Costco
Reviews and Complaints

I am a long time executive member. A relatively junior senior citizen who frequently shops at Costco. Today, I was looking for sardines and was told by an employee it would be by the tuna. So I went back there to look again. Not having any luck a nice customer suggested that I try the Pharmacy as they seem to know a lot about where things are. So I approached the section, from along the side. As I approached I saw a sales clerk (female Filipino or Chinese I think around 40's) ringing up a customer. Actually he was the customer in that section. As he began to leave she turned to me and said, "may I help you?" So I responded, "do you know where the sardines are located?" As she turned to look through some papers, an oriental guy (perhaps the Pharmacist) around late 20's early 30's interrupts and says ..."sir next time you need to wait behind the sign because of the privacy law" My response was she asked me what I needed so I responded. I guess he did not want to hear that so he bascially repeated himself again. Now as he mentioned that I turned to the sign he was referring to. It was in the aisle near the register perhap 10-20 feet away facing away from us. How would I even know about the sign when I walked to the Pharmacy from the aisle that had no sign or could see it since it was facing away from me? Anyway, frustrated and upset I then reported the incident to management and was told they would followup and coach the Pharmacy on being more sensitive to customers.

I would appreciate a call back so I can better explain the situation and circumstance and followup action to address my concern. My call back number is [protected] and email is [protected]@me.com.
Thank you,
Wes Suzawa

On Tuesday, April 25th, 2017, I purchased 2 rotisserie chickens at the Greenville, SC store around 1:45PM. I always check the time stamp on the chickens to make sure they are fresh. We live 45 miles from Greenville and make the trip a couple of times per month to buy food items.

When we got home, we found the chickens to be significantly undercooked and not edible without further cooking.

I buy a lot of vinegar to use around the house and when I bought vinegar this time, while it was standing on the flat surface I twisted off the plastic part and then open a cap. While opening the cap, a big amount of vinegar shoots in my eyes and started to burn like hell. I did not shake it or did not manipulate it in any way, it just shooted and not just a little amount.. it felt like someone poured it right into my eye. I felt a horrible burning in my eye for 24 hrs, spent about 3 hrs total washing my eyes under water. Filling a complain with Costco.. what's in that bottle?! Not my first time using it.. should not do that..
Kate, Michigan

I just returned from Costco, in Kennesaw, GA. The check out lines were so long, I left everything in my cart and left the store. That in itself would not bother me, but check out lines were available but not being opened by the staff. The confusion was unwarranted. I expect more from Costco since I have been a member for several years. Both self service and regular lines were available for opening with nothing done to accommodate the customers.

I had just bought a pair of shoes and before walking out I realized that my shoes inside the box were the wrong size from the box. I went back to the shoe section to look for the right size. I then went to customer service to see if they could switch my pair to the correct size. After waiting for a while someone that was up in the front talking to her co workers finally called me up. I mentioned that I had just bought the shoes and I just wanted to switch them up to the correct size. She said said Costco doesn't do exchanges and then asked how I wanted my money back. I told her it wasn't my fault that the wrong shoes were in the box and I had literally just bought them if she would at least let me return the wrong ones and let me purchase the correct size there. (I had my baby in my arms) She didn't allow me to and told me I had to get back in the regular sales line. She went on with the transaction and returned the wrong pair of shoes and she I just ended up leaving Costco. I shop at Costco 3 times a week, very diaspointed with the customer service I received today.

I want too start off by saying I pay for a membership and I also spend a lot of money at costco. We were in line I brought my mother with me as my mother said she would pay for items while I was unloading the cart onto belt women stopped and said I need your membership card which was fine then in a rude manner said since my mother was a guest she told her that for now on guests had too use cash! But this one time she could pay by debit. I not once read any of that and she said well it's new and you should've read it well if it's new I'm not sure how I could. My mother asked me a question and I said I'd ask about it supervisor walked by and said would you explain too these ladies about the guest rules. First of all she made more of a scene then needed very rude and I told her that I asked her name and explained that she acted like we were scamming someone she was rude she smiled and said oh I'm sorry in a rude way. I told supervisor and he apologize but first she was wrong on procedure my mother can use cash or debit I've been customer service over 20 years that is no way too keep business

4-23-17
I approached the customer service desk for a simple one item unopened return. There was no one to help at the register for returns so I stood in line for the next available rep, and for quite some time as they were processing memberships at the adjacent terminals. Later I see another customer approach the desk at the end of it, and then another. Finally a rep was freed and asked if I had a return. I said yes. She says to move on down to the return register which I did. Then she starts processing for the first in line down there as if I did not exist. Then as the next one comes up she says who was first? I stated I was here before both of them and she had just bypassed me completely when she says this is the return line like I should have been there all that time waiting when there was no help or person there at all. They called for help up there three times as I waited and no one came up. They need to notice or at least ask who is next in line. With the nicely expedient check out lines that are unmatched anywhere I would think this return process could be addressed and simplified as well. It shouldn't take a half hour to pull this off.

I bought a watermelon on Wednesday 2/19. I Wanted to wash it before opening it and there was a white foam coming out of it oozing continuously, i took a video immdeiately and today 4/21 went to costco in Harrisonburg, VA zip 22801, with the rotten unopened watermelon and white stuff is oozing from it to complain about the unsaftey of selling fresh produce that is rotten and can't be consumed. The customer service associate her name was Bianca was very disrespectful and wanted to brush me off and didn't want to listen, i am descibing the problem to her and she insisted to give me a refund, i told her she has to listen and i am not here for a refund am here to report a safety problem. She wasn't coperating and i asked to speak with a manger her name was Rhonda she was very helpufl and took care of my concern.
P.S I am a pharmacist at Walmart and I know what great customer service is, definetly I am dissatisfied with the poor customer service bianca provided today ! Disappointed

I hate how you guys have packaged the legs and thighs together in both the regular and organic chicken. I cannot stand chicken legs. Thighs are a different story. They do not belong in the same bag. I understand that you are trying to do something with the chicken legs since no one wants to eat them, might I suggest making them into a kind of some kind of sausage. I'm not interested in cooking that with them or anything. Debating bringing back the rest of my chicken so I don't have to eat it. Maybe you should be turning them into some kind of fresh dog food or a dog treat. It's bad enough you don't sell drumettes anymore

Dear Costco,

On 3rd April around at 8:20 pm, I was at fuel station of Richmond center for re-fueling my vehicle.

But due to malfunctioning of nozzle the fuel pipe got disconnected and made whole fuel started sprinkling in uncontrolled way and most of gasoline fell on my body.

I was shocked and panicked as I sensed that it is immense dangerous situation and can cause serious damage just not to me but to other people as well (who were lined up for there chance).

As soon as I recovered from shock, I immediately started shouting as there was no instruction and no one present at the moment, more over it was near to construction site so can be potentially more dangerous.

Most of my lower body part was wet with gasoline and I was devastated by its smell. Fortunately I didn't got any injury and didn't inhaled any gasoline which is not less than a miracle.

Now problem part, I immediately contacted the person available (remember I started shouting) at gas station and then to the store manager, obviously my other plans were dropped for the night as written complaint followed by pungent smell of gasoline coming due to that incident from me.

Next day I got contacted from [protected]@gbtpa.com with Costco Claim #: [protected]-GD-01, It surprised me from day one i was considered as person seeking reimbursement for his clothes though I never asked for it, since due the nature of accident where even life damage can happen some thing offered for compensating clothes and shoes seems immature and humiliating response from the representative.

Let me repeat again, I never asked to get compensation of my clothes as the gasoline will get disappear by its own with some time, since it is rigorously asked to me I provided details.

I was having much bigger issues, after that incident I didn't got courage to visit the costco fuel station again( I started using Shell after that).

My life and other customers life were on stake due to Bad quality, Negligence, Duty of Care and Foreseeability on fuel station machine/operatives.

I suffered to drop my plans on that day to get rid of smell and clothes.

My vehicle smelled gasoline for a week due to that incident.

I like the costco and was very happy as customer but that incident devastated my trust as seems no one cares about such incidents until some one gets serious injury or dead.

After that incident I did research on costco and I am surprised that gas stations suppose to be certified with regular quality checks.

Definitely there is some ignorance/negligence happened on that center for sure. But it is very heart breaking that no one is ready to listen the voice of an ordinary man because he didn't got any serious injury or died during that incident.

Seriously I am very sad with the way it has been handled by the representatives and stake holder.

Hope some one try to get on my shoes and point of view I am trying to mae here.

Thanks,
Omit Rathore

It was probably Friday or Saturday before Easter. I love Costco and think you need to know this information.
I bought the Red-Skin potato salad for a casual Easter Dinner. I buy it a lot but the last 3 or 4 times the potatoes were really kind of raw in the mix. This time it was runny and I got a large amount of raw or half cooked potatoes. The quality on this product is going down a lot. I am afraid to buy it anymore.
The other problem is the grapes. The containers are large and i just got the nastiest grapes ever. They were moldy and slimy in the center and when I washed them the skins washed away on a lot of the grapes. They are so sour that they are siting in the frig. No one wants to eat them once they taste them.
I have never gotten products from Costco like these before and feel you need to know this. Sincerely, R. Flores

4/17/17 around 11:40AM
cashier, Rae
Tustin, CA

My mother and I had the most disgusting customer service from your cashier. She made it out to personally attack us. I felt that she was a racist.

We made a purchase after being in line and could not find the cigarettes we needed in the locked area. We went to ask if it was stocked. It said on computer that it was stocked. We located them in the locked area hidden behind a box. We went back to cashier, Rae. The helper got them and placed them on the cashier table. My mother stood at the end of the counter. Cashier Rae ignored my mother and took the next customer in line. My mother asked Rae what she should do, Rae said she had to get in line again. There were 8 people in line. My mother walked to end of line, I asked Rae why. She said my mother was rude to cut and that she had to ask other customers if she could cut in line. My mother did not cut in line as we had done this already and paid for food. Also, she was not rude! Where else is my mother suppose to stand? (This pathway was also being used for food service carts) And when did we have to ask other customers if we can pay for an item that your employee failed to find? Again, we already waited in line.
.
The behavior of your employee is ridiculous. She was falsely putting a blame on my mother when in fact it was her who was rude and treating my mother like a second class citizen.
Rae kept saying she didn't make the mistake and blamed her helper . Her behavior was condescending and belligerent. There doesn't seem to be any customer service. Please give your staff a round of training on customer service.

What is your policy when your employee makes a mistake regarding a stocked item after we have been line and already paid for food. Do we need to get in line again? I want to make it clear to the world if this is the case when your employee made the mistake that a customer has to take it.
I have been a customer since Costco began, I have never experienced this before.

I consider myself to be a man of my word. I like pistachios. I also have a small hunger ability. I can't eat very much. I also don't have very much money. So when I go to Costco and the only option for pistachios is a 40 bag bag of pistachios for $400, I am greatly upset about all of this. Preferably you should sell pistachios by the pistachio, not by the bag of pistachios. It upsets me to no end when I go to your fine retailer and they ask me if I have a card...I can't afford pistachios what makes you think I can afford a card

So I was laid off last beginning of December.

I've asked for my pay stubs. And we're never sent or given to me.
I've asked for an ROE. never given to me.

And how my T4, I have been asking them for over a month now.
And the first time I was told they'd send it to finding out they didn't even write down my address to send it to. So an employee who currently works there went to them and gave them my address again and still nothing. This is really unprofessional and uncalled for.

We rented a car thru Costco. After flying into Milwaukee Mitchel airport we went to pick up our car. We loaded our bags and started to leave when the check engine light came on. We took the car back. All they had was a dirty car, but because of our situation, we unloaded our belongings into this messy car. Thirty minutes down the road my husband realized he had left his phone in the other car. We tried to call that location, but no answer, so we turned around and drove back to the airport.
Found manager Todd who said he would look for it and for us to wait. He came back to tell us it was gone. So now on top of a crappy car, we lost a phone with this company. They were of no help and in fact could not have been more disinterested.
We are making you aware of this as we don't believe this is the type of experience your loyal customers deserve. Thank you!

The Deli manager, Crisandra Deloney Hinton, engaged in a sexual relationship with an hourly employee. Her husband caught her in bed with this hourly employee on Halloween of 2016. She used her position to seduce him, bought him clothes, gaming consoles, a cell phone paid by her monthly, and moved this hourly employee in her home. When he left her home, in February of 2017 she tried to lure him back with a PS VR, which she did gift to him. She harassed his wife on social media by sending her antagonizing messages, and some of them were sent while she was at work. Management was notified, a complaint was made, then she lured him back again, and they started talking again, after she was told it was inappropriate. Management refuses to do anything about this situation and is facilitating the harassment of an innocent person whose home is broken because of this woman's actions, by ignoring it and covering for her, and trying to change the story or complaint to protect her.

I went to Costco with my daughter, and we went to try out a sample of chips and dips. The lady, D'Anna served a customer ahead of us. When it was our turn, she called out to a man and asked him he wanted some chips. He said no. Then, she rudely tells us 'sorry, I'm not serving any more', and closed the container with dips. We were so shocked. She made us feel so petty. The bowl if chips was still half full, and she refused to give us a sample. We went to Customer Service to let them know. They called their manager, Joe. He said he would speak to the manager, of the vendor company 'CDS'. Her name is Chantel. I told him I would like to speak to her, so he introduced me to her, and I to, d her about the incident. She told me that lady D'Anna must have had a rough day, or she must be a new employee. What an excuse!
When I was leaving, the Costco manager Joe said that we could go the cafe and get anything we want, to which I replied that I could pay for it if we wanted to get something. Very disappointing, not expected of Costco.

On thursday april 13, I am shopping around for a couple items needed, felt an employee sorta stalking me through aisles, no biggie. Next while I am paying the same employee (Avery lie washington) behind me and gets a touch / grab at my butt. I immediately react and he takes off fast. I later confronted the man and managers are called. All along the man denied what was on camera. Asking for justice

Just bought a bunch of fresh fruits from Costco and had two rotting clementines and one nectarine with white fungal growth - I have pictures to prove the same. This appears to be a pattern of slipping Costco quality in produce we have been purchasing from Merchant ID: [protected]. This could also be a quality control issue at the Warehouse.

I cannot be wasting another hour or more going back to the store for refunds or replacement - that is just too much of an inconvenience.

In any case, I am extremely disappointed in what I would normally expect to be exacting quality standards at Costco.

My wife works at the Knoxville, TN warehouse as the deli manager. Crisandra Hinton. On Halloween night in 2016 I can home to find her in the bed we shared as a married couple with another man. An hourly employee that she works with by the name of Nick Cameron. Very soon after that she moved him into our house where I witnessed them hold hands, go on dates, and have parties where more hourly employees were invited. He began sleeping in the bed I shared with my wife daily. He wasn't made to pay rent and she paid for everything for him, including his phone and clothes. I was always under the impression that managers can't have relationships with hourly employees but have watched her do this multiple times. Soon after I caught them in bed she moved him in and a couple more nths later asked me for a divorce. She's not only ruined our marriage but the marriage of the employee as well and broke up two families for a sexual relationship. She uses her job to pull men in, this isn't the first time, just the last straw. Shell continue to have sexual relations with hourly employees as long as there are no consequences, and continue to ruin families. Is this how Costco wants to be seen?