Costco’s decision to switch from only accepting American Express credit cards to only accepting Visa cards is a big deal for their customers (and for American Express) and has been in the works for a long time. That should have given Costco and Citi plenty of time to make sure the transition was smooth and everyone would have their cards working and on time, right? No, of course not. [More]
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Costco Officially Switches From AmEx To Visa Today
By 6.20.16
It’s officially out with the old and in with the new at Costco today, as the company closes the book on its 16-year relationship with American Express in exchange for its new deal with Citi Visa. [More]
American Express Trying To Retain Costco Card Members Before Switch
By 6.14.16
With less than a week left before Costco’s store-branded credit card officially makes the switch from American Express to a Visa card issued by Citi, the ousted credit card company is working overtime to retain and draw in new customers through an aggressive advertising campaign focused on its erstwhile account holders at the warehouse store. [More]
Is Costco’s “Meh” Attitude Toward Online Sales Hubris Or Good Business?
By 5.25.16
By this point, bricks-and-mortar stores that haven’t also established a solid online presence are often put on death watch, but Costco continues to take a “we’ll get there someday” approach to its internet business without raising too many alarm bells. Is that shortsightedness or good business? [More]
Foster Farms Recalls 220K Pounds Of Chicken Nuggets, Because Plastic And Rubber Are Not Tasty
By 5.3.16
Nearly three years after hundreds of people from all over the country got sick from eating Salmonella-tainted chicken from Foster Farms, the poultry producer is facing another issue with its products. The company announced that it would recall 220,000 pounds of chicken nuggets that may contain pieces of plastic. [More]
15 Types Of Frozen Vegetables Sold At Costco, Meijer Recalled Over Listeria Concerns
By 4.25.16
For the second time this month packages of frozen vegetables sold at national retailers has been recalled for possible listeria contamination. CRF Frozen Foods issued a recall of 15 frozen vegetable products sold at Costco and Meijer stores over the weekend. [More]
Costco Expected To Raise Membership Fees By 10% Sometime In The Next Year
By 4.22.16
The cost of a yearly Costco membership could be going up in the near future: according to analysts at UBS, the retailer is probably going to raise prices by 10% by late this year or early 2017. [More]
Costco Vs. Sam’s Club: Which Warehouse Club Should You Choose?
By 4.18.16
When it comes time to consider joining a national warehouse club, there are basically two choices facing consumers: Costco or Sam’s Club. Both offer to deliver big savings on not only groceries, but on everything from electronics and clothing to cars and home mortgages. So which one should the discerning shopper choose? [More]
Will Costco’s Switch From American Express To Visa Affect My Credit?
By 4.6.16
In June, Costco will officially change its store-branded credit card from American Express to a Visa card issued by Citi. The wholesale club is promising a seamless transition, but some longtime Costco customers have concerns: Will my credit score or history be dinged? Can I opt-out? [More]
Citi Will Send Members’ New Costco Visa Cards In May
By 3.25.16
This June, things will change at Costco: the warehouse retailer will change its official, store-endorsed credit card from a Costco-branded American Express card to a Costco-branded Visa card from Citi. We now know that the new cards will start being mailed out in May, and what kinds of rewards users will be able to expect. [More]
AmEx Signs Deal With Boxed, Which Is Kind Of Like An Online Costco
By 3.23.16
Last year, Costco announced the end of its longtime exclusive relationship with American Express. The end of the deal wasn’t as great for AmEx, since the captive audience was good for its business, and shareholders were unhappy. As the official breakup date approaches in June, AmEx is looking for a new bulk-selling credit card buddy, and has perhaps found one in Boxed. [More]
Costco Raising Entry-Level Employee Minimum Wage For The First Time In Nearly A Decade
By 3.4.16
In a bid to attract more quality workers, Costco says it will raise the minimum wage for entry-level workers for the first time in nine years. [More]
Celery Supplier Linked To Costco Chicken Salad E. Coli Outbreak Issues Recalls Affecting 13 More Retailers
By 12.1.15
The E. Coli outbreak linked to a rotisserie chicken salad sold by Costco that’s sickened 19 customers in seven states has been traced back to a single ingredient: celery that comes from a supplier in California. That farm has now issued a recall for a slew of products that could contain tainted celery sold at 13 additional retailers across the country. [More]
Costco Chicken Salad E. Coli Outbreak Found In 7 States So Far
By 11.25.15
When last we discussed the recently announced outbreak of E. Coli illnesses tied to chicken salad sold at Costco, the sick customers had been limited to four states — Washington, Colorado, Utah, and Montana. Last night, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the outbreak is more widespread, sickening Costco customers on both coasts. [More]
Costco Pulls Chicken Salad In Western States Over E. Coli Concerns
By 11.24.15
After linking a number of cases of E. coli poisoning back to chicken salad bought at Costco, the warehouse chain has pulled the product from its shelves in the western portion of the U.S. [More]
Here’s Why Costco And Whole Foods Made Consumer Reports’ 2015 Naughty List
By 11.23.15
Every year, Santa Claus makes a master list of which children have been naughty or nice in the preceding year, and rewards them accordingly. Our sibling publication, Consumer Reports, makes its own list of judgement, deciding whether companies, not individuals, have behaved themselves in the past year. The list isn’t an overall evaluation of the company’s products or practices, but a way to call out out specific examples of admirable or deplorable behavior from the last year. [More]
Costco Won’t Sell Genetically Engineered Salmon
By 11.23.15
Genetically engineered salmon recently received the stamp of approval from the Food and Drug Administration, but it might have a hard time reaching a lot of customers. Costco has joined the list of major food sellers who say they won’t offer the controversial product to customers. [More]
Man Who Sued Costco After Altercation Led To Broken Leg Loses Case
By 11.20.15
Last September, a man in Oregon filed a $670,000 lawsuit against Costco claiming that a receipt-checking dispute left him with a broken leg. This week, a jury refused to award the man damages in the case. [More]
