Nanaimo Costco

I am officially an unhappy customer. Now as a single person I do not feel the need to frequent Costco, since I do not have a large family to feed (the main purpose of Costco, IMHO). I go there MAYBE once a month. So for me to spend $50 on a membership seems pointless. It wouldn't be worth it for me. I understand Costco has some decent pricing (but let's be realistic, no one TRULY saves money at Costco - in fact I seem to spend far more than I wanted to!) and they try to provide wholesale prices, but I fail to see the purpose of PAYING for a membership just to SPEND money somewhere. I'll stick to the story here.

I went to Costco with a member and at the till was asked whether I have a membership to which I replied "no". I was asked whether I wanted a membership to which I replied "no, I don't come here enough to benefit from that". Upon us both putting our groceries through I was going to pay for both orders when the cashier lady informs me apparently as a "non-member" they are unable to accept my debit card. I fail to see the point of this as I am also paying for a member. She informs me there is an ATM machine in the far corner. I take out money (and yes of course I get charged for using it). While passing her the cash I ask her whether my "non-member" cash is accepted here. She snidely responses yes, and the reason they wouldn't take my debit card is they would be charged for the transaction. I inform her I understand that but I was also paying for a member so there was REALLY no difference, and that she just wasted everyone's time. In the meantime she had placed a sign up for membership card in my groceries after I repeatedly said no. Needless to say as a very easy-going person I left the store feeling irritated and appalled. Let's just say I won't be getting a membership card anytime soon. A company that can't provide polite and considerate customer service will not have my business. Thank you Costco. Especially Thank you Maureen D, who allowed me to have the worst customer service experience I've had in a long time.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I also refuse to shop at such a terrible store. I am not surprised by your experience at all, as I have been there as well.
March 4, 2010 at 1:42 PM
Mike said…
Real customer service seems to be a thing of the past. Does anyone remember when McDonald's actually provided good service? Sure the food was crap but the price was right and the service was good. Now they're oh-for-three.

Business owners take note: simply providing decent customer service will put you ahead of most of your competiton. It will also make someone's day once in a while. There's an opportunity here folks!
March 4, 2010 at 1:57 PM
s. said…
I'm going to fully agree with you 100% Mike. Something so simple and easy is definitely lacking these days. Although, hands down the worst customer service I experienced was in Toronto! lol.
March 4, 2010 at 1:59 PM
s. said…
Thanks for your useful input "Anonymous". I was not the cause of the held up line, however, that would be Maureen D on till! :D
March 5, 2010 at 12:11 PM
Anonymous said…
Sounds like some people don't like to follow the rules. I feel sorry for all the people that had to wait in the lineup while this person tried to get her own way (playing by her rules not Costco's). Get a life lady, nobody wants you to shop at Costco anyway!!!
March 22, 2010 at 11:04 AM
Anonymous said…
No you held up the line s_przada. You are not a Member of Costco therefore you can't buy anything but only go as a guest of someone ( who subsequently is the only person elegible to pay ). The fact you said you were paying for the Member is irrelevent, you are still not elegible to buy anything there i.e. pay for anything. I'm surprised she let you pay at all, she was very nice in allowing a non-member to buy product, you should feel fortunate. The fact that you went there at all proves you think it is worth it to shop there. You issue is you don't believe you should have to pay for a membership. Millions of people around the world think is it is worth it, just pruchasing 1 big ticket item per year is worth the fee alone.
March 25, 2010 at 7:23 PM
s. said…
Thank you Anonymous (Costco employee?) I appreciate your point of view. However, business is driven by customers and if you don't treat even POTENTIAL customers with respect you are at risk of losing them. Which happened in this case. The principle of the matter is ONE of us made a payment for both orders, Costco made a profit, but lost a potential membership. That is all.
March 26, 2010 at 1:56 PM
Anonymous said…
As a Costco Member and NOT an employee, I invite s_przada to go shop somewhere else and allow people like Maureen D to do her job. Servicing paying MEMBERS of Costco like myself (who also lives on her own) that have no problem paying for the priveledge of being a Member. I'd rather pay to shop at Costco then stand in line with people like you at Save On or Superstore or WalMart.
Thanks for leaving Costco a better place for those of us who follow the rules of Membership!
April 6, 2010 at 5:37 PM
Anonymous said…
Whether you paid by debit or the member did, Costco would have incurred the charge so that logic is faulty. There are so many things irritating about Costco include their nazi door men (yeah right it's for our benefit), the fact that you can't pay for a business order separate from a personal one and the list goes on... next time (if there is a next time) hand your debit card to your friend and let her execute the transaction... drives them crazy!! I went in and my boyfriend wasn't allowed to pay for the order... wrap your head around that one!
September 6, 2011 at 9:34 PM
Anonymous said…
Costco is somewhere my partner loves to frequent. I find there are people who are pro Costco and those against. I do not agree with paying to shop anywhere either nor do I like having my purchase scanned to prevent theft. I frequently find their customer service poor. For example; the photo guy ignores me for ten minutes and has his colleague go through the line of customers. When I go to pay calling the manager to review my ID because my picture was not yet on my card. One small detail allows me to feel retribution. I always bring my mother and I always pay with her debit card :) have a lovely Costco free day everyone
January 15, 2012 at 8:38 AM
Anonymous said…
Dear first anonymous: you obviously missed the point: Ms Przada was paying for a member, thus it was irrelevant to refuse her debit as the member just as easily could have paid with debit thus incurring the debit charge to Costco. I too am a member and find your pro-nazi attitude appalling. I only try to frequent Costco early during the mid-week and will only do so if I'm in a masochistic mood. Please first Anonymous, make Costco a better place for us other Costco shoppers and go shop somewhere else!
January 16, 2012 at 11:52 AM
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