Why should I pay to shop here?!

[Redbeard]

At the big warehouse store that's not owned by WallyWorld the other night, waiting to finish my purchasing when I hear this gem of a conversation from the customer service desk

SC - Our usual player. different face, different name, same yutz.
ASR - Awesome Service Rep

SC - I want to cancel my membership and I demand a full refund! (Note: Not an unusual request, as they do give up to 90 days to do so with some levels of membership)
ASR - I'll be more than happy to help sir...looks like you've had your membership for just over 5 months now, so while I can cancel it, I would not be able to refund the membership. Your best option is to just go ahead and let the membership run its course and not renew it.
SC - What?! Why should I PAY to shop here? You should just raise your prices and let anyone shop here, who pays for the "privilege" of shopping somewhere anyway?!
Me in a cheerful voice- I do! (either SC didn't hear me or his selective hearing was on)
Rinse and repeat a couple of times, I'll give it to the ASR, she was firm but never gave in, so she gets a gold star!

[bhskittykatt]

Um, because it's a warehouse club? If you don't want to pay, just go to someplace like Cash & Carry. Or do what I do and mooch off a friend who has a membership.

Clearly she must have thought it was worth it to wait five months before complaining.

[lupo pazzesco]

We're saving up to pay to shop there! So, us too!

[Redbeard]

I love that bit. "I've paid for the serrvice and got the service but I don't want it anymor so you're going to give me all of my money back!"
Umm..No.

And Lupo: It's worth it, if just for some of the stuff that comes in just for the store

[PepperElf]

obviously the SC considered paying to shop there in the first place or they wouldn't have a membership

[wagegoth]

I pay for the more expensive membership, because I end up spending enough that it almost completely covers the cost of membership. And it is so worth it.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I pay for the more expensive membership, because I end up spending enough that it almost completely covers the cost of membership. And it is so worth it.

When I worked at the wholesale club, one of my CWs at the membership desk always tried to get me to upgrade my (free, as an employee) membership to the "gold" membership. I always refused. She asked me why.

J2K: "Because I don't buy enough stuff here to justify it."
TC: "So buy more stuff here!"
J2K: "We don't use what we buy fast enough to justify the waste!"
TC: "..." (glances toward electronics)
J2K: "And my folks won't bother coming here for electronics when <Yellow Tag> has better deals."

Now, I still shop there periodically-- I'll buy my sodas and maybe paper towels or toilet paper there, and the occasional shirt or something-- but I still don't spend enough to justify getting the "gold" membership.

[wagegoth]

Jay, I have two teenage boys. They eat enough to cover the membership. If it wasn't for the meat department and general groceries, I'd be in serious financial trouble. When they move out on their own (which is still a long way away), I don't know if I'll even keep the membership. Maybe, but maybe not.

[Aisling]

I pay for the more expensive membership, because I end up spending enough that it almost completely covers the cost of membership. And it is so worth it.

Me, too. And keep in mind, it's just me and the Baker. Then again, by getting my one Rx there, I save in a year almost double the gold star membership. Heck, I save the membership just on gas every week. Everything else is pure savings.

[PepperElf]

i don't shop at membership stores either.
and for the same reasons... i don't really know that i'll buy enough to justify paying. and i really can't afford buying in bulk like that anyway.


although i do remember doing something similar with a music store. their membership plan was $20 a year for a card worth 20% off on non-sale items. I bought enough that day to save $18... which pretty much guaranteed the card paid for itself.

although... i think in the long run it also started costing them money for the same reason. which is why the following year their membership rules changed to just %10 off.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Jay, I have two teenage boys. They eat enough to cover the membership. If it wasn't for the meat department and general groceries, I'd be in serious financial trouble. When they move out on their own (which is still a long way away), I don't know if I'll even keep the membership. Maybe, but maybe not.

I never said it wasn't a good option for some people. I was just explaining that it wasn't a justifiable expense for me.

I always used to joke with customers who came through with a load of obvious snack foods. And I mean they'd overload the belt, and still have a huge load in/on their cart. "Teenagers?" "Yeah." "You don't have nearly enough food."

[dalesys]

"Teenagers?" "Yeah." "You don't have nearly enough food."

"Mom, how come our stew only comes in bare steel cans? Cause, like, the dog knocked over the garbage can and there were all these Alpo labels blowing around..."

[wagegoth]

I never said it wasn't a good option for some people. I was just explaining that it wasn't a justifiable expense for me.

That's why I noted that once I'm on my own I may drop it. I wasn't implying anything about your choice.

I also live near a Business Costco, which is awesome. It carries all kinds of restaurant, office and hotel supplies, and it's usually not that busy.

I always used to joke with customers who came through with a load of obvious snack foods. And I mean they'd overload the belt, and still have a huge load in/on their cart. "Teenagers?" "Yeah." "You don't have nearly enough food."

We've had dinner at 6:30, and I'll find them making a frozen pizza less than two hours later. I'm so glad I started couponing. My refrigerator and freezer are always full, and the extra shelves I have are loaded with canned and packaged food.