‘Mistake’ that could get you ‘kicked out of the club’ at Costco

When I walked into my local Costco this week I was hit by a wave of deliciousness, the aroma of freshly-baked chocolate chunk cookies.
You know those cartoons were characters smell something and float through the air towards it? That was my partner Shamus and I, and the cookies didn’t disappoint. They were chocolatey and buttery and just slightly chewy, and we purchased 1.2 kilos of them.
The experience of entering our local Costco store wasn’t the only difference we noticed between the discount wholesale retailer and our major supermarkets.
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In this week’s Supermarket Sleuths, we take a look at the major differences between Costco and the major grocery stores. For Costco loyalists, you’ll be familiar with these differences.
For those curious to experience Costco for the first time, this information will serve as a guide so you can make the most of your first time shopping there.
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Coles and Woolies position their bakeries at the entrance of their stores, inspiring customers to begin their grocery shopping with freshly-baked breads, cookies, muffins and so much more.
At Costco, the bakery is at the back of the store, but as I mentioned earlier, you can smell the delicious items being cooked that day.
The entrance of Costco is instead filled with possible impulse purchases such as toys, small appliances and seasonal displays including Halloween and Christmas displays.
Here you will also find larger electronics and jewellery, including watches which my partner always stops to look at before I drag him away.
Another Costco bakery feature I love is the open-plan bakery customers are welcome to gather at to watch the creations being made. I was able to see some sheet cakes being iced at an impressively rapid pace and I wanted to buy one so badly! But I didn’t have an occasion to serve it at. Next time.
Costco quickly gained a reputation for affordability owing to their impressive bulk buys which serve to reduce the per unit price of most items.
They also understand this reputation and seem to play on it with larger versions of everyday items including this giant pizza that barely fit in my oven.
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Their trolleys are also conveniently large to cater to bulk purchases but you will need a coin or a trolley lock device (which you can buy online or at Bunnings) to access a trolley.
Some select Coles and Woolies stores offer bulk purchases but they are not at the level of Costco which specialises in them.
Costco is a cultural experience from the moment you enter to after you leave. Right on the other side of the checkout section is a food section with famous offerings including discount hot dogs, chips and drinks as well as a seated area.
Shopping at Costco is like a weights and cardio workout, so it’s nice to be able to sit down and rest.
This suits because Costco stores are usually located away from major shopping centres, whereas Coles and Woolies are in major shopping centres with food courts and endless food and beverage choices, not to mention excellent coffee choices.
Grocery shopping is a day out for me and so many Aussies, so grabbing a coffee first is a bit of a ritual, just like a hot dog at the end of a Costco trip is also a ritual.
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You need to be a member to shop at Costco which gives the feeling of being part of an exclusive club. This is also how Costco is able to keep their prices low.
And membership rules are fiercely enforced. My partner wasn’t able to use my membership card. Instead I had to pay for everything and he reimbursed me later, which was fine.
But because we don’t live together he wasn’t able to use mine.
Family members who live together can share a membership card.
And these days, you’ll face a receipt and trolley check when you try to leave the store which in theory, I understand. Most grocery stores have extra layers of security to warn off shoplifters these days.
But I still hate it. But you do get a stamp of approval on your receipt which feels validating. And cracking open the cookies on the way to the car is soothing.
Costco has sample stations! But to be honest, they aren’t that fun. Crowds of people gather at them while Costco workers frantically prepare food samples and drink samples which are very quickly scooped up.
We were able to sample the chocolate chunk cookies before buying them but we just happened to be there at the perfect time.
I passed by a drink sampling station at one stage and heard a kid say: “Yuck!” and throw his on the floor, so they are also useful for figuring out what you don’t like.
There is only one way to check out at Costco and that is lining up with everyone else, and the lines tend to be quite long, despite there being several check out aisles.
Coles and Woolies and even Aldi these days have at least two check out options which is convenient.
But then again, lining up is part of the Costco experience.
But don’t stuff it up! I feel a bit anxious checking out at Costco. You are meant to take items out of your trolley first, then the trolley goes on the right hand side behind the cashier and away from you.
You are meant to leave heavier items in the trolley for them to scan there, but sometimes an item is medium, so it’s hard to know if you should be unloading it or not. They’ll usually instruct you.
But I do feel like a bit of a tourist if I get it wrong, even though I shop at Costco often. And I worry if I stuff it up too often they will kick me out of the club or something.
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