Instant Alert: I just went to Costco for the first time, and it was unlike any other shopping experience I've had

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I just went to Costco for the first time, and it was unlike any other shopping experience I've had

by Eleanor Lambert on May 29, 2018, 3:08 PM

Costco is a leading retail giant famous for selling bulk products at discounted prices to its members.
For someone who has never stepped foot inside a Costco, shopping there can be overwhelming due to the endless products strategically scattered throughout the grocery warehouse.
Nonetheless, the discounted products, organic produce, and family-sized offerings make a Costco membership well worth the money.
As a newly converted member, here's what surprised me the first time I visited Costco.

As I walked through the gaping entryway of what was to be my very first Costco experience, a friendly employee greeted me, and I chirped that it was my first time ever visiting a Costco.

To my surprise, he quickly shepherded me over to Membership Services, where I spent my first moments in Costco laughing at myself in line. A Costco novice, I’d assumed membership was more of a highly encouraged suggestion than an unbreakable rule.

All in all, I was totally unable to draw a parallel between Costco and any other store I've been to. The massive warehouse in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, is home to towers of hundred-packs of diapers and steak shanks the size of my torso, many labeled with Costco's famous Kirkland Signature brand.

Costco offers fewer items than many superstores.

One of the things that sets Costco apart from other superstores is the relatively limited amount of products sold there. While an average Walmart has over 140,000 products, Costco only carries about 4,000, according to CNBC.

This selectiveness allows Costco to offer manufacturers exclusive access to their more than 80 million worldwide members. For example, Duracell is the only battery brand Costco offers both in-store and online.

Less choice also leads to easier decision-making for the customer, which can lead to increased sales, marketing consultant Pam Danziger told CNBC.

The warehouse is strategically laid-out.

The second floor of the Brooklyn Costco is home to both food items and clothing, while the ground floor has exclusively household goods, from paper towels and laundry detergent to fridges and garden hoses.

I was a little surprised to waltz from apparel to dairy, but there's a method to the madness. Costco stores are designed to promote browsing, and they often shuffle the locations of staple items to make sure they get customer eyeballs on more products, Business Insider previously reported.

Costco nut bars give name brands a run for their money.

Costco's Kirkland Signature-brand nut bars give their name-brand counterparts a run for their money. These bars cost about 30% less than Kind bars (also sold at Costco) and share the same simple ingredients list. Who doesn't love an affordable, sweet-and-salty flavor combo?

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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