Costco coming to Australia

[twinniefan]

I was watching a local current affairs show tonight after the news and it featured a story on the giant retailer Costco and how they are opening some new stores in Australia next year and within a couple of years they want to have 50 of these stores.
I must say that they do look quite impressive size wise and with the volume and range of stock they carry at long last Woolworths and Coles Myer might have some competition to thwart their total dominance of the Oz retail market.
Could some of our U.S. friends offer some feedback please on how popular these are and are they good value.
Cheers people.
Steve.

 

[petek]

Costco has been operating in Canada for I'd guess near 20 years now and have been very successful. We've had a business membership since the early days. In terms of non-food items the selection of items is ever changing and very limited in each category, ie tv/electronics, home appliances, seasonal, tools, etc. What they may carry one month may be gone for good once sold out but the price is usually pretty good so you sort of have to make your mind up do I get it now or wait and take the chance it may be gone. IE remember once they had very nice good quality grandfather clocks, you couldn't touch their price anywhere else, I hesitated and by the time I thought I was gonna get one, all gone.
Many of the items are what you could refer to as WOW items, things you see but not everywhere that most people would like to have but really don't need or are too expensive.
As for food, everything is in jumbo packaging or multi-packed for example you have to buy 12 cans of peas, 4 kg cans of coffee, broken down in a cost per unit they are not always cheaper than the local grocery store.
The pharmacy is pretty good along with all those related sundries,,ie contact lens cleaners etc, toothpastes etc. usually always multipacked.
The auto/tire section, they sell and install tires, very good.
Lineups are huge, zero service people, savings are good.
Most of all it is very very difficult to go in there and not spend more money than you had planned because you keep seeing things that are a good deal so you say what the hell and throw it in your cart. It's very difficult not to spend money in Costco, lots of money.
They will put some pressure on the local business's to lower prices though not as much as a Walmart will because Walmart sells a huge array of items and Costco is more selective.
All in all though I like em. Don't go that often anymore

 

[gansky1]

The first Costco store opens here in Omaha tomorrow. I don't plan on standing on line to get in, I already can't stand waiting in line to buy War Bonds!

I've heard they have some great deals and I've been putting off looking for a new cordless phone (I should start a new thread on that topic- what a bunch of junk!) and a few other things hoping they'll have some grand-opening deals on memberships and merchandise. A coupon book came a couple of weeks ago, but I have yet to open it. I'll wait until all the hoopla dies down and hit it later next week.

 

[sudsmaster]

I really like Costco, been shoopping there since the early 90's. Ditto what Petek had to say. I would add that their gasoline is usually the lowest priced in town. I buy my motor oil there. In fact, Costco is where most of my usual household marketing dollar goes. I also spend a fair amount at places like Harbor Freight (inexpensive tools for work and the home shop), Home Depot, OSH, etc.

Costco can be a bit frustrating if you want to replenish a supply, of, say, shirts or pants or esp. shoes. For underwear and socks, generally no problem.

What I don't like: the crushing crowds of gawkers after work and on weekends. It depends on location, but I've seen some pretty rude actions by shoppers at my local Costco when it's crowded. Pet peeve: couples who stake out a spot in the checkout line, while their spouse or SO loads up a cart or two, and then jams in front of everyone else who's been thinking the line is shorter than these line grabbers have made it; People who park their cart in the middle of an aisle so nobody else can pass; People who wander around aimlessly talking loudly on their cellphones; People who take refrigerated or frozen foods and leave them out in the open to go bad; Getting continually pestered in the checkout line by Costco employees who want to sell me an "Executive Membership".

But even with all those negatives (and one minute in a Walmart is worse than four hours in a Costco), I still love the place. In generall, they don't sell crap. It's usually middle to high end stuff, at very reasonable prices. And then there is the very liberal Costco return policy: aside from computers and cell phones, there is no time limit on returning items, even if used, and it's relatively easy if you keep your receipt. For this reason I sometimes give into impulse buying, knowing that the the item(s) may not be there the next time I visit, and I can always return stuff that it turns out I don't need/want/like.

 

[twinniefan]

Thanks

Many thanks for the info guys, much appreciated ,it seems we could be in for some interesting times down here in retailing then.
Cheers.
Steve.