What drives people to pay $50 to have a membership to shop where you buy items in such bulk it lasts a year? Spend no less than $100 every time you shop there; stand an endless time in line, and blow your diet because you never get out without buying a hot dog from their snack bar?
Yes the reference is to... "Costco" one of the third largest retail giants and infinite money pits. At a time when most retailers are losing money, Costco Wholesale Corporations total revenue rose from $18.7 billion to $20.9 billion in this past year, exceeding the financial estimates for 2010. How are they doing it?
Costco marketing strategy focuses on selling products at low prices, often at very high volume. These goods are usually bulk-packaged and marketed primarily to large families and businesses. However shopping here is not for the impatient or sheepish spender.
A suggestion for those with hypertension, when pulling into a Costco parking lot, one can't be in a rush. The stress of fighting for a close parking spot will raise your blood pressure 10 points. It is better to just park as far away as you can, the exercise is good for you. Also experienced shoppers have their membership cards ready before they reach the entrance because the door employee will stop you from entering if you do not flash it.
Yes the reference is to... "Costco" one of the third largest retail giants and infinite money pits. At a time when most retailers are losing money, Costco Wholesale Corporations total revenue rose from $18.7 billion to $20.9 billion in this past year, exceeding the financial estimates for 2010. How are they doing it?
Costco marketing strategy focuses on selling products at low prices, often at very high volume. These goods are usually bulk-packaged and marketed primarily to large families and businesses. However shopping here is not for the impatient or sheepish spender.
A suggestion for those with hypertension, when pulling into a Costco parking lot, one can't be in a rush. The stress of fighting for a close parking spot will raise your blood pressure 10 points. It is better to just park as far away as you can, the exercise is good for you. Also experienced shoppers have their membership cards ready before they reach the entrance because the door employee will stop you from entering if you do not flash it.
Have they ever had to call security on a person who insisted on going in without a card? I asked Tami the door employee. "Sure" she said, "We either direct them to the service desk to get a membership, if they refuse we have to call for back up." At this point I envision two large intimidating security guards picking up an elderly granny and whisking her off to the back for being curious and wanting to see what was in this large warehouse. Then she finally emerges with a membership card and her picture "which looks like a mug shot" branded on it.
Once past the gatekeeper straight ahead is the wonderful electronics section. How can you not stop and view the sleek, thin, latest flat screen televisions. If you have fought the impulse to buy one of these beauties, do not worry, there will be many more opportunities to find something you just can't live without.
Reminding yourself you are only there to pick up dinner, you speed up and are heading to the deli section at the back of the store. The quest is to get out of the store with just an all meat bake-it-yourself pizza.
Along the way there are little tables manned by professionals who keep offering samples of food. Before advancing three feet, you have just tasted Pa-Thai noodles, a yogurt protein bar, diabetic chocolate and coconut water, all claiming to be very healthy for you. A package of protein bars and coconut water ends up in the cart, and a written notation in the food journal, “darn just added 200 calories” to my daily intake.
You push on having collected some necessary and unnecessary items like the cool gadget that cuts fruits and vegetables in cool shapes and a whole case of peanut butter. If there were ever nuclear fallout that peanut butter would last two years.
Finally at the deli section you add to the cart three premade items; home-style enchiladas for $17, stuffed Portobello mushrooms with seafood stuffing $10, and Salisbury steak with Yukon gold garlic mashed potatoes for $15. Take them home and put them in your own pans and the family will be impressed with your cooking skills. After putting the extra-large pizza in the cart you head towards the front of the store.
The register lines are long enough to notice more...like the signs stating Costco now takes EBT "state food stamps." One of the managers Barbara Schounover walks bye, notices you looking at the sign and says "that is how we are fighting the recession. In fact memberships revenues are up since we started taking EBT. We now have 39,000 members just here in Albany." Just do the math... some memberships cost $50 some $100. Albany's Costco is making an estimated $2 million a year in membership fees. No financial crisis here.
Curiosity gets the best of you and you also find out from Schounover that the Marlboro Red cigarettes make the store the highest dollar amount and the most sold item happens to be Kirkland brand toilet paper.
Before heading out the door, you have to stop and get an all beef hot dog or polish sausage from the snack bar with a drink for only $1.50. This price has not risen in 15 years. By far these are the best hot dogs ever made! The best part is they are actually Kirkland brand all beef or polish hot dogs. There are 15 to a pack for $9.99 and each is a 1/4-pound, sold in the refrigerator section.
Another diet journal entry. One Costco hotdog..totally blew my fat and sodium intake for three days.
Another diet journal entry. One Costco hotdog..totally blew my fat and sodium intake for three days.
Ready to leave you hit another line because there is another gate-keeper wanting to look at your receipt. You finally find it in the abyss of your purse or wallet. You hold it out to be checked off with a pink checkmark. You look at the total again and cringe, how did a $10 pizza cost you $165?
A suggestion, when you return because that pair of jeans you threw in your cart probably won't fit when you get them home, come back with just the receipt and your Costco card. If you bring your wallet, this visit may make the $165 look like pocket change.
Well one thing for sure if you were to ask Athena Eisenbrandt an avid Costco shopper what she thinks of the retail giant. She says "It is definitely one stop shopping, from purchasing food, to a new dual flushing toilet, fresh flowers, and even car insurance I can buy it all here! With a family of seven I save money."
For the rest of us...can you say "buyers remorse."
At a Glance
Costco
3031 Killdeer Avenue
Albany, OR 97321
(541) 918-7043
Well one thing for sure if you were to ask Athena Eisenbrandt an avid Costco shopper what she thinks of the retail giant. She says "It is definitely one stop shopping, from purchasing food, to a new dual flushing toilet, fresh flowers, and even car insurance I can buy it all here! With a family of seven I save money."
For the rest of us...can you say "buyers remorse."
At a Glance
Costco
3031 Killdeer Avenue
Albany, OR 97321
(541) 918-7043
Regular Hours: |
| Monday thru Friday 10 am - 8:30 pm Saturday 9:30am - 6 pm Sunday 10 am - 6 pm |
