# Disappointed in Costco (Car rental)



## am1 (Sep 14, 2015)

This weekend I was looking to rent a car today for 8 days.  I did some searches and tried costco as it has been talked about on here.  I like that it stays away from scam rental car companies.  I wanted to rent a mustang convertible as it is not much more than the cheapest car.  

Costco travel advertises:

Become a Costco Member
If you're not a Costco member, become a member today.
Become a Costco MemberButton

I went to purchase a membership then I am told that it takes up to 48 hours to get the membership number.  

A call to costco travel was no help as they do not deal with it. Transferred to Alamo who said I would need to provide the member number no exceptions.  Price quoted over the phone was a little more than online (I was made aware of that a little while ago from a thread on here).  Called costco customer service and we are 45 minutes into a call going no where.  The supervisor said that costco dropped the ball advertising become a member today and they are looking to streamline things but no one wants to pick up the ball and run with it. 

Very poor customer service from where I am standing and not what I would expect from Costco.  Searching online it looks like the travel department has lots of complaints where they just leave the customer to deal with the issues on their own.  So far that is not my issue with costco and I wish I could have a great experience but Costco does not even want my business.


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## Luanne (Sep 14, 2015)

Yes, the wait to sign up, or renew, can be frustrating.  I don't understand either why it takes so long.  I was the one who posted about my experience with trying to book a car rental while I was waiting for my account renewal.

However, once you do have a valid Costco account the experience is worth it.


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## am1 (Sep 14, 2015)

However said:
			
		

> It maybe but for someone who does not live near a costco I am not sure it is worth the hassle.  I would like to use costco travel and maybe visit a few times away when I am in an area with a costco but if this is how they want to treat a new customer why bother.  I make a point to avoid renting cars from the scam companies to avoid having problems.


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## PigsDad (Sep 14, 2015)

I ran into the same issue about 2 years ago -- I wanted to become a Costco member to purchase a TV, but it would take a couple of days for my membership to become active.  Their only "solution" was to visit a Costco in person and they can give you an instantaneous membership.

So if they can activate a membership instantaneously at their stores, why can't they do it online?  Sad to hear nothing has been done on this front in two years.

Kurt


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## MULTIZ321 (Sep 14, 2015)

Hi am,

Have you tried www.autoslash.com?


It's worth checking out if you haven't.


Richard


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 14, 2015)

Costco is exceptional for car prices, but if you have a Chase credit card, like Ink Plus or Ink Bold, or some of the others I cannot remember 'cause I don't have them, you can try the rates through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.  I have gotten some great rates that way.  But they do offer lots of different car companies, not just the few Costco has.  

We also have the insurance through American Express/ Costco.  This keeps us from having hassles with the companies saying we did damage.  They can deal with the insurance.


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## Luanne (Sep 14, 2015)

MULTIZ321 said:


> Hi am,
> 
> Have you tried www.autoslash.com?
> 
> ...



Just be aware with autoslash that they don't always include the extra driver for free.  The quotes I've been getting are charging $13/day for an extra driver.  Also, currently I do have an autoslash request out there for the Big Island and Costco is still less.

We did use autoslash for San Diego a few months back and were pleased.  We had no issue with the extra driver fee since it doesn't apply in California.


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## Chrispee (Sep 14, 2015)

The easy immediate solution is to get one of your friends/family with a costco account to create a Costco Travel account online using their number, and then you can use that to rent the car in your name.


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## Luanne (Sep 14, 2015)

am1 said:


> It maybe but for someone who does not live near a costco I am not sure it is worth the hassle.  I would like to use costco travel and maybe visit a few times away when I am in an area with a costco but if this is how they want to treat a new customer why bother.  I make a point to avoid renting cars from the scam companies to avoid having problems.



I'm not sure why you are lumping Costco car rentals with scam companies.  Or maybe you're not and it's just the way I'm reading it.

We currently don't have a Costco really close like we did in California (we're an hour away) but it's still worth it to us.

I'm not sure I'd get the Costco membership just for the car rentals, unless I was renting a car a lot during the year.


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## Fern Modena (Sep 14, 2015)

I think you expect too much. In fact, in this Internet "everything is instant" Age, I think many/most of us do. We've gotten very used to "I want it NOW, I expect it NOW," etc. I'm not calling you out specifically here, because I've felt the same at times. Used to be, back in the dark ages, a two day wait wasn't much. 

So, my advice? If you aren't travelling tomorrow, join Costco, relax, have a cup of coffee, and wait the two days. If you decide that it isn't worth it, you can get a refund later.

I hadn't been a member of Costco for years, and rejoined simply to get a good price on a computer. They had what I wanted much cheaper than anybody else, plus I got a rebate. If I didn't have a Costco within a half hour (or so) from home, I don't think I would have joined, although they do have many items that you can purchase and have shipped to you.

Fern



am1 said:


> This weekend I was looking to rent a car today for 8 days.  I did some searches and tried costco as it has been talked about on here.  I like that it stays away from scam rental car companies.  I wanted to rent a mustang convertible as it is not much more than the cheapest car.
> 
> Costco travel advertises:
> 
> ...


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## VegasBella (Sep 14, 2015)

I've been a Costco member for over 20 years. But I've never used them to rent a car. Coincidentally I booked a rental car through Costco just now, as this thread was started. I compared a few options and Costco had the best deal. So I can't complain. 

I agree with Fern that you should just sit back and wait til the membership goes through. Just relax, you're bargain is coming


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## SmithOp (Sep 14, 2015)

Regarding having to go in store to set up an account - I see this as a good thing, only in store computers can add records to the member database.  There is risk of hacking when you add a connection from the internet to the member database, look how many companies don't make member data secure enough.


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## am1 (Sep 14, 2015)

Luanne said:


> Just be aware with autoslash that they don't always include the extra driver for free.  The quotes I've been getting are charging $13/day for an extra driver.  Also, currently I do have an autoslash request out there for the Big Island and Costco is still less.
> 
> We did use autoslash for San Diego a few months back and were pleased.  We had no issue with the extra driver fee since it doesn't apply in California.



Autoslash was only offering sixt and payless as options.  

The car rental was for today hence the urgency.  I rented the car and will get the membership and see if I can get the price adjusted.  

It it not that I expect things instantly but when it states "become a member today" I expect that to actually be the case.  The next morning I also expect that something like this cab easily be worked around.  

I do expect a business to care about the customer service that they provide.


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## BevL (Sep 14, 2015)

If you do actually become a Costco member and go to their warehouse, you will get excellent customer service.  I don't know of many businesses where I can return something without a receipt 10 months later and get a refund, no questions asked.  That, to me, is worth the wait.

But it is frustrating when you needed it TODAY and it didn't work out for you, I get that.

Most folks know SOMEBODY who is a Costco member.  And that person could definitely rent for you, so that might be a workaround for next time.


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## VacationForever (Sep 14, 2015)

Sorry that you did not have a good experience with Costco.  I would say give them another chance.  

Before I became a member of Costco, I did not think I would shop there other than to get bathroom tissue and paper kitchen towels.  Those were all that I bought the first 2 times I shopped at Costco after I became a member.  These days when I load up my trolley (shopping cart), I often joke that I have become a true Costco customer.  

Their rental car prices are still the best whenever I do price comparison.


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## am1 (Sep 14, 2015)

Luanne said:


> I'm not sure why you are lumping Costco car rentals with scam companies.  Or maybe you're not and it's just the way I'm reading it.



Not a scam but I do not want to have to deal with either of these hassles when traveling and renting a car.  I want to know my car will be there, not be forced to purchase more insurance then I need, not blamed for someone elses damage and not have an issue making the reservation.


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## DaveNV (Sep 14, 2015)

am1, I know you're disappointed, but I think your expectations of instant gratification from this experience are not reasonable.  Costco's best car rental rates are rarely "today."  If you wanted a specialized vehicle and knew you wanted it, you should have joined prior to this.

Costco Travel is a subset of the company, and the contracted car rental companies provide the service to Costco.  Nowhere I've seen on the Costco Travel pages does it say "join today and then rent a car today."  It says as a member you can rent a car, but when you try to make the reservation it asks for your membership number.  If you don't have one, you'll have to get one.  If it takes two days to do it online, then it takes two days. The huge savings will make it worthwhile.  It is what it is, and nobody is doing you any sort of disservice.

The fact that they tried to work with you shows excellent customer service, in my opinion.  If they didn't care, or were really disinterested in serving you, they would have ended the call long before they did.

As others have said, get the membership, and give Costco a chance to impress you.  Chances are the very first purchase you make will more than cover the membership cost.  But after that, if you are dissatisfied for any reason, you can still get a 100% refund of your entire membership fee at ANY time during the year.  Even on the last day before it expires.

Where I live, I save more on Costco gas in a few months than I'd spend for the membership fee for the entire year. Add in the savings on purchases made while I'm traveling to other cities, and it's a win-win. 

Dave


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## am1 (Sep 14, 2015)

This makes it seem like a car can be rented the same day as joining.

Become a Costco Member
If you're not a Costco member, become a member today.
Become a Costco MemberButton

I only booked the flight last night after finding out the price of the car rental.  I was looking at flying into and out of 4 cities.  I ended up flying into one and will be flying out of another that is very close by.  Be able to get a nice car at a great price from a good car rental company pushed me into the flights I booked.  

I do belong to a warehouse club that sells kirkland and member selection products.  That is where most of my grocery/ baby and cleaning supplies are spent.  In a lot of places Costco can be beat without having to shop in bulk using sales and price matches but they do have great products.  

The issue was not resolved so I do not see where the good customer service comes from.  Is it that difficult to provide a dummy member number for this?  




BMWguynw said:


> am1, I know you're disappointed, but I think your expectations of instant gratification from this experience are not reasonable.  Costco's best car rental rates are rarely "today."  If you wanted a specialized vehicle and knew you wanted it, you should have joined prior to this.
> 
> Costco Travel is a subset of the company, and the contracted car rental companies provide the service to Costco.  Nowhere I've seen on the Costco Travel pages does it say "join today and then rent a car today."  It says as a member you can rent a car, but when you try to make the reservation it asks for your membership number.  If you don't have one, you'll have to get one.  If it takes two days to do it online, then it takes two days. The huge savings will make it worthwhile.  It is what it is, and nobody is doing you any sort of disservice.
> 
> ...


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## DaveNV (Sep 14, 2015)

am1 said:


> I do belong to a warehouse club that sells kirkland and member selection products.  That is where most of my grocery/ baby and cleaning supplies are spent.  In a lot of places Costco can be beat without having to shop in bulk using sales and price matches but they do have great products.



Kirkland is a Costco store brand. I don't know of any other company that sells that brand.  Which store is this?

Certainly Costco can be beaten on some things here and there if you work at it. But pound for pound, I doubt the consistent pricing and quality merchandise holds up with the ease of shopping at a Costco warehouse.  Also, Costco is a warehouse club, meant for buying in bulk sizes.  They aren't trying to compete with the local grocery store.



am1 said:


> The issue was not resolved so I do not see where the good customer service comes from.  Is it that difficult to provide a dummy member number for this?



Just the fact that they tried to help you out is an example of their good intentions. As I said previously, the car rentals are handled by the vendor companies, not Costco.  All Costco gets is a discounted rate for you on the rental. If you deal direct with the vendor, the rates will likely not be the same, because of the lower rates Costco gets on their contract.

Give them a try for a future trip, and see if they don't convince you to stick around. They are a good company that saves the rest of us a lot of money.

Dave


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## Ken555 (Sep 14, 2015)

Your expectations are unrealistic. 

As for the "become a member today" statement, it's obviously designed to simply encourage visitors to join. The link goes to the membership page which has details on becoming a member in which it states unequivocally that it may take up to two business days. I agree the verbiage on the travel login page could be better, but you shouldn't have been confused for more than a few minutes while reading the details of the membership level you selected. I don't see any validity for a serious complaint...or the necessity to start a thread just to complain about Costco's great car rental rates (see the thread title) when your issue is much more simple.


Sent from my iPad


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## Jimster (Sep 14, 2015)

*autoslash*



am1 said:


> Autoslash was only offering sixt and payless as options.
> 
> The car rental was for today hence the urgency.  I rented the car and will get the membership and see if I can get the price adjusted.
> 
> ...


 
Not true.  Autoslash will offer you other rental companies if you ask them.  Look at my post under the member lounge on the same point.


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## Luanne (Sep 14, 2015)

am1 said:


> Not a scam but I do not want to have to deal with either of these hassles when traveling and renting a car.  I want to know my car will be there, not be forced to purchase more insurance then I need, not blamed for someone elses damage and not have an issue making the reservation.



Costco only books with the major companies, so no scams.  Your car should be there.  I've been offered extra insurance, but never been forced into it.


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## Ken555 (Sep 14, 2015)

am1 said:


> The car rental was for today hence the urgency.  I rented the car and will get the membership and see if I can get the price adjusted.




I would be shocked if you were successful with this request. And, based on your past posts, you'll likely unjustifiably blame Costco for this "failure", too.


Sent from my iPad


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## am1 (Sep 14, 2015)

No I am willing to see what happens as well if I got that route.  I do not mind giving companies second chances when I think they will want to earn my business back.  It was a simple issue for costco to deal with and even one of their own supervisors said they dropped the ball with their words on the costco travel website. 



Ken555 said:


> I would be shocked if you were successful with this request. And, based on your past posts, you'll likely unjustifiably blame Costco for this "failure", too.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad


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## am1 (Sep 14, 2015)

Luanne said:


> Costco only books with the major companies, so no scams.  Your car should be there.  I've been offered extra insurance, but never been forced into it.



Yes that is why costco had the best prices but by trying to go through them it create a lot of hassle.  If they do not want my business then that is their loss.  I will see what happens.


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## am1 (Sep 14, 2015)

BMWguynw said:


> Kirkland is a Costco store brand. I don't know of any other company that sells that brand.  Which store is this?
> 
> Certainly Costco can be beaten on some things here and there if you work at it. But pound for pound, I doubt the consistent pricing and quality merchandise holds up with the ease of shopping at a Costco warehouse.  Also, Costco is a warehouse club, meant for buying in bulk sizes.  They aren't trying to compete with the local grocery store.
> 
> ...



Costco should be able to beat the small grocers all the time as they sell in bulk.  I do agree that pound for pound costco is better.  The same can be said for walmart.  Not everything is cheaper then every other store but overall it is.  

I like the costco store format as everything is in the same place.  Very few times items are not in stock.  

I guess I expected better then waiting on hold for 20 minutes during a 45 minute phone call just to be told that there is nothing they can do.  Costco could not call Costco travel to just process my reservation at the discounted price?  The truth is costco spent more in expense for this issue then 1) my membership or b) my discount on the car rental.  At this point they do not get a cut of the amount I paid and I may or may not sign up for a membership now or in the future.  

I expect that a lot of companies take advantage of me and everyone else and there is very little we can do but 

As an owner/operator of a business I do everything I can to get much more complex issues resolved.


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## Luanne (Sep 14, 2015)

am1 said:


> Yes that is why costco had the best prices but by trying to go through them it create a lot of hassle.  If they do not want my business then that is their loss.  I will see what happens.



The only "hassle" you had was in trying to book with them without having a valid account.


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## am1 (Sep 15, 2015)

Luanne said:


> The only "hassle" you had was in trying to book with them without having a valid account.



That and in how they dealt with the issue afterwards.  What a company does about resolving an issue says more about them then anything.  Lots of Costco travel complaints online.  But until it happens personally they are brushed off.  This is the same for all big businesses.


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## DaveNV (Sep 15, 2015)

am1 said:


> I guess I expected better then waiting on hold for 20 minutes during a 45 minute phone call just to be told that there is nothing they can do.  Costco could not call Costco travel to just process my reservation at the discounted price?  The truth is costco spent more in expense for this issue then 1) my membership or b) my discount on the car rental.  At this point they do not get a cut of the amount I paid and I may or may not sign up for a membership now or in the future.
> 
> I expect that a lot of companies take advantage of me and everyone else and there is very little we can do but
> 
> As an owner/operator of a business I do everything I can to get much more complex issues resolved.



I think the point you are not understanding here is you were dealing with three different organizations.  Costco Membership, Costco Travel, and the car Rental Companies. They are not related to each other other than by corporate name.

I suspect the reason you were kept on Hold for so long was while they were trying to expedite things for you, so you can then try and rent the car you wanted.  They were unable to do so.  You are right that they got nothing for the effort today, but you are giving them zero credit for at least TRYING to make it right. Your situation was unusual, and you are dismissing it out of hand as if it was nothing.  It wasn't.  They did what they could, and I don't doubt for a moment that if they COULD have done something for you they WOULD have.  That's the way Costco does business.  Just about every other company I know of would have said, "Sorry, there's nothing we can do," and hung up the phone.

Sometimes you have to accept that things just happen. In this case it was not to your advantage. But ask anyone who has ever had an issue with a product they bought at Costco, sometimes even YEARS later, and ask how well Costco satisfied the member.  My spouse is a Refund Cashier at Costco.  I have heard hundreds  of stories over the years about how Costco has stepped up to make it right, even if they KNOW the member was the one in the wrong.  (One example:  A man brought back a rusted-out generator NINE YEARS after he bought it.  It was obvious the generator had been used and abused till it was falling apart.  He demanded a full refund on his purchase. And guess what?  The Warehouse Manager realized the man was a good customer, and they gave him his refund. It was outrageous that the man felt he deserved anything.  But Costco stepped up, in the name of good business practices, and refunded his purchase.  And guess what he did?  He turned right around and bought a new generator - for more money - at Costco.)

If you choose not to shop at Costco, that is certainly your prerogative. But I think to judge them poorly after one over the top issue is a bit unfair. But you need to do what makes you feel comfortable.

Dave


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## Chrispee (Sep 15, 2015)

There's no way they'll be able to discount your car rental after the fact, but if you continue on with your complaint I'll bet they'll give you a costco gift card to placate you.


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## Ken555 (Sep 15, 2015)

Luanne said:


> The only "hassle" you had was in trying to book with them without having a valid account.




Yup. Can't please everyone.


Sent from my iPad


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## winger (Sep 15, 2015)

*Costco is awesome*

Been with them (Price Club before the buyout/merge) for decades...great customer service.  Try getting anything close to this at Walmart :ignore:


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## Luanne (Sep 15, 2015)

Costco just dropped another $40 (since yesterday) for our two week rental on the Big Island in April.


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## am1 (Sep 15, 2015)

Chrispee said:


> There's no way they'll be able to discount your car rental after the fact, but if you continue on with your complaint I'll bet they'll give you a costco gift card to placate you.



You were right and no need to complain just asked a costco travel supervisor what we could do.  There was no investigation into what the difference was.  Just took me at my word, which thankfully is as good as gold.  

Alamo said the code (not a membership number) could not be added after the car was picked up.  Understandable but it is bad business to treat people like that you has your $35 000 piece of property.  

Costco membership over the phone said that if there was anything they could do they would do it.  Even stated that if I called them they could have got the membership number yesterday but I spoke with costco online services.  Sorry I did not know the what departments could do what and apparently people who work in the departments do not know either.

Today over chat with costco travel they gave me the codes what I would need without issue.  

As far as Costco accepting a 9 year old rusted generator back that just means the prices are higher then they could be.  Not sure I would have bothered selling him a new one.


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## frank808 (Sep 16, 2015)

The reason costco does not beat the small grocers "sale prices"  because costco does not sell "loss leaders".  It is products the store sells at under purchase price. This will entice the customer to come in. What the store hopes is that the customer will buy other items that does generate a profit.
To whoever is interested, costco generates most of its profits from membership fees.  The cost of goods plus a small markup generally (10-15%)basically covers the shipping and overhead (such as administrative expenses, payroll, utilities etc.).


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## scootr5 (Sep 16, 2015)

frank808 said:


> The reason costco does not beat the small grocers "sale prices"  because costco does not sell "loss leaders".  It is products the store sells at under purchase price. This will entice the customer to come in.



The rotisserie chickens are certainly a loss leader. They price them at $4.99 and put them at the back of the store so you have to go all the way through to get them. The same holds true for the $1.50 hot dog and a drink.

Here's a fairly interesting article on the pricing.


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## geekette (Sep 16, 2015)

am1 said:


> That and in how they dealt with the issue afterwards.  What a company does about resolving an issue says more about them then anything.  Lots of Costco travel complaints online.  But until it happens personally they are brushed off.  This is the same for all big businesses.



The customer isn't always right, like in this case.  They tried to bend rules for you but apparently could not break rules for your special request.  

<<The issue was not resolved so I do not see where the good customer service comes from. Is it that difficult to provide a dummy member number for this? >>

Please note that there are a lot of systems that will never accept dummy data so this is another area that your expectations are simply off.  Test data goes in test systems, not production system simply because you demand it.  

I'm not sure why you would expect immediate accommodation of your beyond the bounds urgent request.  I'd rather you not stay a Costco member as you will be expensive to maintain.


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## am1 (Sep 16, 2015)

geekette said:


> The customer isn't always right, like in this case.  They tried to bend rules for you but apparently could not break rules for your special request.
> 
> <<The issue was not resolved so I do not see where the good customer service comes from. Is it that difficult to provide a dummy member number for this? >>
> 
> ...



Then they should not advertise become a member today after I went through the search process for the car rental.  

Yesterday there was no problem giving me the code through costco travel chat.  The member services rep said that if spoke with them before renting the car they would have been able to accommodate me.

Not sure why you think I will be expensive to maintain.  I do expect good customer service and quality products.  

Surely I am not the first person that has faced this issue.


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## Passepartout (Sep 16, 2015)

am1 said:


> Not sure why you think I will be expensive to maintain.  I do expect good customer service and quality products.
> 
> Surely I am not the first person that has faced this issue.



Had you been a member at the outset, you'd have found excellent customer service, and Costco products are second to none. (imo)

Yes, I'm sure that other non-members have gotten their noses out of joint because they were not given the service that members have come to expect.

Jim


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## Fern Modena (Sep 16, 2015)

Why shouldn't they advertise that you can become a member today? You most certainly can, as long as you go to a club to do so. It wasn't a false claim. They didn't claim that you could become a member if you applied online to do so.In fact, when I go to www.costco.com it specifically states that your member number will be emailed to you after 48 hours, You must be looking at a different opening page.

You have poor expectations. I can't imagine that you would expect that the rental company could add a discount code number after you rented and picked up your car.  I also can't imagine that you would feel that Costco should rebate you the difference when you did not plan far enough ahead to use their service. Whether they did or did not state that you could become a member in a day, one day is not a decent amount of time to plan ahead if you want to use a previously untainted discount.

This is, of course, JMHO, but it appears to be in line with many of the above posters.

Fern



am1 said:


> Then they should not advertise become a member today after I went through the search process for the car rental.
> 
> Yesterday there was no problem giving me the code through costco travel chat.  The member services rep said that if spoke with them before renting the car they would have been able to accommodate me.
> 
> ...


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## frank808 (Sep 16, 2015)

scootr5 said:


> The rotisserie chickens are certainly a loss leader. They price them at $4.99 and put them at the back of the store so you have to go all the way through to get them. The same holds true for the $1.50 hot dog and a drink.
> 
> Here's a fairly interesting article on the pricing.


Here is another article.  http://www.cbsnews.com/media/12-things-about-costco-that-may-surprise-you/2/

I don't believe costco makes much money on the chicken but they sure as heck aren't making more than a few cents.
Now with gasoline costco might lose money from time to time but overall they do profit from it annually.
I have been a stockholder since 1991 and have been a costco believer since.


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 16, 2015)

Luanne said:


> Costco just dropped another $40 (since yesterday) for our two week rental on the Big Island in April.



Yes!  I just got $305 total for 2 weeks on Kauai for April.  I got a full-sized car but would rather have an SUV for Mom to sit higher in the backseat.  She is 87 and short so loves that higher backseat.  I am sure a deal will follow on a different car, but at least I have something reserved.  If nothing else comes available, I guess mom will be sitting on a pillow for our drives on Kauai.   

I am so glad I check about every-other-day.  We have five or six rentals ahead of us now.  Our membership saves enough on car rentals alone to be worthy of the small price we pay.


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## LisaRex (Sep 16, 2015)

am1, FYI Costco used to allow folks to browse freely in their travel section without requiring a membership #.  However, it became the worst kept secret in the travel industry that non-members could book a rental car with no risk because the rental car companies never asked to see the Costco card.  Even if they pressured the companies to start checking cards, it would open up a can of worms because legitimate Costco members might forget to bring their cards, plus many rental car companies now allow customers to bypass the counter altogether.  So checking the card ex post facto wasn't going to work long term.  As a result (?), Costco Travel tightened up the website so that now you have to enter your number before you can even browse.

While I understand their motive, I personally think that closing the website to anyone but members is too far-reaching.  While they are frustrating people who never had any intention of becoming regular customers (like yourself?), either because of lack of interest or distance to the nearest store, they might also be frustrating people who MIGHT become sustaining members after getting a taste of their travel discounts/perks. (Rental car rates are legendary here, but their other perks are nothing to sneeze at, either.  You often will find the lowest hotel price PLUS perks such as double view upgrades and free breakfast, especially if you're an Executive member.)

However, that wouldn't address another problem that we've hit upon in this thread.  And that is the loophole where people who don't really have an interest in shopping at a Costco store open a membership just to get the one-time travel perk, then immediately cancel it and get a full refund on the membership fee.  Why would they want to make it easier for someone to do this? In that light, making a person go to their nearest store or wait two days actually makes sense.  After all, if your nearest store is 150 miles away, there's very little chance that you'll keep your membership.        

I wonder if a win-win solution would be for Costco to open up their travel website and simply require a membership number to book.  And then also offer a lower priced non-refundable "web-only" membership for folks who live x miles outside of a store's radius, so that they can enjoy and "instantly" take advantage of travel perks.


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## Luanne (Sep 16, 2015)

LisaRex said:


> As a result (?), Costco Travel tightened up the website so that now you have to enter your number before you can even browse.



Not true.  You can browse the website and even select the car rental you want.  But then you get to the screen that requires your membership id.



> I wonder if a win-win solution would be for Costco to open up their travel website and simply require a membership number to book.



This is what is done currently.


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## suzanne (Sep 16, 2015)

Opening your account online MIGHT  require 2 days to be sure the credit card your using to pay for the membership clears your card company. Also if you knew you were traveling why would you wait until 1 or 2 days prior to your trip to reserve a rental car if you wanted a specific type of car?

I have been a Costco member for several years and never have had an issue with their customer service. I have rented cars from them online several times over the years without any problems.

Suzanne


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## Bill4728 (Sep 16, 2015)

sptung said:


> Sorry that you did not have a good experience with Costco.  I would say give them another chance.
> 
> Before I became a member of Costco, I did not think I would shop there other than to get bathroom tissue and paper kitchen towels.  Those were all that I bought the first 2 times I shopped at Costco after I became a member.  These days when I load up my trolley (shopping cart), I often joke that I have become a true Costco customer.
> 
> Their rental car prices are still the best whenever I do price comparison.


Odd that you bought tissue and other paper products They are rated as the worst thing to buy at costco.  That is because they are so often on sale at other stores. 
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-things-not-to-buy-at-costco-and-sams-club-2014-10-08


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## Luanne (Sep 16, 2015)

Bill4728 said:


> Odd that you bought tissue and other paper products They are rated as the worst thing to buy at costco.  That is because they are so often on sale at other stores.
> http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-things-not-to-buy-at-costco-and-sams-club-2014-10-08



Not so odd.  We always buy toilet paper, Kleenex and paper towels at Costco.  It's easier that watching, and waiting, for the sales elsewhere.  Plus not all of us have read the article you pointed to and would know this.

Okay, checked the article.  Here is what it actually says (the emphasis was added by me):

"Paper goods — everything from toilet paper to facial tissues — can sometimes be found cheaper at Target or Wal-Mart[where I would personally never shop] says Konrad; Ong adds that sometimes paper items (even paper plates and napkins) can even be found cheaper at the grocery store, that is, if you look out for the coupons that the stores put into the weekly circulars and combine them with sales."


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## Ty1on (Sep 16, 2015)

Bill4728 said:


> Odd that you bought tissue and other paper products They are rated as the worst thing to buy at costco.  That is because they are so often on sale at other stores.
> http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-things-not-to-buy-at-costco-and-sams-club-2014-10-08



We always buy paper goods at Costco.  Cost aside, it's nice not having to worry about TP for months.


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## LisaRex (Sep 16, 2015)

Luanne said:


> This is what is done currently.



Hey, you're right!  I must have been thinking about Entertainment.com.


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## am1 (Sep 16, 2015)

Fern Modena said:


> Why shouldn't they advertise that you can become a member today? You most certainly can, as long as you go to a club to do so. It wasn't a false claim. They didn't claim that you could become a member if you applied online to do so.In fact, when I go to www.costco.com it specifically states that your member number will be emailed to you after 48 hours, You must be looking at a different opening page.
> 
> Fern



Below where it says become a costco member today it has a link to sign up.  



I only decided on the type or car when I saw the low price.  Before then I was searching for cars and flying in and out of 4 different airports.  Booking the last minute flight meant limited availability but I still got a very good price on a usually expensive route.  Inbound flight was more than half empty.


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## Ken555 (Sep 16, 2015)

Bill4728 said:


> Odd that you bought tissue and other paper products They are rated as the worst thing to buy at costco.  That is because they are so often on sale at other stores.
> 
> http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-things-not-to-buy-at-costco-and-sams-club-2014-10-08




Costco labeled Kirkland paper products generally offer a better price and quality than other options bought elsewhere. I wonder if this article is comparing name brand paper products of others, since as read it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I've bought Kirkland paper towels and toilet paper for years and I believe it's two of their most popular purchases. I don't doubt that you can save a few pennies buying an inferior product.


Sent from my iPad


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## Ken555 (Sep 16, 2015)

am1 said:


> Below where it says become a costco member today it has a link to sign up.




And again, the detail page states very clearly that it may take two days to complete the membership order. 


Sent from my iPad


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## am1 (Sep 16, 2015)

Ken555 said:


> And again, the detail page states very clearly that it may take two days to complete the membership order.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad



I am referring to the costco travel website.   I now am not out any money but still feel Costco could have handled the situation better and should stop advertising becoming a member today as a 3rd option on how to reserve costco travel booking.

I feel there is nothing else to offer in this thread so no need for me to further reply.


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## Ken555 (Sep 16, 2015)

am1 said:


> I am referring to the costco travel website.   I now am not out any money but still feel Costco could have handled the situation better and should stop advertising becoming a member today as a 3rd option on how to reserve costco travel booking.
> 
> I feel there is nothing else to offer in this thread so no need for me to further reply.




Yes, the travel site membership link goes to the regular site with details on membership, including the notice that it may take two days to fulfill. It's fairly common for marketers to use terms like "buy it now" to encourage sales, but often the details of the order are anything but immediate fulfillment. You've been given great service by Costco, but you still can't praise them for doing so and believe it's just the proper response. Being demanding is not out of line, but not giving Costco the proper consideration due to a few words which shouldn't have caused any confusion after reading the details on the linked page is just, in my opinion and others here, too much.

You certainly don't need to respond (and I'm somewhat incredulous you kept posting the same message over and over again) but every time you post ridiculous opinions like this one you should expect some of us to chime in and tell you what we think. 


Sent from my iPad


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## sfwilshire (Sep 16, 2015)

am1 said:


> It maybe but for someone who does not live near a costco I am not sure it is worth the hassle.  I would like to use costco travel and maybe visit a few times away when I am in an area with a costco but if this is how they want to treat a new customer why bother.  I make a point to avoid renting cars from the scam companies to avoid having problems.



I had a membership for a couple of years before we got a Costco in our town. When we went to Hawaii, we easily saved enough on gasoline to nearly pay for the membership. We also used it on other trips.

Now that we have one close by, I don't buy a lot there, but I do save enough on gas, car rentals and the few things I buy there to make it worth while.

Sheila


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 16, 2015)

> When we went to Hawaii, we easily saved enough on gasoline to nearly pay for the membership.



Yes!  Gas at the Maui Costco was $2.65 per gallon last week, and the cheapest gas we could find in Lahaina was $3.32.  That's not just a few cents!  We probably only used about 35 gallons that two weeks.  A few trips to Hawaii (we go twice a year for two weeks at a time) and it really does pay for the membership.  

The car rentals and gas savings really make a Costco membership worthwhile.  Then there is the savings at Costco on groceries while on the islands. 

Any news on the new credit card for Costco members?


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## DaveNV (Sep 16, 2015)

rickandcindy23 said:


> Any news on the new credit card for Costco members?




Just asked my spouse (the Costco staffer) about it.  I incorrectly mentioned earlier that it would be a Capital One Visa.  I got it wrong.  It's a Capital One MasterCard_ in Canada.  _The U.S. credit card will be a Citibank Visa. And it will supposedly have more cash back than any card Costco has had previously. There are no specific details yet.

Dave


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## sjsharkie (Sep 17, 2015)

BMWguynw said:


> Just asked my spouse (the Costco staffer) about it.  I incorrectly mentioned earlier that it would be a Capital One Visa.  I got it wrong.  It's a Capital One MasterCard_ in Canada.  _The U.S. credit card will be a Citibank Visa. And it will supposedly have more cash back than any card Costco has had previously. There are no specific details yet.
> 
> Dave


The Costco Cash rebate Plat card had 1.5% on all purchases after the 3k floor.  

I'd imagine that Citi might duplicate something like their double cash back card which has been very successful in the marketplace. 1% cash on purchases and 1% cash upon payment. I have it and it is my go to card. 

Ryan

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk


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