Sunday, August 20, 2023
For years, I worked as a part-time sample server inside Costco, a store located near my home, with short working hours that allowed time for my personal interests and activities. As a single person working inside that store, shopping there was convenient and easy.
That encouraged me to ignore the more expensive shopping in a big box store. Costco is a marketing/merchandising expert; it rotates products in and out and introduces new, interesting ones. I routinely brought home more than one person could consume and wound up often tossing excessive, outdated, and under-appreciated purchases.
Costco charges for “membership” at two levels, Basic and Executive. The Basic membership is less expensive than the Executive; however, the Executive offers percentage kickbacks that can cover a membership cost and even kickback more. In general, large families that purchase big might save money; I certainly didn’t.
I always knew that my buys at Costco were more expensive and wasteful than if I had shopped at independent supermarkets. In “my Costco days,” however, I wanted shopping that was “easy and out.” My attitude began to change after I stopped working in the big store and transitioned to working in non-grocery environments. I began shopping differently and seeing cost reductions.
Long story short, after weighing all the pros and cons, I have decided against paying up-front for permission to enter a store, to see and buy its merchandise. So yesterday, I marched into Costco and relinquished my membership. Its Customer Service team tried to dissuade me, but I had made up my mind.
Dear Friends: Now, it’s as if a magic lasso holding me has dissolved. Diana
Diana's Morning Blog 