You will be assimilated...

[sbisson]

We seem to have become Costco members over the weekend, having somehow missed the opening of a branch in Croydon last year. Well, to be precise, marypcb is a member, I just have the delightfully named "spouse card".

I spotted it online the other day, and discovered that either of us could be corporate members. We scared up the documentation for marypcb's company, and tootled over to the monstrous establishment somewhere on an industrial estate. It's a cthuloid site, a huge temple to mammon and consumption with everything inside supersized or larger. Huge shelves and wide freezers fill the site, while you wheel around a trolley the size of a small family car.

We came out fully signed up, and, at the same time, have stocked up on many of the things we needed for the house. Apart from, of course, some of the things we went in for in the first place. It's probably some form of PTSD, as you get overwhelmed by the sheer size of everything there (though as marypcb pointed out, it's just US style/size packaging in the UK!).

Now that we have our photograph-embellished membership cards, it's like being part of a cult.

A large cult, with very few rules (apart from "spend all your money here"), but a cult all the same.

Though not so much of one as the Ikea Family. Now that's a cult.

Why yes, we're members of that too.

Come, join the Family...

Comments

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

My problem with Costco is that I have so many impulse buys of "look at this! It's cheap!" that I spend MUCH MUCH MORE than I would have carefully shopping at a regular store. Oh well.

[janetl.livejournal.com]

Costco packages are bigger than normal US package sizes, too.

[threeringedmoon.livejournal.com]

I am used to shopping at US style stores and I find Costco overwhelming. If we go there together Jack wants to walk up and down every aisle and I....just....can't....do....that.

[jiggery-pokery.livejournal.com]

Whisper it, but some of the Costco prices don't seem all that good to me. The availability of product is occasionally outstanding - there are things that it's not possible to get elsewhere, at least Oop Norf - but some of the prices are definitely beatable.

Does your Costco have Christmas lights on sale yet? Oh how we laughed when we saw them on sale in the middle of August. (Sort of laughed, at least.)

[edbook.livejournal.com]

we call Costco the hundred-dollar store because we can't get out before spending a hundred dollars...

Peace

Is that a big package I see in your hand?

[magscanner.livejournal.com]

All the packages here in the US are also bigger than the US norm. Manufacturers bend over to create unique groupings, assortments, and gatherings-of-many-into-one to meet the requirements of the warehouse-store masters.

[(Anonymous)]

I too was in Costco in Croydon last week - quite incredible. We bought food and drink for a party but I am seriously considering going every week!