Don't waste your time.
So, we've been pretty happy as Costco…read moremembers for most of the past 15 years. We recently relocated and the two closest Costco warehouses are each about 30 minutes away, and the BJs is about 15 minutes away. So, we decided to give them a shot.
First off, the prices on the shelf are okay, but you have to clip coupons in order to really get the perks of membership. I know my grandmother got a bit of a thrill clipping coupons and earning extra savings, but I have a career, a home and a family; I don't have time to clip all of the coupons. But, okay, fine, we'll muddle through...
In November, they offered a free turkey to any member who spent more than $100. We spent more than $100 (our first visit was upwards of $400). We clipped the coupon when it arrived on the app. I figured there would be some demand for a free turkey, so I arrived at the store opening that Saturday morning. As expected there was a little traffic; probably two dozen people lined up for the free turkeys. The shelf was almost empty (about 10 birds), the largest turkey was about 12 lbs. The associates working in that department seemed to be caught off guard, as they scrambled around wondering why there was a crowd, they mentioned there was a pallet of frozen turkeys in the back and agreed, after some pressure from the crowd, to get it out. About 20 minutes later they wheeled a half dozen turkeys out of the back. I imagine there were more that they had, but I got mine and got on my way. At the register, the clipped coupon for my free turkey didn't work and I had to have a manager override the purchase. All-in, kind of a hassle, they clearly weren't prepared for the predictable crowd, and did their morning employees a disservice by not stocking the freezer the night before, but okay, I got a free turkey.
The last straw came when we made an online purchase with them for a Christmas present for my daughter. The item, a clamp for a phone for her bike was ordered through their website and cost about $25. When the package arrived, all that was there was the envelope with a slit in it and an empty box. We tried processing a return online, but the instructions on the website told us to go to the store. I did. At the store, the customer service rep was nice enough, but didn't know how to help. The assistant manager was short and unhelpful, and instructed me to go online to process the return. I made clear that I did not appreciate the runaround and that at this point it's less about the $25 and it's about good customer service. I pay for a membership here, so I can have access to relatively good deals on larger quantities of things I need to furnish and feed my family of 6. I expect that when a branch of their company gets something wrong, that the individuals in my local store who see me a few times a month can remedy the situation easily enough. Especially if the issue is as small as a $25 return. My request was met with indifference and disdain. I was given an 800 number to call and told that nothing else could be done for me in the store. I asked to speak with the store manager. He came over and was not kind. He first told me that he didn't need to hear what I had to say because he already heard it from his assistant. When I expressed that I felt disrespected and disregarded, he allowed me to speak and tell my story anyway. I finished, he didn't care, he understood that this $25 would cost his company my business, I left.
I spent 40 minutes on the phone (I think to Mexico) to process my return. I was assured that once the vendor agreed to the refund I would get an email. We'll see.
At any rate, save your time on the hassle, disappointment and disrespect, just get a Costco membership..
