Costco benefits

june1970_2

I shop in both and i must admit you get much better quality at costco, ie meat etc but i still go to both as they do have different things, i go to the reading one but i make a day of it, first to makcro then to costco as we normally have lunch before we shop.

bluep

Just a quick question - can you join Costco if you DON'T run a business or if your employer DOESN'T have an inhouse Costco scheme? Does it then just cost £29 for membership? Or is it like Makro's where you can't get a card at all?

Bizarrely I have a Makro card that belongs to my mate but I must say that I have become disappointed with their quality of food and prices lately. Their electrical customer services is awful. I bought a microwave and it went wrong after 10 days but they wouldn't take it back - just kept referring me to the manufacturer as they said it was "white goods". I'm a pretty persuasive complainer but didn't get anywhere with them so after many conversations about consumer rights to refund etc... I had to wait for the manufacturer to repair it.

Katyag

For Costco you either have to own a business or be employed by certain companies. Post office, education, engineering, local council, medical to name but a few. But having said that they were going round other business offering their employees the chance of cards so they can drum up business.

So similar to makro but a lot more opportunities to get a card. And your spouse gets one free and you can add one other family member at the same address for only £12.

bluep

hmm. so the offer has to come through work? or just being in that industry qualifies you to contact Costco? My fiance is a teacher but we've never heard anythign through his school about being able to apply.

Katyag

It doesnt need to go thru the school. Tell your fiance to go to Costco and take a pay slip or school id and a utility bill or bank statement and tell them you want to join and they should process the application there and then. They take a pic of you and put it on the card straight away. All very quick. Is around £30 inc VAT.

When we joined we went for a look around then picked up an info slip then went back the following day with all the bits of paper and it was done straight away.

donnie_darko_3

- I never get in when im thinking of joining always seem to get stopped by one of their single braincell security guards.....

"Hi can you direct me to the Customer Services desk", "no, you cant come in without a card...you need to go to Customer Services to get one"...dur!....I never seem to find anything to justify the membership.....food is no good unless you like eating processed crud everyday (same goes for Makro and all supermarkets...food in this country is so sh*te)


Which is half more than you!

If you cant work out a simple system like costco then you got a problem. How do you know the food is crud if you cant get in. for those who have tried and tested will know its' exceptional quality.

bluep

Thanks Katyag that's great!! Will go and join when I can persuade him that driving 30 mins to a supermarket is what he wants to do with his spare time LOL>

Katyag

Tis really worth it, we have to drive for a while to get to ours too, they seem to like to put them on the outskirts of towns!! lol We were in there yesterday and they have some fab xmas pressies. Got a oil of olay set in a black handbag with loads of bottles of stuff for around £23. Set of four boxes of shower gell, body lotion and a shower srunchie thing for £9 which you can split up and give to 4 people, i was so tempted but nearly finished my xmas shopping that i dont have 4 people left i need for!! Lol

Anyway im waffling, xmas time is a fab time to join costco as you can get so much pressies out there. Have fun!!!

melancholly

I know that cards from costco in the US work over here - they don't have the same restrictions on what professions can apply over there, although I'm not sure how they check if you're a resident - anyone know about it? It has to be worth taking the costco card on holiday there - it's cheap anyway, then add a nice exchange rate to it! If you're not in one of the few professions that can join over here, you can persuade someone who is to join, then pay their membership and become an additional cardholder - I think I'm right in saying that every member can add one person?! (The UK website isn't exactly comprehensive in answering questions!)


And it's not cheap because it's cr*p - it's bought in bulk and sold off very quickly (seem to change stock weekly sometimes!) and some items have reduced VAT.

Katyag

melancholly wrote:

you can persuade someone who is to join, then pay their membership and become an additional cardholder - I think I'm right in saying that every member can add one person?! (The UK website isn't exactly comprehensive in answering questions!)

Additional card holder has to be at the same address as primary card holder and costs an extra £12.