Nah, I'm not buyin it, you work there or something.

I love Costco.

A similar event happened to me when I was moving into my new apartment in June. I had purchased a set of steak knives from costco, and left them in the shopping cart in the parking lot. An employee had brought it to the customer service desk, and I was able to return that afternoon and pick up another set off the shelf.

Wow, that's awesome. That's indicative of my experience in the past. My wife needed a copy of a old receipt for school and they were able to look it up and print it out right away. They're also great at 'no-hassle' returns; although they did change their electronics return policy, which was a major bummer. BUT, can't blame them from all the rampant abuse of their policies i heard about.

I love Costco as a company but many of their employees irk me, which is something that I've consistently noticed among employees belonging to unions.

I was returning some supplement because it actually had the opposite effect to my test results compared to something I purchased at the pharmacy. I used up 3/4 of the supplement and the lady gave me a hard time returning it, claiming that "We're only allowed to take returns on supplements if there's half or more, but we'll make an exception for you this time."

Which is completely BS, because they offer a 100% guarantee on anything they sell, excluding electronics which have 90 days. I felt like confronting her on her continued bullshitting response, but refrained.

If this is above and beyond, we must have the most spoiled customers around. When a customer forgets an item, and we tell them to pull another one of the shelf, they complain about shopping (albeit for one item) again.

I love costco, if I had a bigger family I would probably buy more there but I just can't seem to eat my way through 10 lbs of butter no matter how hard I try.

@SOhp101:

I thought Costco employees were nonunion.

Umm, most retail stores teach their employees to do this, it's pretty standard.

@SOhp101:
Keep in mind the Pharmacy isn't staffed by Costco employees. If they were, however, you should have reported them. As I recall there's a policy in place that any employee of Costco goes under review after three complaints.

You get what you pay for at costco. Literally. Since you are paying to be a member there you tend to get better service.

I've had several instances where i've been in the store and the staff will actually help me find things. But I just assume that's because of all the money we pay them every year for the privilege to shop there.

Aren't free samples above and beyond?

@Monkey4Sale: Something tells me that this doesn't happen at Wal-mart

@SOhp101: You wanted a full reimbursment for something that you used 3/4? Was there ''satisfaction guarantee'' on the label? Because, if not, I can understand why the employee was irked.

@SOhp101: It's like eating 3/4 of a chocolate bar and then returning it =P

Come to think of it, I've never actually seen a Costco employee run and hide like their more common retail brethren. Where does Costco find these people, and why can't anyone else?

On the flipside, Costco is slowly becoming a little too rich for my blood, so I don't shop there anywhere near as much as I used to.

@Binaryslyder: It happened when I worked at the Walmart in Falmouth, Maine on many an occassion. As well as a few other times at stores here in Corvallis, Oregon.

I still love Costco.

@goodkitty:

Costco pays employees a living wage. Like, $17 an hour. I'm guessing that makes all the difference.

I keep hearing a lot of good things about Costco. I wish there was one near me.

According to this costco is at least partially unionized [www.laborresearch.org]

I hate shopping there on saturdays after 3, the free sample mob is basically out of control, still despite this huge rush of people the stores remain tidier and the lines are moving faster than a walmart/target/kmart that only has half the crowd. One of the few BB chains that helps to improve a local economy, not wreck it.

This is what happens when you pay your employee's decently (cashiers here start at 15 I think), you have paying customers only, and you charge for a service. At normal stores you pay for food, not for the service of the staff. at costco you pay to use the store, that money goes to pay for good service.

I find it funny that one of the few stores that CAN legally stop you and check your receipt chose not to :)

@xtc46: What do you mean about the receipts?? I thought it was illegal for everyone... and my Costco checks them too.

Happened to my wife at Target.

Whats a 'living wage'?

Well, I'm getting to where I cannot stand Costco. I'm having hell getting what I order online. I ordered a Garmin Nuvi 680 on Nov 18th, received a Garmin Nuvi 650 on the 27th. After arguing with customer service, I got my money back and ordered another Garmin Nuvi 680, if it is another Nuvi 650 this time, consumerist.com will have my story listed I'm sure.

Why is this "above and beyond"?? I would have done this in any retail setting I've ever worked in, and I'm sure most of my coworkers would have done the same.

Are our expectations of big retailers so abysmal that service like this actually stands out?

@rachaeljean: It's in the membership contract. They still can't stop you against your will -- but they can revoke your membership if you don't play nice.

@rachaeljean: Not illegal if you agree to permit it as a condition of becoming a member. Check the fine print of your membership agreement.

I'll stick with the "underpaid" workers at Sam's. Costco's despicable tire department destroyed any good feelings I had for the shopping experience there. Lifetime* Warranty on tires, and 0% liability for vehicles in their custody. It's Costco policy to fill out the pre-existing damage report AFTER the servicing is complete. . . .
(* not actually lifetime)

/rant

@bnpederson: Actually the return was done at their customer service counter since it was a supplement (red yeast rice), not a prescription. I didn't know about that review policy though, I will keep that in mind, thanks.

@chouchou: I'll just assume you've never, ever heard of:
1. a complete satisfaction guarantee
2. you've never shopped at Costco
3. you've never taken anything to help improve your numbers on a blood test

You were taking bullshit "nutrition supplements" and they didn't work? SOMEBODY CALL CONSUMERIST!

@ferris209: I did buy a $299.99 After $150 Off Garmin Nüvi 650 GPS 4.3" from Costco.com (not the brick and mortar store). I did not even know they also sold the 680...

@Amry:

You have got to be kidding me. My friend was trying to get university jobs that were running that much. She has years of experience and an MFA. You're telling me Costco pays that much for punching numbers at a cash register? That's ridiculous.

I have been a member there for a couple years and I love it. We let our membership laps for a month and spent way too much on groceries that month.
In other news, their return policy is AWESOME! You have 90 days on computers and electronics. I even bought coffee beans there that tasted like the dirt they grew them in. They returned them, no questions, and gave me cash back.
We had the executive membership and were told we were supposed to receive a 2% refund by mail and never got it. I asked the CSR about the check, she looked it up, saw it was never cashed, and issued us a new one, ON THE SPOT.
I <3 Costco. But I may be gushing now.

@Monkey4Sale:
Umm, most retail stores teach their employees to do this, it's pretty standard.

First of all, this snotty use of the "umm" really has to stop. It's wasn't cute when you were 15, and it isn't cute now.

Second of all, in what fairyland do you live that "most" retail stores do this? I certainly was never taught anything of the sort when I worked retail.

Costco donates to Democrats. Keep on supporting Hillary you suckers!

What if the people who shop there are Democrats? Would they not be encouraged to shop more?

@Crumbles: You mean just like every other company of moderate size? Even Wal-Mart donates to Democrats. If they can't buy Republican love outright, at least they can buy a little goodwill when a Democrat gets elected. But then, being a snarky Internet pseudo-conservative type, you probably already knew that, right?

@beavis88: Sorry, but Walmart/Sams donates to the pubs. Don't worry, keep voting Democrat, you'll get your socialistic society soon enough. It's almost here, then you can relax and let the government take care of you with other people's money.

@Binaryslyder: It may not happen at Wal-Mart but it does happen at Sam's Club. I worked there for 2 years during college.

Sam's Club keeps a log at the exit door detailing the date, approximate time, and the item that was left behind. If we get a call asking if something was found and it is in the log, then they can come by and pick up another one.

Once, when I was a cashier, I was pulled off my register to go help gather carts from the lot. I recognized a cd that someone had purchased from my register in the past half hour or so and I remembered the member's name. I had the member service desk look up their phone number and we called them to ask if they forgot anything. The lady said they had forgotten a cd and figured it was long gone. She was able to come by and get the cd she left.

It's great that Costco does this too, but it really should not be something that is considered above and beyond.

Cashiers make $40K after 3 years.

@Crumbles: See, now you've insulted me. I don't vote for Republicans or Democrats lately (which means I don't do much voting). Not sure if I'd rather have a socialist society or a police state, but looks like I'm getting one of the two soon enough whether I like it or not - maybe a sweet combination of both if we're really lucky. But go on, keep thinking the "pubs" care value you or your family or even their country ahead of a couple bucks. I wouldn't want to spoil your little fantasy.

@alice_bunnie:

You probably don't want to know about the fact that Trader Joe's employees average an income of $50,000 a year then... =D

Google it.

Getting any help from the staff with a particular item requires a trip halfway across the store to the "customer disservice" desk (I call it that in all stores), but I'm willing to accept the trade-off of lower prices for less personal service. I really don't like attitude of the "free samples" people; I've never met one who was willing to help or was ever willing to call someone and get help.

The most annoying thing about Costco for me is, when Costco builds them, they put narrow escalators in stores with multiple floors. If you're walking in without a cart (say you're buying one big ticket item) and you are going up or down a floor, you can't get past the other customers, even if they stand to one side.

Customers are my other annoyance about Costco, though it's not the company's fault: worse than regular department stores and supermarkets, some customers at Costco will block the aisles with those oversized carts. I've lost count of the idiots I've seen who park the cart across the aisle and stand at the end of it while looking at products, effectively blocking the entire aisle; it's as if they're trying to do it. To top it off, some of them get pissy if you ask them to move or if you try to move their cart and get around them. Are they that stupid or that arrogant?

@ Crumbles:
Actually, if you were paying attention, you'd see we're veering much closer to a police state...

But I digress...

I tried to buy a diet Coke out of a Costco vending machine, but a Sprite came out. I don't like Sprite, so I went to the service desk - not to complain, but just to let them know so they could get the machine loaded right and to give the unwanted soda to any thirsty employee who may have wanted it. The Costco rep insisted on refunded my money even after I said it wasn't necessary, then went to the employee breakroom to buy me a diet Coke with the refunded money. That was truly above and beyond!

@arcticJKL: A living wage is a wage that is enough to meet the basic costs of living. Which is different than a minimum wage, which won't necessarily do that.

@alice_bunnie: It's not ridiculous. You want good employees, you pay them well. Costco pays it's employees well and gives them good benefits, the CEO even makes significantly less than other CEOs (on purpose). And it works well for the company, they do good business and has very high customer satisfaction. I also take a bit of issue with thinking that sort of pay for cashiers is ridiculous in general, as if they do an easy job. Being a cashier can really be quite exhausting both physically and emotionally. Really, try standing in a single place for 4 hours straight, then add to that dealing with the public.

Actually, I'm paid $11 an hour. But I just started in Nov...

@Monkey4Sale: Teach? Maybe. This sort of thing was never given any kind of policy coverage at Toys 'R" Us, K-Mart, or Wal-Mart during the period I worked those places. There was no instruction or requirement that anything at all be done, they apparantly just assumed the employee would handle it appropriately.

And good luck on seeing anyone else actually keep records of the items not taken home, whether they should or not. Mor eoften than not you'll never be able to find the item because they didn't make a note, or have sloppy logs.

I cut up my Sams Club card four months ago and switched to Costco. I don't regret it, especially when I can get gas 20-30 cents a gallon cheaper than the area gas stations.

I have to agree with others about the friendly staff. Last week I purchased a gift membership for my dad, and after I paid for it, the cashier realized that if I had gotten one of the special "yellow" cards to purchase a gift membership they were holding a promotion to give a tin of chocolates and coupons to send along with the membership. She immediately got a floor manager over, explained that I had bought a gift membership not knowing about the promotion, and the manager immediately went and got the chocolates and coupons.

They were under no obligation to give me the better deal, but I was very glad they did.

It is not the store, but the employees.

Heck, a few months ago my wife bought a DVD for my birthday, but when she got home - could not find it (assumed she left it in the store) - went back to store, told customer service - had her go back and get another one and that was that.