What Annoys Akit - Inconsiderate Shoppers at Costco

I'm going to take a break today from the Muni and Clipper entries and talk about one of my annoyances, idiots at Costco.

I got the motivation to write about this one today from "The Poop" parenting blog on SFgate, and I was reading about the author's experiences at Costco when the free sample tables are out there giving away food to try.

Free samples, one of the features of going to Costco. That little piece of pizza, or a sample of their bagels; sure, they are tasty, but it doesn't beat that $1.50 hot dog.

I hardly ever go for samples because I'm only there to get in and out as quickly as possible. I've got my shopping list and coupons in hand before entering to zoom down the aisles to grab what I need and find the shortest checkout line.

When the samples are going out, that's when it gets nasty. There are a bunch of inconsiderate people who wait in line for a sample and leave their unattended shopping cart in the middle of the thoroughfare or aisles, thereby blocking others who want to just pass by and continue shopping.

Gees, a little taste of an item a person will unlikely buy, and being an asshole at the same time by blocking the aisle. At least move your cart away from the sample tables.

I haven't done it yet, I sometimes feel like grabbing their unattended cart and moving it far away just as punishment. I'd bet those I'd snatch would not even know their cart is missing.

Costco Gives Back Early Hour to Executive and Business Members

Two postings ago here at the Complaint Department, I noticed on September 26, 2008 that Costco changed their operating hours to permit their Gold Star members to enter the El Camino Real (South San Francisco) location at 10AM instead of 11AM, thereby screwing the Executive and Business members who get this special early privilege to conduct their shopping.

Well... here's something new. The photo shows now (October 3, 2008) that the policy has been reversed and Gold Star Members now have to enter at their regular time at 11AM.

Cheers to Costco for giving us Executive and Business members back our special hour!

I wonder why they reverted back the hours so quickly, like in just one week's time. Maybe it is because of my posting here at the Complaint Department and possibly the posting thread I started on Yelp. Click here for the Yelp conversation.

Costco Executive & Business Members - No more early shopping hour

NOTE: Although this post is a few years old, as of July 16, 2011, executive/business hours has been eliminated again. (Click here to read)

If you love Costco and have an Executive or Business membership, I've just noticed while at my local Costco warehouse (El Camino Real, South San Francisco #475) that the "Executive Business Member" early hour privilege is now revoked because they now permit all GOLD STAR MEMBERS to enter at the same time as the Executive and Business folks.

The photo was taken today (9/26/08) and the time was changed no less than a week ago. That's why the time was changed by taping it over.

This is frustrating. I upgraded my membership less than three weeks ago to Executive and paid an additional $50 for this special privilege of shorter lines, smaller crowds, and first dibs on the best stuff before everyone else gets their hands on it. The 2% rebate return won't likely get back that extra $50 fee (I usually spend less than $2,500 in a year), but just paying a little more for smaller crowds is a big pleaser in my book.

For Business members, I feel they are getting it quite bad: the early hour before the general public (Gold Star) gets all their restaurant and business supplies is a huge benefit before a huge mob swamps the warehouse, and they can literally get in and out of the warehouse even before the clock hits 11AM.

I even asked one of the employees, and she gave me this lame answer that "it's for the holidays." Um... it's only SEPTEMBER! Christmas is still a long ways away.

I just called one of the managers of that Costco location and they claim that the executive management of Costco wanted this change, so it sounds like the management of the warehouse did not make the recommendation. The high management also stated that people who upgrade from Gold Star to Executive really like the Executive program, but paying extra should also give that special early hour too! I expressed my concern to the manager on the phone and also noted to the person that it was much more crowded and the lines were much longer today than I have ever experienced before.

And I don't understand, Costco has ALWAYS been giving the special early hour to all Business members for DECADES. Executive members paid an extra $50 for the special privilege too (Executive membership was not created until much later) and it's been going strong for a long time. But now they let the regular Gold Star members barge through the Execs and Business folk's fun?

I'm really disappointed Costco.

Take action now! Tell the managers that you don't like this:
Call (650) 757-3003, press "1," and ask for a manager.

UPDATE/FYI: Before you start complaining, this article was published in 2008 and was resolved a week after this posting.