A Costco Adventure

Well, the unexpected has happened.  I have journeyed to the Costco and lived to tell about it.  My husband, as many of you know, is a Sam's Club manager.  This means that Costco is a no-no word.  We don't shop there, and we don't talk about it.  Many people that I work with are Costco patrons.  While I am legally obligated to do them no  harm, I can't forgive them...for the death of my boy.  No, wait...I can't forgive them for shopping at Costco.  Actually, I bear them no ill will, and I try to convert them to Sam's Club as often as possible.  I decided that it wasn't right of me to vilify Costco when I haven't really visited their store.

So, let's talk about Costco, as it relates to Sam's Club.

The Better

• The produce section is vastly superior to the one found at Sam's Club, or maybe I just really like the idea they've implemented.  You go into what is essentially a giant walk in cooler to shop for the majority of produce.  The cooler temperatures keep fruit flies at bay and keep the product fresh.  If I could transplant this one aspect of Costco to Sam's Club, I would.  It was the only feature I was in love with.  From the outside, it looks like a normal room; you don't realize it is refrigerated until you step inside!*
• There seemed to be a bit more furniture, and it was easier to try out.  For example, I've decided I want a big sectional sofa.**
• The placement of the entrance and exit doors makes more sense.  There are less people wandering through the parking lot confused since you enter and exit in close proximity to each other.
• Costco was incredibly quiet.  While this is nice, it appears to stem from their lack of customers.  Sam's Club can often feel crowded because of all the people they have shopping at any given time.  Costco was virtually empty during our excursion.
• This is probably a personal thing, but I preferred Costco's bread display and racks to those at Sam's Club.  The ones at Sam's are angled.  The Costco ones were level.  I like being able to quickly see what bread is available without trying to see the backs of angled shelves.  I'm lazy; don't judge me.

The Same

• There is no real difference between the parking lots.  I have heard a lot of complaints about the Sam's Club parking lot, but they are virtually identical.  The real difference is that there are less cars and fewer people in the Costco lot.  I didn't see people moseying in front of cars.  It seemed a bit less hectic, but when the number of factors are reduced, that's a natural outcome.***
• The basic store layout and appearance are virtually identical.  Aside from some palette swaps, the aisles look virtually identical.  Costco doesn't keep as much product in their steel, hence making the place seem brighter, but you can tell both stores are providing the same services.
• Regardless of the home store brand, the products are also homogeneous.****  I can buy the same breads and fruits at Costco as I can at Sam's Club.
• I have heard many people tell me how much friendlier the employees are at Costco than Sam's Club.  I don't find this to be the case; they all acted in the same approximate manner.  We encountered one woman who greeted us enthusiastically.  No other employees spoke to us unless I spoke to them first.  I'm not criticizing them, just pointing out the normal behavior that I have seen at most grocery type places.

The Worse

• Costco's jewelry counter is uninspired.  If you want to see a piece, you stand side by side with an employee.  It is much easier to browse at a counter set up like the Sam's Club one, hence the reason most jewelry counters are set up in that manner.
• The cell phone kiosk at Costco is tacky looking, with its big red signage.  It looks as if it doesn't really fit.  The Sam's Club kiosks may have been that out of place in the past, but they now have a flow to them that works well in the store.
• The liquor store was smaller and had less selection.  They did have a nifty glass case for the fancy booze though.
• In general, the Costco signage was less polished.  Bright red signs with white block letters are boring and no more effective than the much more pleasing Sam's Club signs.
• The cases near the deli that housed the sandwich meats, cheeses, and the like looked very messy.  They utilize the bulk boxes the items come in to keep them organized.  While this probably reduces the time necessary to straighten up product, it looks messy.  Sam's Club has a much more appealing way of displaying those same items.
• The Sam's Club membership is $15 cheaper than the Costco one.  I had intended to sign up for a membership if there were sufficient products and prices to lure me in.  Unfortunately, the prices at Costco were higher on average than those at Sam's Club.  From the membership to the meat, buying at Sam's is a better deal.

I enjoyed my foray into Costco, but I don't expect to return.  There wasn't enough difference between the stores to sway me one way or the other.  I already have ties to Sam's Club, so I have grown accustomed to their way of doing things.  When you toss in their lower prices, I'm a Sam's Club girl all the way.  Maybe someday in the future, I will re-visit Costco.  It's possible I just missed something awesome.  Do feel free to enlighten me.

*For my Disney friends, it was almost as cool as the old entrance to Ice Station Cool at Epcot.

**If we get a great dane, we'll need a bigger couch.

***For any of you science majors, I'm not making a scientific statement.  I may be completely misunderstanding some math rule, so I do hope the math majors will also forgive me.

****Okay, now the English majors can take a turn at me.  I'm pretty sure that works, but it's definitely a bit unusual.  It is not common vernacular, but I decided to go with it.