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| - When I'm at Costco, I feel like a lost dwarf walking alongside the three story tall shelves. It's a delightful feeling and I used to see it as an exploration when I was a kid. However, now that I'm older, it's lost a bit of its luster and the real problems arise:
- The parking lot is a war zone in which cars mark their designated spots and pit themselves against one another to see who can slide their car into the spot first. I'm surprised that none of the Costco branches have built a second floor of parking.
- The electronics section doesn't really have discounts - the products are more or less at market price or higher.
- They don't accept Visa for purchases. You're in the green if you have a MasterCard.
- The number of tables available at the food court is far too low to keep up with number of diners. Families end up sharing tables with strangers. This can either make for awkward silence or a new friend, but I imagine the former is more common.
- Sometimes, you can't find the price for a product you want.
That notwithstanding, Costco is still at the core of my shopping routine for these reasons:
- You can find products that you may not come across at a general supermarket, such as instant pho and avocado butter.
- You can purchase discounted Cineplex tickets here.
- If you're careful and have done your research, you will get major discounts on your products.
- The food is so cheap and tasty that you could literally go to Costco just to eat. A hot dog and drink combo comes down to less than 2 dollars!
- Costco only stocks up on quality items at a relatively lower price (or market price).
I love Costco and will continue to go there, but it's really about time that Costco transforms itself into a mall in which you can shop, eat, get a haircut, see a tailor, get your shoes repaired, have 2+ stories of parking and so forth.
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