I don’t think so. I lived in the US for 68 years and never went into one. I have a been a member of a couple of their competitors. Costco is said to be better and has many loyal advocates, but I am way past the point of making good use of a membership that I have to pay for to be able to accumulate more crap.
In France membership is available to anyone. In the UK, however, there are restrictions if you want to be able to visit the physical store… Not sure why that is though. I don’t know about the US.
So do you have to join something before you can use the shop, or can you just visit?
That’s a good question. It’s been several years since I last went but I think you only have to show your membership card at the till. I don’t think they check it upon entering. I’ll ask my partner as I only started going because she had a membership.
They do but it’s very much a token gesture as far as I’ve seen.
Not in Wembley or Hayes it’s not. You’re not coming in unless you have a card or going to the counter at the entrance to join.
They’re a Warehouse Club in the UK, you have to be on a list of professions or retired from same, to join. A wide ranging list, teachers are on it though.
Costco.co.uk has all the gen. Instore prices are often very much better than online. You have to go instore to see the bargains and the choice. Kirkland brand food is generally as good as you’d get elsewhere or better. You just have to buy a larger quantity but not huge.
I love Costco and would check in there 1 or 2 times most months if still in the UK
They don’t always check at the door but you need a membership to pay at checkout.
They seem to have tightened up the membership requirements since I was a member in the UK.
You have to join. French membership is approx. 35€ per year.
Costco is one of the few US companies that actually pays a decent wage, health insurance etc… plus they buy/stock local I.e. French products. But the own brand products are pretty good. 1ltr. Maple syrup is a must buy for us…
We were members in Scotland (Business) and decided on the french membership too.
It’s a ‘worldwide’ membership so we go to the Costco (on the way) in Bilbao. On the way to our Spanish dentist….
Ahh Costa Costco
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Well just visited today (had two doctors appointments near there so did the 7 hour round trip from Normandy) and now they are most definitely scanning people on entry to the warehouse as well as the tills. Having said that easy enough to enter via the exit door and renew my membership 1st.
Sadly the bill at the tills is still unpleasantly large when you buy all the things you think you need for the house and the gites. Ho hum…