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The high pressure was from two of the membership reps... it just so happened we always got one of the two except for one time. Even if we said we weren't interested, it was like they heard "tell me more." It was bad enough that we almost tried to cancel the membership. I just asked my husband why he doesn't want to renew and he said he didn't think we saved anything. I believe we did on the trips where we stuck to our list. Admittedly we also had the problem of things just jumping into our cart.
One thing I was disappointed in is that they had no gluten free products, no flour, pasta, etc. so I still had to make another trip to a different store to get that stuff. They're kind of pricey so it would be great if Costco carried them.
I have used both and find they are effective only when you by large quantities/sizes or find a product they do especially well. Overall the prices at Walmart are better for most things, but I still go to Costco for their meats, nuts, and some paper products.
My big issue is that we cannot count on a favorite product staying on the shelf. We have found and loved many things to have them disappear after a few months. Maybe the sales of the product were not that great but it keeps happening over and over.
I'm trying to decide whether or not renew my membership with Costco. We haven't been since November when we bought our TV (old one died). Every time we've gone, we got a very high-pressure sales spiel to upgrade the membership to the Executive level while we were waiting in line. I mean it was extreme high pressure - worse than even Culligan gives (and that's bad enough). My husband doesn't feel it's worth it at all, but I do, especially on some of the things we buy. I noticed it did lower our average grocery bill some. I think he objects more to the high-pressure sales spiel than anything. It's the fastest way to turn him off on a product/service/whatever. It comes up for renewal this month. We finally did relent and upgraded the membership when we bought the TV but haven't been back. They added two months to the membership when we did that, otherwise it would have been up in May.
I'm very surprised to hear that. I've been shopping at Costco everywhere I've lived since they opened (in PA, NJ, and AZ) and I've never had that happen to me ever. I'd say maybe I just don't spend enough, but I've never seen it happen to anyone else either. Perhaps it's regional or was some kind of test thing. But you really should go to the office and complain. Costco is a MEMBER organization. If they are doing something enough members don't like, believe me, they will stop. They've expanded in many areas because members wanted them to.
Also to the person who wanted gluten-free products: again, go to the office and tell them. If they hear enough requests they'll do something about it.
I'm trying to decide whether or not renew my membership with Costco. We haven't been since November when we bought our TV (old one died). Every time we've gone, we got a very high-pressure sales spiel to upgrade the membership to the Executive level while we were waiting in line. I mean it was extreme high pressure - worse than even Culligan gives (and that's bad enough). My husband doesn't feel it's worth it at all, but I do, especially on some of the things we buy. I noticed it did lower our average grocery bill some. I think he objects more to the high-pressure sales spiel than anything. It's the fastest way to turn him off on a product/service/whatever. It comes up for renewal this month. We finally did relent and upgraded the membership when we bought the TV but haven't been back. They added two months to the membership when we did that, otherwise it would have been up in May.
I had to get very firm with them. They tried it once or twice and after that, when they approach me, I tell them I am absolutely not interested and just refuse to talk to them anymore. They haven't done it lately. I'm sure the employees who do that get some kind of reward for those they convert and let's just say some people are much more aggressive salespeople than others!
I love Costco - but I tell people, don't go there expecting to save a bundle -surely you make your membership cost back, but sometimes it's just about getting a really good quality product at a decent price. Beef is one example. You can buy USDA Choice cuts for about half of what the grocery stores charge and it's really good meat.
You do save a bundle at Costco but only and only if your comparing that item to regular priced store items. You are not going to save anything if you normally buy store brand peanut butter and instead buying Costco's natural peanut butter or the major brand name they are selling. The key to saving at Costco is you have to first be their type of consumer.
Example is they don;t stock the "low end bulk brand names" so if a product item can range from $40 for the low quality end to $120 for the highest quality item of that type, the Costco items normally would be in the higher end of that range, say the $80+ per item. So a item normally selling for $95 may only be $75 at Costco but its much higher than the cheapo quality one selling for $40 at WalMart. If you buy on price without judging or using quality as a determing factor to judge a good price, Costco ain;t for you. You have to know that although it may be more expensive from variety shopping at a regular store with a range of items in that catagory, its highly unlikely you can ever get the quality of that item for a lower price than at Costco.
You also will not save if you can;t use the item in a reasonable time under reasonable conditions. I know lots of people who buy the items casue its cheap but becaure it so much, they end up consuming ti in a manner they never would have if they bought it in smaller amounts. Yes the peanut butter will always be cheaper at Costco but if you have yo have peanut buter sandwiches, tilapia with peanut butter, peanut butter frappachino, peanut & and rice, and carrot cake with peanut buter topping, just to use the sucker up, again, no savings.
As for things not being there when you want it, That is my pet peeve because I also hate to find something i like and afer months of buying it, wham its gone from the shelves. The key is to look at the price card so you know if its a clearence items (may be availble while stock remains in the supply chain) , discontinued (what you see is what yuo get), in limited supply (on order but will be having supply delivery issues that means it may be out of stock and reappear from time to time) or selling at a temptraty markdown (sale price). Once you master those codes, you can shop knowingt hat you have to buy all those bags of Pink laced boxers cause once they are gone, they are gone....
One key to being a savvy Costco shopper, is see things that have the last digits, .97, that means it is being blown out...and they are selling it below cost. When I see something on sale at Costco, I usually look at the item, and see if it is something I would use...I also buy things based on the advertisement that they send out. Socks and underwear are cheaper at Costco, as are shampoo products...and if you have to buy diapers, Costco is totally the place to go.
I buy the Executive membership, and always get a rebate.
They have many vegetarian items there, which works well for me. Eggs are a bargin at Costco...
But, I have some rules...I never spend over $100 when I go, I am very careful about what I put in my cart, I decide if it is a "want" or a "need"...that is frugal Costco shopping.
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