Since we moved to rural Nevada, our closest Costco is in St. George, Utah. About a 40 mile drive we make once or twice a month. We use it mainly for prescriptions and bulk groceries. The hardline items for home improvement or furniture and appliances don’t fit our needs most of the time. Merchandise choices are much less interesting than they used to be. Even gas prices (while cheaper than just about everywhere) are better at an Indian Reservation station on an alternate route home. A savings of 50 cents a gallon adds up on a tankful. So our Costco shopping is less and less these days.
We were there yesterday, and they have the door scanners. Two people and two scanners at the door. No line. The woman told me to scan my card, and I asked why. She said, “That’s how we do it now. Your card has to match your picture.” I did, and she said I was ok, and to go in. I can see why they did it, I guess.
So then my husband scanned his card (even though we were together.) He did it to see if they’d have an issue with his picture. He worked at Costco for 25 years, at Refunds and Membership. They were making him a new membership card one time years ago, and a coworker put a refunded goofy stuffed animal in front of him while his picture was being taken for his card. It ended up as his AmEx card photo. It’s now in the Citi credit card system, and each time his Citi Costco card renews, his new card has that silly picture.
So yesterday they had a laugh about his goofy picture. She didn’t say he needed to replace his picture. So obviously, the reasons for the scanners at the door are just to weed out nonmembers.
At the register to check out, Jeff used his card with the goofy picture - and the cashier didn’t care that it didn’t match his face. He was paying for our purchases. Then I tried to use the Costco shop card they sent me after our recent cruise. We have separate account numbers, but my membership is tied to his Executive. I’m the spouse card. But the Costco Travel cruise was in my name.
They had trouble scanning the bar code, then the cashier wanted to know whose account the shop card was for. I had to explain that we were married, and my account was attached to Jeff’s, and we were together. The cashier finally decided it was okay, and finished the sale. It took longer explaining why there wasn’t a problem, than for him to just scan the code.
Then we had to wait at the Exit door while the receipt checkers counted every item in the cart twice, because she miscounted the first time, and we finally got out of there.
Kind of a PITA, overall.
I know they’re trying to weed out theft and all, but it seemed like a lot of overreach. And now I hear they’re raising membership prices. Technology is expensive, I suppose.
Growing pains? Not sure. But they have far to go to get back to where they used to be.
I’m a Costco loyalist (a member since 1982) but processes need to be sorted out.
Dave
