one item to finish my LED conversion for Mom... no dice which is what happens when you show up exactly at closing... wasn't happy but not Costco fault.

Their LED shop lights and the 4' LED tubes have great reviews.

[notnamed]

Ah yes and one of their very best features. Their very liberal return policy. You can return just about anything at any time(except electronics past 90 days). Including the membership itself.