DaveNW- Say it Ain't True- Costco Drops Polish Sausages from Menu [2018]

[geist1223]

I have to admit I love the free samples. It is the only time I get to eat most of that stuff as Patti does not allow it in the door. I just finished my at Home afternoon snack - 4 sticks of celery. The Sample Ladies know me so well that if Patti is shopping by herself that ask what happened to Tom. I also loved the Polish. If we decide to eat lunch at Costco we do that first before we shop. We do this for 2 reasons: 1. We don't have to worry about stashing a full Cart while we eat; and 2. It cuts down on impulse food buys if you have a full tummy.

 

[dioxide45]

The standard joke at Costco is "$100 is the new $20."

For some reason I am thinking $200 is the new $100.

 

[DaveNV]

Great minds thinking alike. I have a hard enough time finding the stuff I come in for. They keep moving it so I have to change my traffic pattern and invariably see new stuff.

Some things stay in the same general area, but they may shift around on the shelf a bit. And a lot of product placement has to do with merchandising what is available. As things sell out, they backfill with what they DO have. (Ever notice they never have empty space on the shelves? That's deliberate.) The stockers who come in at something like 3AM have a map they are given to locate certain items in certain places. Ever notice the items most likely to be sold for the upcoming holiday will be placed along the fence inside the door, so you walk past it as you go in the warehouse? It's also not an accident. They have Merchandising Managers at Costco, whose job is to locate the right stuff in the right place.

Aren't you glad I started this thread?- and even immortalized you in the title.

Thanks, I think. I appreciate the shout-out, but sometimes it's a bit weird seeing my name over and over. And it's not like I get a single dime from all my Costco promotion. We don't even get a discount. The one perk is a free Executive membership for the two of us. Everything else is retail. <sigh> So I guess I did drink the Kool-Aid all those years ago. I first joined Price Club in 1982, and I've followed along through Price-Costco, and Costco ever since. I won't dare to even try and calculate how many of my hard-earned dollars have been spent there since - in $100 increments. LOL!

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

And Dave, WHAT does Costco sell that would even fit in a small hand-carry basket??????

Wristwatches, jewelry, 24-pack of eggs, clothing, books, lots of the HABA items. If you HAD to, you'd find a way to stuff it in a basket. Oh, ok. Who am I kidding? Grab a cart. Better yet, get a flatbed.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

Yeah, I know WHY they do it the way they do. But they can't/don't assimilate data on those that stay away because it takes an hour to get 6 items.

Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk

But you buying 6 items translates to someone else buying 60. And chances are, that person/family also had a bunch of samples during their visit. They might even have a hot dog from the Food Court. The best way to avoid the crowds is to not set foot near the place on a weekend. Go around 6:00 PM on a weeknight and the place will likely be deserted.

Costco was, and remains, a volume store. It's about selling in quantity. That's also why they don't have Express Lanes at the checkout. They WANT you to stand in line, so you make your shopping trip worthwhile. (More or less - it's not that mercenary.) But it's all part of the plan.

Dave

 

[DaveNV]

I have to admit I love the free samples. It is the only time I get to eat most of that stuff as Patti does not allow it in the door. I just finished my at Home afternoon snack - 4 sticks of celery. The Sample Ladies know me so well that if Patti is shopping by herself that ask what happened to Tom. I also loved the Polish. If we decide to eat lunch at Costco we do that first before we shop. We do this for 2 reasons: 1. We don't have to worry about stashing a full Cart while we eat; and 2. It cuts down on impulse food buys if you have a full tummy.

And remember, they still sell packages of the Polish dogs at Costco. You can have your fix before you come to the warehouse.

Dave

 

[Elli]

I asked for the $1.50 sausage at my local Costco in Canada last week, and realized after a bite it was the hot dog. Didn't take it back, but I wonder if it's dropped from the menue here as well. Didn't Consumer reports rate it the best hot dog out there earlier this year?

Our Costco in Toronto still sells the Polish sausage for $1.50.

 

[GetawaysRus]

From my understanding, the people hawking the free samples are not even Costco employees but rather employees of out outsourced contracted firm that they use to hawk the samples.

Yes, that's right. I knew someone (a nurse anesthetist) who retired and then took a job with this company. I used to run into her at my local Coscto when I went in to get "treats" and do some shopping. (My wife refers to the samples at Costco as "treats.") Anyway, she said her job offering samples at Costco was great fun.

 

[bbodb1]

I agree. The ABC Stores have some surprisingly good sushi. Somewhat a surprise is our grocery store sushi. A slender Samoan named Sandy is the sushi chef at this store. She seems to enjoy sorting out sushi stuff.

Bill

Alliteration man!

 

[VacationForever]

I prefer when the samples are near the item they are hawking- or at least have a stash convenient to grab. That has to increase the impulse sales. If I have to go searching all over the warehouse for something I've sampled, I'm likely to think better of it. This probably accounts for me (and most other people) going into Costco for 2 or 3 items and cashing out a cart full and a couple hundred dollars later.

They know our habits.

The issue is that non-food sampler folks like me steer clear of where the crowd or samples are, which make us miss seeing all the items near them. It is negative marketing for me. My husband who can only stand to be in large stores and crowd for about 15 minutes, it gets doubly stressful for us which we usually end up not getting all the things which we go to Costco for. He wants to get out and we get out.

 

[Passepartout]

The issue is that non-food sampler folks like me steer clear of where the crowd or samples are, which make us miss seeing all the items near them. It is negative marketing for me. My husband who can only stand to be in large stores and crowd for about 15 minutes, it gets doubly stressful for us which we usually end up not getting all the things which we go to Costco for. He wants to get out and we get out.

You are NOT their target audience. So go there in about the last hour before closing time. The crowd thins and the sample servers have closed and left. This is your golden hour.

 

[moonstone]

Our Costco in Toronto still sells the Polish sausage for $1.50.

The one In Orillia does too & it looks like they'll continue to do so for a while longer. https://globalnews.ca/news/4322673/costco-canada-polish-hot-dogs/


~Diane

 

[RX8]

Anyone try the Costco Cheeseburger?

http://abc7news.com/food/costco-testing-shake-shack-style-burger-in-bay-area-socal/2189647/

 

[Elan]

Yep, but I mostly don't have time to play their game. I have a life that doesn't include spending hours in Costco. Like I said, they don't have data for those of us that stay away.

But you buying 6 items translates to someone else buying 60. And chances are, that person/family also had a bunch of samples during their visit. They might even have a hot dog from the Food Court. The best way to avoid the crowds is to not set foot near the place on a weekend. Go around 6:00 PM on a weeknight and the place will likely be deserted.

Costco was, and remains, a volume store. It's about selling in quantity. That's also why they don't have Express Lanes at the checkout. They WANT you to stand in line, so you make your shopping trip worthwhile. (More or less - it's not that mercenary.) But it's all part of the plan.

Dave

Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[geist1223]

Now that we are retired we try to do most of our shopping (Costco or otherwise) midweek/midday.

If you really want to visit a Hugh Costco go to Salt Lake City. I think it is the largest Costco anywhere. Whole Pigs, half of Beef, whole Goose, etc in the Refrigerator section.

They are about to building a new Costco here in Salem Oregon. It will be a replacement not an addition. It is suppose to be 50% or bigger than our current Costco.

 

[DaveNV]

Now that we are retired we try to do most of our shopping (Costco or otherwise) midweek/midday.

If you really want to visit a Hugh Costco go to Salt Lake City. I think it is the largest Costco anywhere. Whole Pigs, half of Beef, whole Goose, etc in the Refrigerator section.

They are about to building a new Costco here in Salem Oregon. It will be a replacement not an addition. It is suppose to be 50% or bigger than our current Costco.

They sell whole pigs at Hawaii Costco's. It never occurred to me, those luau pigs have to come from somewhere!

Dave

 

[Passepartout]

If you really want to visit a Hugh Costco go to Salt Lake City. I think it is the largest Costco anywhere. Whole Pigs, half of Beef, whole Goose, etc in the Refrigerator section

You have to understand that in SLC, a starter home has 6 bedrooms and the 'mommy mobile' is a Suburban.

Jim

 

[DaveNV]

You have to understand that in SLC, a starter home has 6 bedrooms and the 'mommy mobile' is a Suburban.

Jim

I'll bet the lines at those Costco sample tables are REALLY long!

Dave

 

[VacationForever]

We used to shop alot more at Costco when it was the closest grocery option for where we lived and there was never a crowd or carpark issue. Now we go once a month at most, parking is a nightmare and the store is always packed. We don't go in the evening as we old people eat and sleep early. We also have many other grocery store options nearer to us.

 

[rhonda]

Ever wonder why they don't have hand-carry baskets?

They have plenty of hand-carry "baskets" ... called BOXES. I often grab a box rather than a cart. Sure, I get a few odd looks while I'm lugging my box around ... but it helps keep me focused on my needs and keeps me from wasting time.

Try one. There are tons of boxes everywhere in those stores ...

 

[DaveNV]

They have plenty of hand-carry "baskets" ... called BOXES. I often grab a box rather than a cart. Sure, I get a few odd looks while I'm lugging my box around ... but it helps keep me focused on my needs and keeps me from wasting time.

Try one. There are tons of boxes everywhere in those stores ...

But boxes don't have HANDLES.

Dave

 

[rhonda]

The one In Orillia does too & it looks like they'll continue to do so for a while longer. https://globalnews.ca/news/4322673/costco-canada-polish-hot-dogs/


~Diane

Had one today in Temecula (CA) ... but they said they were being phased out.

 

[rhonda]

But boxes don't have HANDLES.

Dave

Some do ... my favorites are the banana boxes (#1 choice!) or the apple boxes. Both have handles on the sides.

 

[DaveNV]

Some do ... my favorites are the banana boxes (#1 choice!) or the apple boxes. Both have handles on the sides.

Ok, now you're just being practical.

I always grab a cart, even if I'm not planning on buying anything. It gives me something to hang onto, and I can deflect stray children and other shopping carts.

Dave

 

[geist1223]

A lot of times we walk every aisle. It is one way to get your steps done for the day.