Here are 9 things NOT to do while shopping at your Costco. We want to have respect for the people who work in the stores and who do their best to create a great shopping experience for us in the store.
Costco employees are responsible for keeping the store in good order. We, their customers, also want it to be clean and tidy. This is why one should avoid the behaviors below at all cost. Let's get started.
Don't use the carts near the cash desks to drop unwanted merchandise into
Costco employees don't like to see unwanted products in arbitrary locations all over the store. Ideally, the products are returned to their rows or the carts that designed for this purpose.
Don't place frozen products in non-refrigerated rows
This is the worst case for the products that we no longer want. Placing a frozen product like meat or ice cream anywhere is wasteful for the store. These products will no longer be good for selling.
If you're in a hurry, it's best to leave products like these at the checkout or ask an employee to put them in the fridge.
Don't leave your membership card at the cashier
Costco sees a lot of people passing through their stores every day. Sometimes, it creates long lines at the checkout. We want to get out quickly and we may forget the Costco card at the checkout. It's a real headache for employees. They can't pick us up at the door. In addition, employees cannot see the information on the card - they must call their supervisors to take care of it. This slows down their work at the checkout.
If you left your card in the store - go to the returns desk instead of looking for the same employee who served you.
Don't leave your cart unattended
It's super stressful to push boxes or store products when the passage is blocked by a full cart and its owner is somewhere else to discover other products.
It is clear that the carts are large. And we should realize that so that not to block the passage or the rows.
If you are there for a few small purchases, you can shop without a cart. It's faster like that.
Don't shop beyond the closing hours
Yes, there are quite a few of us who are there 5 minutes before the store closes. We do this to avoid the traffic in the store. But this behavior is stressful for Costco employees. People are ready to finish their working day. But last-minute customers don't allow them to start the store closing procedures on time.
Do not leave a huge mess in the clothing section
I don't tidy up after myself when I search through items in the clothing and shoes section at Costco. Yes, I admit it. This behavior is well known at the Canadian Costco stores. This is why you can see a lot of employees working in this section of the store. Their only job is to tidy up after people like me. Next time I will do better!
Don't ask to respect the value of your expired coupons
No, Costco employees cannot abide by the values in our expired coupons. We must not insist. It is beyond their power.
Don't hide broken products and don't flee the scene of the 'crime'
If you have broken something, do not quit immediately. It is not shameful to go find an employee to clean the place up. In fact, employees prefer that we say immediately so as not to create risk of injury to other customers.
Don't reach out to heavy products that can fall
Do not reach out to products that may fall and break. Talk to employees on the floor to help you.
Costco stores provide benefits for us, their customers. But it's also good to think of everyone who takes care of creating good store experiences for us. If you happen to do at least one of the 9 things above when shopping at Costco, consider changing your Costco shopping habits a bit during your next visit to the store.
Here are more tips about improving your shopping experience at Costco:
- Costco Credit Card by Capital One Explained
- 15 Products to Buy at Costco Canada
- Executive or Gold Star: How to Choose Your Costco Membership