[WANZLittles]

We are Costco shoppers, and like buying certain no parishable Items in Bulk, like canned stuff. Has anyone else seen this article?
http://www.coriolisresearch.com/costco_australia.htm

[dylan]

Also a costco member here in the UK. It would be great if they come to NZ.:clap

[GrumpyGoat]

When when when??????

I can get excited about something like this.

No wal-mart though PLEASE!

[dilanium]

:( I'm not a fan of costco. I'd rather keep shopping at the local stores that I've come to love here. It's part of the reason I love it here.

[WANZLittles]

When when when??????

I can get excited about something like this.

No wal-mart though PLEASE! I can agree with that, we only shop there if it is the last place, really don't like it though, which is Ironic because I work for a company that is thier second largest developer in the NW US, glad I don't work in that division though.

[m.brad.russell]

:( I'm not a fan of costco. I'd rather keep shopping at the local stores that I've come to love here. It's part of the reason I love it here.

How can you not like Costco? Good quality products and low prices. All the Costco staff I've met have always been friendly and helpful. Is it just the thought of a U.S. firm that bothers you? I don't think NZ is going to become a society like the U.S. just because of Costco. It takes many more years to get that screwed up.

Just wondering!
Brad

[BkyMonster]

I'm not a huge fan of Costco either. Was never pleased with their selection and often found better deals elsewhere. It's ok for some things (they had pretty good meat prices and quality iirc, moot in NZ though) and if it does come to NZ I'll ignore it for the most part like I did in the US.

[Scotty69]

Oh I love Costco's we where members in the UK, would love to find out if their is something like that here:D

Natasha

[dilanium]

No, it's the problem with big businesses putting smaller local ones out of business because they can't compete with the price.

Plus in all the Costcos I have been in they were surly bordering on mean.

Plus stores that big are just overwhelming to me.

[JasonS]

Oh I love Costco's we where members in the UK, would love to find out if their is something like that here:D

Natasha

moore wilsons is about the closet thing to costco in the welly area. some items are the same that you will find at the other grocers, as far as size, but sometimes the prices are better. they do have many items that you can buy in large quantities like laundry soap, cleaning supplies, baking goods, frozen items, ect. i like moore wilsons for some items, but it is not quite the same as costco.

http://www.moorewilson.co.nz/

laurel

[Scotty69]

Thanks JasonS
Someone else told me about them I'll have a look at their web-site now thanks again:nice1

Natasha

[WANZLittles]

No, it's the problem with big businesses putting smaller local ones out of business because they can't compete with the price.

Plus in all the Costcos I have been in they were surly bordering on mean.

Plus stores that big are just overwhelming to me. Costco sells to a different market than the Mom and Pop crowd. Its walmart that is the goliath monster. I don't like Walmart. which is ironic because I work for a developer that builds walmarts. PSS I'm no in that division.

[dilanium]

Large stores that sell the same things cheaper than Mom and Pop stores do compete with them and can still drive them out of business.

I do agree though that Costco is not nearly as soulless as Wallmart.

[chocolate cake]

I guess Costco is a US chain, as I've never heard of 'em. Must say I miss Tesco, Sainsbury & Morrison's, for the wider range and cheaper prices. Especially the petrol as there's simply no competion in the latter over here, it's difficult to see how petrol's gone up over 30c in the last few weeks - and yet diesels barely moved. They're so quick to raise prices, and take forever to pass on a drop in price.

[Alan]

They're so quick to raise prices, and take forever to pass on a drop in price.

That's a little unfair they dropped like a stone here over recent months after peaking, I don't think I have ever seen fuel drop like that in the UK.

[BodaciousBean]

Hubby and I have not stepped foot in a Wal-Mart in over two years. After we saw the video, "The High Price for Lower Cost" we were absolutely disgusted. No more Wal-Mart, we just could not support that company any longer.

Now, we do shop at CostCo, they just built a new one by our house but we only go once every few months to stock up on staples, like paper towels, bath room tissue, canned goods, stuff like that. But we can certainly do without it too. It would not be the end of the world if we were not able to shop there again. :nice1

[Flutterby]

I'm not a Costco fan either, but mostly because they have a strict admission policy, which basically means if you don't have a high paid job, run your own business or work for the government you're not allowed in.
Think thats rather unfair and only helps to make the rich richer and the poor poorer!

[BodaciousBean]

I'm not a Costco fan either, but mostly because they have a strict admission policy, which basically means if you don't have a high paid job, run your own business or work for the government you're not allowed in.
Think thats rather unfair and only helps to make the rich richer and the poor poorer!

WOW! It is not like in the US for Costco. I got a membership as a gift and I just kept renewing it. Now SAMS Club is like that, you have work for certain companies in order to be a member but I do not think these companies are associated with high paying companies. That really stinks for those in the UK whom want to shop at CostCo and cannot do so if they wanted to. That does not seem right.

[Flutterby]

yeah, it was recommended to me by someone in the US, so i was rather annoyed when i couldn't get membership because i didn't fulfill the criteria, tho it has been sugested to just tick yes and hand over the payslips that they need to see and they are unlikely to check (but that would be dishonest!)

[WANZLittles]

We have the Executive Membership, But it gives us money back, and we usally only end up putting out maybe $15-$20 US every year. Soo our membership vitually pays for itself. And they do have killer prices on Petro, can't beat them. Is membership not open to everyone in the UK, like in the US?

FYI sams club is owned by Walmart. they are just as bad.

[BodaciousBean]

FYI sams club is owned by Walmart. they are just as bad.

Figures. LOL

[SarahEDH]

Hmm. When I applied for a Sam's Club membership in California (2003) I wasn't asked who I worked for -- it was a simple sign-up process with few questions overall. Maybe things have changed.

I think there's room for Costco as well as smaller stores. If I want customized products or services, or expert advice, I would head straight for a Mom and Pop store; Costco isn't set up to do that. If I wanted party platters and wine by the case, in quantities to feed an army, with little or no advance notice, then it makes sense to go to Costco and not ask this of the smaller store. I agree that the question is about targeted marketing and who can offer what.

[chocolate cake]

That's a little unfair they dropped like a stone here over recent months after peaking, I don't think I have ever seen fuel drop like that in the UK.

I don't think that's true, they took somewhile to drop pre-christmas, and eventually pressure from politicians forced them to drop. And this year, they've risen ever so quickly as the Kiwi-Dollar rate as declined.

[M-Squared]

In Porirua there's "Uncle Bill's" which is apparently a wholesale shop. Not been there myself and don't know if it's nationwide, but I think that's the deal.

Moore Wilson's, for me, is one of the few places that offers refills for Sodastream gas canisters. :D Have found it a bit weird and disjointed apart from that.

As for Costco... I tried to go to one of them once, to have a look around, and they wanted me to fill in a form and leave a credit card and my driving licence with their security team while I went around. I told them where to go in no uncertain terms. :D

Sam's Club - never stepped foot in the place, never will.

[sweetpea]

God, I love Costco. I'm all over the 750-tablet bottles of ibuprofen and 2-packs of Cetaphil. NZ retail stores need more competition - keeps everyone honest and prices in line with reality, I think. Plus, Costco pays their employees a fair, livable wage and offers benefits (unlike Walmart/Sam's Club.)

[WANZLittles]

I think there's room for Costco as well as smaller stores. If I want customized products or services, or expert advice, I would head straight for a Mom and Pop store; Costco isn't set up to do that. If I wanted party platters and wine by the case, in quantities to feed an army, with little or no advance notice, then it makes sense to go to Costco and not ask this of the smaller store. I agree that the question is about targeted marketing and who can offer what.I must agree:nice1

Plus, Costco pays their employees a fair, livable wage and offers benefits (unlike Walmart/Sam's Club.)Based on truth, at least in the US they are in the top 10 employeers.

[Jacqi B]

I guess Costco is a US chain, as I've never heard of 'em. Must say I miss Tesco, Sainsbury & Morrison's, for the wider range and cheaper prices.

They are a US chain, I beleive, but they have 20 warehouses in the UK. For many things they are much cheaper than Tescos etc - as much as 50% cheaper but you have to buy in bulk. So you can get, for example, tinned chopped tomatoes at half the price of Tescos prices but you have to buy a slab of 24.

You can buy a huge tub of dried herbs for less than the price of the teensy little jars and packets in the supermarkets.
They are excellent for cleaning products, dishwasher tablets, fabric softener and the like. Some things they are not so hot on. The quality of the meat, bakery and other fresh produce is excellent.

You do have to eitherhave your own company or be employed by certain types of employer to get membership. When they opened a store in Bletchley (near Milton Keynes) they informed the Open University that ALL their staff would be eligible for membership as they worked for an 'education provider'. Crazy - I'm not a teacher or a lecturer (and why one would have more need for a cahs & carry than anyone else I really don't know) but, as someone with a rather lowly paid desk job, I was eligible for membership.

My partner has his own company but to get membership that way you need to provide them with a utility bill addressed to the company. As he is an IT contractor 'the company' doesn't have an address and the hokme utility bills are in my name. I guess they might have accepted his company mobile phone bill? Whatever.

Strange 'rules' but good place to stock up.

[limeo]

Here in the states there are three tiers of Costco membership - household, business and executive. You don't need to show proof of business ownership or employment for the basic, household membership. They are a very good business (although the customer service has much to be desired, at least here on the east coast) - and it's a *great* place to stock up on toilet paper and milk!

My dad is a HUGE fan of Costco - he has joked about opening up a franchise when they move to NZ... ;)

[M-Squared]

NZ retail stores need more competition - keeps everyone honest and prices in line with reality, I think.

There's hardly the population to warrant this, though.

[talisker]

I'm not a Costco fan either, but mostly because they have a strict admission policy, which basically means if you don't have a high paid job, run your own business or work for the government you're not allowed in.
Think thats rather unfair and only helps to make the rich richer and the poor poorer!

I don't think that's really fair. It was very easy to get a Costco card when I was in the UK, either as an employee (or relative of an employee) of a company that is recognised by Costco (and that's pretty much any large company, or any company that applies to them). So you don't need a high paid job, or even any job.