Costco Patrons Urge Instant Prohibition Upon Entry of This Specific Item
Hanging Out at Costco: A Personal Journey through the Warehouse
Let's face it, Costco isn't shopping for the faint-hearted: A trip to one of these gigantic stores is a tumultuous adventure (even early in the morning, even on a slow day). You learn to roll with the punches and accept that at least one person will barrel into you with a massive cart or cut you off in a crowded aisle—that's just part and parcel of Costco shopping and scoring awesome deals. However, there's one thing that seems to unite Costco members in collective exasperation—pesky salespeople right at the entrance. Here's the lowdown on what shoppers are grumbling about.
Being Bothered on Arrival
A Reddit thread titled "Salespeople as welcoming committees" has netizens seething in righteous indignation. "I love my local Costco, but the cellphone salespeople at the entrance are way too much!" the OP grumbles. "Just walking in the door makes me wince knowing I'm going to have to awkwardly decline, no matter how nicely I phrase it—they never take no for an answer."
Paying More for Membership, Less for Annoyance
The OP continues their rant, arguing that this treatment is unacceptable given that Costco demands membership fees from customers. "It feels like poor taste for a place where memberships are needed for entrance... I'd gladly shell out an extra $10 a year from my membership fees if it meant I could avoid these pushy salespeople (including the one on their way out peddling HVAC systems, or cruises, or whatever)," they lament.
Handling the Hassle
The only sensible way to deal with these salespeople, one member suggests, is to not come to a complete stop. "I've mastered a polite 'no, thanks' so I feel like a considerate human being…while simultaneously maintaining a steady pace so I can completely ignore these annoying salespeople who don't accept a simple 'no' as an answer," they explain. "Dealing with cellphone salespeople at Costco, timeshare pitches, street hustlers—I have no qualms delivering a firm 'no, thanks' with sincere eye contact, followed by pretending they don't even exist if they refuse to take the hint."
Selling Unwanted Items
One member shared their spouse's struggle with the cellphone salespeople, and other Redditors offered solutions. "If they feel awkward ignoring them, just say 'my employer covers my cellphone plan' and keep moving," one replied. "Or I already own a Traeger, Vitamix, or whatever they're trying to pawn off—that's what my wife used to say because she's too nice to everyone."
A Way Out
Claiming to be a renter is the quickest method to dissuade home improvement salespeople, one Redditor reveals. "That's what I do to get rid of the HVAC or water filtration salespeople, I simply tell them I'm a renter. I feel bad for these people—it's a thankless job—but I also have no interest in being pressured into buying something I don't need," they say.
Regional Differences?
Some Redditors question whether this could be a regional issue since they haven't witnessed it in their Costco stores. "I see these complaints cropping up from time to time, and I'm always surprised because it seems like vendors at other locations are more aggressive than the ones I've come across," one respondent observes. "But then I read comments recommending saying 'no thanks' or 'I already own the service' and I realize the mistake being made is not completely ignoring people trying to sell you something you don't want. Ignore them and move on—they can handle it, after all, they do this all day." I can vouch for the vendors in Marina Del Rey—they're courteous and respect a firm "no thank you"!
Be Kind, Even When They're Not
More than one shopper urges their fellow Costco members to keep in mind that these vendors are simply doing their jobs—annoying as it may be. "I just say 'no thanks' and move on—it's never been much of a problem," one remarks. "Jedi hand wave, no thanks. Keep walking," another adds.
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- In the midst of navigating through the bustling aisles of Costco, some members find another common annoyance: persistent salespeople located right at the store entrance.
- The Reddit community shares their frustration, especially regarding the cellphone salespeople, arguing that this treatment is unacceptable, especially considering the membership fees Costco requires from customers. Someuggest that a solution could be an extra fee added to membership for the freedom to avoid these sales pitches.
