storewanderer wrote: ↑June 26th, 2023, 11:39 pm
I spent a lot of time earlier reading Reddit Costco threads. Way too much time. But it was quite horrifying to read those threads. There is clearly a major problem here.
My outlook on Costco is very sour after reading these forums. I cannot believe what I am reading on Reddit and the hostile attitude that is being displayed toward customers. Whatever upper management in Costco is pushing these policies down is going to tank their company.
I think Costco needs to clarify a few things to its employees because based on the amount of comments, thousands, on Reddit, This current crusade the company is on to patrol "membership sharing" is going to cost them a lot of business in the coming year and a half.
I thought the management of Costco was smarter than this. This is like bad local Wal Mart loss prevention level of dumb in terms of how customers are being treated. I am almost curious if Wal Mart did a clean out of clueless loss prevention staff at local levels and somehow a group of them got jobs high up in Costco.
1. Issue: I keep seeing posts of couples shopping and both being demanded to show a membership card.
(Previous??) Costco policy: A member was allowed to enter the store with up to 2 "guests."
My response: If you can bring 2 guests, they shouldn't be asking couples to both produce a card. Period.
2. Issue: I read that if you miss scanning an item on self checkout, Costco detains you at the exit and fills out paperwork about the incident noting your name, membership number, item, value, etc.
Costco policy: Is it really a policy to essentially "write up" a customer? Take the item or charge them for it, then let the customer leave... perhaps revoke the customer's right to use self checkout in the future (figure out how to do this without detaining the customer... look back at the cameras after the customer leaves and pull the transaction from the journal)
My response: Remove the self checkouts now.
3. Issue: Membership cards do not have current photos or photos at all. Many customers report being accused of using someone else's card because the photo on the Costco card no longer looks like the customer or the photo quality is so poor...
Costco policy: All membership cards should have a current photo.
My response: This policy clearly isn't followed. Costco needs to upgrade its photo taking equipment to have a quality full color photo equivalent to a DMV, and then start to re-issue cards every 3 years, 4 years, whatever. Customers often change appearances due to hair style changes, hair color changes, weight gains/losses, aging, etc.
4. Issue: Customers are being denied service by the front end until they go to membership and get their photo updated if their photo does not look like them.
My response: Not all customers have 20-30 minutes to screw around at membership to get a new photo/card. This should be checked by the door greeter, not the front end. If someone does not have a satisfactory photo, they should be denied entry and sent to membership. At this point if the customer doesn't have time they can just leave. Or they can shop while they are waiting for membership to print their new card. They probably need to do about 5x staffing and buy new photo/card making equipment at every card before enforcing this policy.