Members Suggest Costco New Year Improvement List, Do You Agree?

As we step into 2025, Costco, the renowned American members-only warehouse chain, remains a top choice for consumers seeking to purchase bulk goods as it caters to a wide range of needs. However, consumers have also voiced the need for improvements in certain aspects. At the beginning of this year, members took to social media to express their wish list for Costco to enhance their shopping experience.

On the unofficial Costco discussion group on Reddit, members often share their shopping experiences and reviews of products at Costco. While Costco has many praiseworthy aspects, members in the Costco-dedicated subreddit pointed out that issues such as store traffic, layout, and website can be pain points in their shopping experience.

In a report by Fox Business on January 18th, last month, a Reddit thread focused on discussing the pros and cons of Costco.

“I like Costco, I know the products are good, and the policies are good, but I really can’t stand waiting in the parking lot and standing in long lines every time I need to quickly purchase something,” a Reddit user mentioned.

“Whenever I go to Costco, I encounter large crowds, and the checkout lines generally extend to the back of the store,” shared a Costco member in another post from three months ago. “Every aisle is packed with people, and the free sample booths create artificial traffic congestion at every intersection, making the situation worse.”

How to choose the best times to shop at Costco and avoid crowds?

Delish, a food and cooking website, reported that Costco employees suggest the best shopping times are early Tuesday or Wednesday mornings when people are less likely to be stocking up for the weekend.

Laura Lamb, CEO, and founder of Costco Hot Finds, mentioned, “Generally speaking, if you prefer to shop in a quieter environment, I think Monday through Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. is the best time.”

Another less crowded time is the last 30 minutes to 1 hour before closing.

For those who can only shop at Costco on weekends, Lamb offered some practical advice: “If the weekend is your only option, it’s best to arrive at the store when it opens, and note that Costco often opens 10 minutes early.”

However, it’s best to avoid shopping between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekends as it’s the busiest time. It’s worth noting that the busiest and quietest times at Costco vary depending on the store location.

Fox Business Network reported that the layout of Costco stores, as well as the practice of changing the position and frequently rotating products, were also mentioned by members in the Costco subreddit.

One user suggested that placing maps above the store aisles or adding signage at Costco could be helpful, mentioning that they spent a lot of time walking back and forth in each aisle looking for items.

Another user commented, “People can’t expect their favorite or necessary items to always be in stock because Costco constantly rotates inventory. However, this also means they are continuously introducing new products.”

Other criticisms of store layout focused on the surging crowds near the entrance and checkout area of Costco.

In the recent annual report submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Costco stated that the company’s focus is on “providing our members with limited choices of national brands and private-label products at low prices, covering a wide range of categories,” which will result in “high sales volume and rapid inventory turnover.”

Costco typically offers fewer than 4,000 different products in its stores at the same time. Costco also indicates on its website that it creates a “treasure hunt atmosphere” for consumers shopping in its nearly 900 stores.

“One of the most exciting things about shopping in our stores is that you never know what kind of great deals you’ll find each time you visit,” Costco’s website states on one page. “And, because we’re constantly rotating and introducing new products, we encourage you to buy the items you’re interested in as soon as possible to avoid missing out.”

According to Costco’s latest annual report, store layouts are designed to “conserve and efficiently utilize sales space, handle merchandise, and control inventory.” The company stated that control at the entrance and implementation of a membership system help maintain theft rates at lower levels compared to other retailers.

Suggestions from fans on Reddit also included updating the Costco website. Some individuals shared their opinions on the functionality and appearance of the Costco website.

Meanwhile, it was recommended that Costco should incorporate “Scan & Go” technology into the shopping experience.

During last month’s Costco earnings call, when asked about “Scan & Go,” CEO Ron Vachris told analysts and investors that they occasionally hear about this technology. He stated, self-checkout is “a great option for our members, and we are focused on it.” Vachris noted that Costco “will continue to focus on technology issues and how to improve the front-end experience, which is crucial.”

Costco has been making efforts to enhance the performance of its website and applications continuously. In September of last year, Costco executives mentioned that they had improved the “native search functionality” of the US app.

In December, Costco’s Chief Financial Officer Gary Millership stated that Costco is “continuing to make progress on the technology roadmap and in enhancing the member experience.”