Have you noticed any of these behaviors at Costco?
Costco is one of our favorite places to shop for quality products and fantastic deals. But according to this warehouse club’s employees, their jobs can be difficult sometimes, especially when dealing with demanding members and annoying habits.
Some customers are rude, while others have habits that are just quietly aggravating. Blocking the front entrance, leaving perishables around the store, and trying to start altercations over warehouse policies are all sure to annoy Costco employees.
From ditching your cart to putting hot rotisserie chicken in plastic bags, there are many things you may be doing at Costco that you should stop immediately.
A study found that the promise of deals can lead consumers away from fully acknowledging the human qualities of employees. Are you guilty of doing these things?
Costco employees have talked about all the frustrating things customers do in the store regularly, and yikes… it sounds like we’re doing these 7 things completely wrong!
41 Responses
Thank you!!!
I THINK COSTCO SHOULD ERECT A SIGN THAT STATES – PLEASE DONT BE LAZY AND LEAVE PERISHABLE FOODS IN OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE STORE, YOU ARE CAUSING THE PRICING OF ITEMS HIGHER FOR OTHERS AS WELL FOR YOURSELF.. THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO OVER LOOK THE ITEM DON’T BRING IT TO ATTENTION OF STORE EMPLOYEE EITHER.
65% PEOPLE FEEL THEY HAVE RIGHTS TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT THESE DAYS, IT SAD!!! WHY STEALING IS ON THE RISE, PEOPLE SHOULD BE THANKFUL THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE ITEMS IN BULK ( ESPECIALLY LARGE FAMILIES) THEN GOING TO REGULAR GROCERY STORE …
KEEP UP GOOD WORK I LIKE YOUR SYSTEM !!! NEED PUT IN COSTCO UP NORTH WEST OF PHOENIX BY WICKENBURG, AREA
I AGREE 💯 with the comment you’ve posted. I work at Ralphs in Southern California. In the past few years, I’ve tried applying at many Costco locations.
But after reading what you’ve posted, I’m changing my mind. The Ralphs I work at I’m constantly dealing with the same situation. And it’s NOT RIGHT!!!
People have NO MANNERS!!!!
People only come to Costco for the FREE SAMPLES!!!
These points are true in any big box store. I work part-time at the largest home improvement store in the US. I have seen every one of these things done routinely in our store.
Da! They ck cards to make sure you have one, it’s your card and not borrowed, who are you kidding, we’re not stupid but that reason is!!!
I love Costco and not guilty of any of the problems the employees are having except for one! I hve opened a package to make sure of the size and feel the material! But only maybe twice in 40 years.
Actually I was a first member when Price Club opened in San Diego on Moreno street.
I will always try to be a pleasant customer and respectful of all your employees!
Thank you for this opportunity,
Susan Stacy
Stacy Tool & Supply
Those comments are so true. Some of us feel that we are entitled to leave things that we took but change our minds later but do not take the trouble to walk over to the place to put them back especially if they are perishable goods. If they go bad, some of the customers could get sick. Why do they do it to our community?
I hate that they move things to different locations.
I get use to finding certain things on my list at the prior location; but not there, instead it’s in a location that makes no sense; for example; all nuts should be together, but some days they will be in the area with no connection to nuts !!
Same with one location for kumbcha one week, then a completely different location the next !!
A total waste of my time and frustrating !!!
I never do what is here alleged about members-customers . I try to be kind and polite and not bother anybody.
Da! They ck cards to make sure you have one, it’s your card and not borrowed, who are you kidding, we’re not stupid but that reason is!!!
Customers should never be so inconsiderate regarding returning food to its proper place when they change their mind. As someone mentioned, it ultimately raises the prices of all the food. Be respectful of others when parking your cart; don’t block isles.
What a totally stupid article!!
This is the general attitude in every grocery store. I did stock and found stuff all over, ppl doing what you think is only done at Costco. It’s done everywhere.
My attitude toward employees is nothing less than complete respect! I too was a n original member of Price Club and carried the same respect.
The many lower soceo-economic folks consistently stain good quality wherever they go & it’s a wart on society.
How hard is it to be polite and respectful while in the public?
But Costco has surveillance cameras all around every aisle in the store. They can go to the left items, identify the culprit and trace them thru their membership!
I don’t understand why I shouldn’t put my rotisserie chicken in a plastic bag. I do it all the time and I will not stop. That’s why they have the plastic bags hanging by the rotisserie chickens.
I have been a member of Costco for over 25 years and have noticed the disturbing things consumers have done at the store. I have usually advised the employees when I see items like frozen, cooked or just not where they should be. It is the right thing to do. Thank you for the opportunity to speak out in support of employees at Costco.
Frank Lee
Continue on giving excellent customer service. Stop the complaining it happens at all retail stores.
Keep representing Costco in a positive mood and action. Keep smiling and always polite. Your attitude will make or break your day. You are the success of Costco.
Yes, I’ve been in customer service for years and loved every moment. Always give “knock your socks off” service.
I am going to try Costco. I put on an order online at Sam’s Club for $94.00 and never received it and they showed a previous order delivered as proof. Well as someone who placed a few hundred dollars orders all the time, it’s their loss.
But the same token what about the rude employees at Costco! They used to ring you boxes now they point and tell you to get them yourself! Kind of hard when your in a wheelchair!
Well what’s worse than a customer leaving the perishable items out ( idiots ) is that the employees will put them back on the shelfs not knowing how long the item has been left out. Then guess who buys these items that have went bad? The good customers. The ones that play by the rules. The customers that return the shopping carts to the designated areas. Not just leave the carts lying where ever. In the middle of the parking stalls, again ( idiots ). I could go on. It is a shame that a lot of our society has taken this path. We will never get back to making this the great country it once was if these people still walk amongst us.
I experienced all of this and so,so much more working at Kmart store for 39 years!!! People are so much less considerate of others than ever before. Perhaps retail work should be a prerequisite to any job training. Employees at my Costco are very nice,polite and helpful. I appreciate every one of them!!! Stay positive
Costco is guilty of grabbing full carts while falsely assuming it is abandoned. I had to track mine down and once found asked “why would you do this?” Also, parking is horrible. Shoppers think they are entitled to block parking lanes by putting on the signal for a good 5-10 minutes while someone unloads their cart in order to get their spot. More than once I couldn’t get out of my own spot because 2 cars are inched in so close while vying for my spot. Rudest and most self entitled people in Costco parking lots.
When buying rotisserie chicken, we always stop by the cooler where the butter multi-packs are located and grab (or dump a case to create) an empty box. Even though the box is cold at first, it’s not a big deal. It works great for the size of the rotisserie chicken, even with the new bags they now sell them in.
A long time ago I worked with the public. It seems that the public still has not learned that “you can get better service when you are nice”. I try always try to remember that employees are
people too. Thanks for reminding everyone to be nice and remember to treat everyone the way you want people to you.
I try my best to be considerate of others. Never leave an electric cart in lot! I encourage others to be patient! Thought they can really be tired at times so try to greet them with a smile and get a smile back from them. I fold clothes after looking at them and not pitch them in a pile. Been a member over 20 years!!
I love Costco for number one reason. The customer service is the best in the ? and their return policy is no question to be asked when you have A great place like Costco I truly appreciate them
Costco is a super place to shop I’ve loved shopping there since it was price club in azusa,ca. I now shop at the maui,hi store in Kahului,hi. Just as good as any other store
You forgot “going through a pile of neatly folded clothes to get the XXL size because they always sell out first”.
Not that I’ve ever done that at Sam’s Club. I’m just saying.
My wife works as a CDS product demonstrator and she has seen all of the things mentioned in the article! Plus she has seen people take off old shoes and switch them for new shoes in the box! She has worked for CDS for almost 15 years, and she has seen a deterioration of customer respect toward CDS employees!!!!
what you sent is very informative, thank you. If i may offer a tip to ease our shopping time and ease the frustration, please put sign at the end of each isle to indicate the product location. In this time of our lives, we do not have the time to look and look for certain items, it’s time consuming and very tiresome, that is why I rather go to BJ !
I live overseas and I sol not return
I agree with the employees’ completely! Customer’s stand in the middle rows talking to other customer’s and you can’t get past. That is my biggest complaint. Also there are trash cans all over the place, but the people are pigs. Make believe it’s your home! Joan
Wish Costco would open a whse in Roanoke, Virginia. It would save me a 2 hr drive to costco.
Costco policy on tires if I send wife to get tires repaired that I perched ther with paper work she will be refused till I come in and take off work
I’ve seen those things that your employees complain of, and think: How can people be so lazy and disrespectful. And yes, even perishables. How about the idiots who leave shopping carts diagonally in the middle of the aisle so that someone can’t pass without saying “excuse me”? LOVE COSTCO!!!
costco isnt the only place stuff goes on itsallover, folks do whateverwhen they know they can get away with…….
I totally Disapprove of them checking every receipt on the way out when they can clearly see you go from the register to the door.
Unfortunately this is America today lazy, disrespectable and greedy. I see it on the highway as well people drive as if the road is theirs and theirs only. I don’t know how we got here but things need to change soon. I would think that a lot of this is caught on camera, how about posting pictures on a bulletin board or showing quick video clips of these actions on a large screen. That might make it very embarrassing seeing yourself on camera.
Then why do they put a plastic bag dispenser next to the rotisserie chickens????
The new chick-n-a-bag packaging makes sense.