Costco No Longer a Safe Haven? Or Isolated Bad Day?

[Imp]

Sometimes we'll shop there on a weekday around 6:00 PM and we practically have the entire place to ourselves. The parking lot is only 1/4 full and the lines, what lines?

Never go on a weekend, no matter how early in the morning. Our local Costcos open so late that everyone and their mother is up by opening time.

 

[dainthomas]

My other big pet peeve is the AT-AS the yuppie parents have now now. The All Terrain Armoured Stroller. Bad enough hearing their kids throw a tantrum. Now you've got to deal with their giant attack vehicles blocking the aisles.

I've never understood why people needed a rolling futon to take their kids around in. Some of those things are ginormous.

 

[RossMAN]

Never go on a weekend, no matter how early in the morning. Our local Costcos open so late that everyone and their mother is up by opening time.

and never go on a Sunday during the last day of their coupon offers.

 

[Mixolydian]

Never go on a weekend, no matter how early in the morning. Our local Costcos open so late that everyone and their mother is up by opening time.

My rule is Never go shopping on a weekend anywhere. Period.

 

[zinfamous]

Its pretty bad in there - our issue is with the Indians & Asians that have no idea how to behave in public with a shopping cart.

We rarely go that 'that" Costco any more, I'd rather hang with the vatos o0n the east side.

You think the Richmond/El Cerrito Costco is any different? (maybe you are talking about the same one...)

...because that is exactly my experience every time. I tend not to go any more.

 

[gorcorps]

I like going to Sam's Club. The entrance fee seems to keep the peasents next door in the commoner's center known as walmart. I generally don't see what you encountered, at least compared to normal stores.

 

[Rinaun]

I can't believe this thread came up. We were JUST at Coscto (almaden expressway, San Jose) and I've never had a worse experience. There were 100s of retarded old people blocking lanes while giving my mother and I stink eye for wanting to get out within an hour of arriving. They had ZERO roasted chickens at 3:30PM on a sunday, ONE apple pie left, and had very little of the other things we came for. The cart traffic was just horrible, though. I actually swore at a couple of very old people and families with their kids running around the cart as they pushed it slower than my grandpa walks.

As a side note, we did get to the checkstand and commented on this. They mentioned Sunday is always the worst, and because labor day is coming up people are buying early (costco is closed on labor day). I also noticed costco prices aren't as good as they used to be. Costco prices are now "100lbs sugar or 10lbs at walmart for maybe 30 cents more per pound".

 

[Rinaun]

You think the Richmond/El Cerrito Costco is any different? (maybe you are talking about the same one...)

...because that is exactly my experience every time. I tend not to go any more.

Nope. I'm going to bet the bay area has the worst costcos. And I will agree on the asian comment; haven't had any issues with indian people but at costco its a joke how slow and how they push their carts......I was about ten seconds from grabbing some guys cart and shoving it against the lane because he parked the cart diagonally in the aisle to read labels. FUCK YOU, DUDE. YES YOU, YOU OLD CRUSTY FUCK 🙁

 

[zinfamous]

Nope. I'm going to bet the bay area has the worst costcos. And I will agree on the asian comment; haven't had any issues with indian people but at costco its a joke how slow and how they push their carts......I was about ten seconds from grabbing some guys cart and shoving it against the lane because he parked the cart diagonally in the aisle to read labels. FUCK YOU, DUDE. YES YOU, YOU OLD CRUSTY FUCK 🙁

...and it gets even worse when you realize that they will soon be in their cars, treating the roadways and highways in the very same manner.

😀

 

[classy]

Exactly. You wouldn't notice me in a public setting like Costco, which is a good thing.

Which one on the list were you? Or is the membership too high of a barrier to entry for you?

LOL

Oh these people are just less than me.....................Look at me, I am just me......LOL

Such a pompous tool

And by the way I have Sams, Costco, and BJs. So suck on that barrier....................

 

[Thebobo]

Growing up, Costco was a pleasant place to be, although crowded. I don't go there much to do actual shopping (only me + so, no need for 10lb jar of peanut butter), but yesterday I agreed.

I went to one in a very bourgeois area, and was absolutely shocked. No exaggeration, I encountered every one of these scenarios:


- Parents letting their set of triplets run wild

- Obese people blocking isles in order to wait for a free sample of a crappy microwave treat for them and their 4 obese children

- People blocking the flow of traffic in a main isle to text

- People being nice enough to not stop to text, but not looking where they are going either.

- Someone who wasn't texting, was looking where they were going, but still managed to side-swipe my woman with her cart

- General disregard for anyone other than themselves


I am sure there was more, but that is what comes to mind. When did this change happen? It felt like Walmart, except everyone was at least wearing appropriate clothing and had all of their teeth.

Is this old news?

thats why I don't leave the house.

 

[thegimp03]

Costco in the Bay Area is pretty bad. I've been to three different ones and the main constant between all three is that the people all bring their little kids to run wild all over the aisles and have no sense on how to push a cart (similar to driving ability). The only good thing is, I go there for a total of 3-4 different things so I can still be in and out in relative decent time. If you're a family of 4-5 going there, I could see the whole process taking hours, no matter what time of the day. Then everybody jumps in their Odyssey or Prius and piles into the gas pump to save 20 cents.

 

[raildogg]

LOL, sorry but had to. This just happens everywhere you go. If you want to see pretty people, go to your big local mall. Then again, you may see all types of people there as well. But generally, in grocery-type stores, expect things like this.

It seems like during the rush hours people are much more in a hurry and therefore the stress levels are increased.

Also, I don't see what's so special about Costco or the people who shop there. They may have slightly nicer clothes and slightly better cars but inside they are all the same. The one I go to I see people in more of a rush than Walmart. Plus shopping at Walmart is more pleasant for me - a bit more relaxed, casual and easy. Shopping at Costco seems like an event.

 

[raildogg]

My rule is Never go shopping on a weekend anywhere. Period.

Haha, today I went to the mall and it was relatively quiet there. I just went to walk around and not really shop. Even the Apple store didn't have people bursting from the doors 😀

Going to the mall during weekdays, except Fridays, is generally much more relaxed than weekends. But it seems the older I get, the less I like to shop and go to stores. Not to say that I liked it when I was younger.

 

[Staples]

Never go on a weekend, no matter how early in the morning. Our local Costcos open so late that everyone and their mother is up by opening time.

I think their hours are the same nation wide.

And I agree, always very busy on the weekend which isn't a problem but I want to go during non peak hours because when there are 10 people in front of you at the gas station, I sometimes just get gas by my house even though it is 2+ dollars more expensive.

Also, about TJ, I see a lot fewer fat people there but it is always crowded. Also, all their packages are small (keeps thin people thin). Fatties don't go there because of this.

 

[Red Squirrel]

When I went down south with family this summer we went into a Costco, was my first time in one, it seemed to be rather open and so HUGE! (that sounds dirty) It was close to closing time though so we never managed to check out the whole store. The aisles are much bigger than say, Walmart, too so even though we were in a big city it did not feel as crowded as Walmart or other stores here.

Did manage to get a bag of chips that lasted almost the whole vacation though, that was a huge bag. There's always rumors we may get one here but I doubt it. Then again we got fibre to the home now, so anything is possible.

 

[OCGuy]

And by the way I have Sams, Costco, and BJs. So suck on that barrier....................

Be honest...you have 3 memberships so that you can hit them all for the free samples without getting noticed.

 

[raildogg]

I have noticed that people are often more in a rush, in stress, in various moods in upscale areas. When I go to a local shopping center that is surrounded by relatively higher priced homes and apartments, the traffic situation is worse and the it seems like things are on edge. However, when I go to an area with that is not as wealthy, things appear calmer (though not as pretty, obviously).

 

[Pulsar]

Just wait. The 'holiday' season is coming.

I do most of my shopping on line. The last few times I've gone out to the shop during the 'holiday season', I've had similar experiences to what you guys have posted. Except that some of these people (especially the women) are just aggressive assholes.

They think it's a race to get in front of you. You'll be walking down the aisle and they'll SHOVE their cart out in front of you so that you have to stop. Or they see you walking toward a particular rack and they'll move their cart in front of you so they can look at it first.

I think it's a difference in how people shop. My wife doesn't have a problem with it - but she doesn't go ino a store knowing what she's going to buy. If I stop at a store, it's because I know they have the item I want and I go straight to that item. She just meanders the aisles.

Her parents go to Costco and then Sams on the weekends and 'graze'. Their word. Not mine. The thing is, they end up buying things as well, even when they just go to 'graze'. That's why the stores offer the free food. It gets people in to buy stuff, even if it pisses off all the goal-oriented "I know what I want" type shoppers like me.