Like your ‘typical’ suburban dweller, I have a Costco membership. Had it for years. I go there by default pretty much every other weekend. And I’ve read other posts about how amazing Costco is at wholesale, store design, branding, packaging, etc. But a recent trip to Sam’s Club has me second-guessing the unquestioned supremacy of the wizards of Issaquah ‘zig while others zag’ schtick.
The second you set foot in there, you better darn well have your membership card out to scan it! Gone are the days when you could simply flash it as you rush to grab your rotisserie chicken. Who decided the airplane boarding process was a good model to emulate in retail?
Buying alcohol? Remember to have your ID visible and ready before you get in a Costco checkout line or you’ll incur the wrath of the cashier. This applies even if it’s disgustingly obvious that you’re well over 21 like me. (For reference, I live in Missouri where buying booze is laissez faire, so I’m spoiled.)
Want to browse as you walk past the front door at a leisurely pace? Not possible with the crowd combined with main isles that are now jam packed with plants, pallets and end caps where once there was a wide open path.
Remember scanning your card when you came in? Well, you gotta do it again before you can check out. And remember not to shove that receipt in your pocket; you’re going to need to present it to the gatekeepers just before you leave!
And now to Sam’s. Nobody’s gate keeping there at all. Sure, there’s a greeter, but they are actually greeting people – not checking your papers.
The isles are not crowded with extra stuff to purposely slow you down. You can buy alcohol like a normal adult, and you don’t even have to show your card at all if you don’t want to!
WHy? Because Sam’s has an amazing app that lets you scan items as you shop so you can bypass the checkout lanes entirely. You can pay in the app and walk blissfully to the exit. And, to top it all off, Sam’s is deploying AI-powered sensors at the exit that scan your cart and verify your items, so you can start macking down on that bag of chips in your car without delay!
Plus, I’ll admit it; I like junk food. Sam’s has it, Costco, not so much. Sam’s bakery variety – and quality – is better and I think their rotisserie chickens taste better too!
While Costco is still the undisputed darling of LinkedIn posters and business mavens, I’m starting to enjoy the Sam’s experience more and more. It’s time for Costco to do different differently.
McGregorWorks 