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I always shop in off hours and had no problems before but in the last month or so I feel soliciting in the store has become incessant. Not sure if it’s just our store or some corporate change.
Right next to the entrance there is always some guy who yells at every customer “Hello sir/mam, would you like to hear about...”. No one is ever interested. It feels like one of those mall kiosks where they just want to scam you by selling some overpriced cream.
And this week they started asking for donations for some hospital. OK but even after I politely refused the cashier kept telling me how great of a hospital that was, etc. Then I go to get a hot dog and, again, the cashier is asking about a donation.
Since we are literally paying to shop there, this seems a bit too much. I really just want to get in, get what I need and get out as quickly as possible. Do you have the same experience in your store or is it just ours?
There are frequently some sale actions but those folks are never intrusive and most are quite nice, actually.
I've never had an issue with aggressive vendors at Costco, that's surprising. The only ones who ever approach me are DirecTV and they aren't persistent once I decline.
They've been supporting Children's Miracle Network every spring for as long as I can remember.
No. It's nice and relaxing. Vendors are not aggressive, store music is subtle and toned down. No obnoxious PA paging either.
I didn't experience any pesky soliciting or asking for donations.
Costco shoppers - do you feel hassled at the stores?
No, but truth be told I am not a browser when I am in there because experience has taught me that it can become costly if I browse so I am always on a mission to get what I went in for and get out of there as quickly and efficiently as possible.
When one is truly on a mission people recognize it and I don't even get offered the little taste samplers when going through.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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We have two within 6 miles in opposite directions and shop at both at times, at least once a month. We have never been hassled or solicited for donations of any kind. Even the people giving out samples are low key, and only announce what they have once in a while.
I'm no longer a Costco member, so I only go in if I happen to be with a friend who is going shopping there who is a member. This has happened maybe twice in the last year in the SF Bay Area, and yes, we were approached by really aggressive sales people. They were selling anything and everything, including a karaoke machine. This was around Christmas.
I even get annoyed when the credit card machine won't let me just pay, without me saying yes or not to a donation. So, having some sales person get in my way and require me to either just pretend they don't exist or keep saying no, is really obnoxious.
I don't experience this in other stores I shop in. So, yeah, it's really obnoxious that this is allowed somewhere that people actually pay to shop there. Kind of like paying for the premium channel with no commercials and getting commercials anyway.
I'm no longer a Costco member, so I only go in if I happen to be with a friend who is going shopping there who is a member. This has happened maybe twice in the last year in the SF Bay Area, and yes, we were approached by really aggressive sales people. They were selling anything and everything, including a karaoke machine. This was around Christmas.
Around Christmas almost all stores are loud and obnoxious, with aggressive salespeople, and people standing in front of stores asking for various donations. It's a beautiful season, but I hate the commercialism
We shop at three different Costco stores. Never once been hassled by aggressive sales people, even over the holidays.
The DirectTV guy, the guy demonstrating the super duper blender, the folks giving out samples of the chicken apple sausage, ... are all pretty low key.
Although a cashier did once ask me if I wanted to buy stamps.
I get irriatated at all the thoughtless people blocking everything up around the grazing stations!
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