The Warehouse Club continues to find ways to get its members excited and engaged.
Costco has two goals, to keep members happy and to provide the best value for the products in its warehouse. Keeping customers happy has a lot to do with how you run a business. If the member is unhappy, find a way to change that. A happy member will renew annual membership, while an unhappy member may not.
The Warehouse Club’s focus is on the customer, even when competitors are like Amazon (AMZN) – Get a free report Making changes that don’t quite suit customers. For example, Amazon recently started charging customers to return unwanted merchandise, when returned to a UPS store.
Don’t Miss: Costco tries a McDonald’s favorite in its own food court
Costco (it costs) – Get a free report It remains consistent with the refund and return policy.
“We will cancel and refund your membership fee at any time if you are not satisfied,” says Costco’s website. We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell and will refund your purchase price.
Costco continues to go above and beyond to satisfy its customers. It’s not new, but it sure is refreshing as a consumer. Costco CFO Richard Galanti has even stated that he will keep $1.50 hot dogs and soda forever on multiple occasions.
Photo credit: Patrick T Fallon/AFP) (Photo by Patrick T Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
Costco food for thought
Costco has samples all over the warehouse during a shopping rush, not that shoppers don’t know what a granola bar tastes like, but at some point during your shopping, hunger might strike. It’s almost as if Costco knows food and the memory of how good something tastes is a great way to create a psychological need for it in the future or now while shopping.
The chain also has some great food options that members can’t get anywhere else and certainly not at the same value. Quality bakery items at affordable prices are sure to create a buzz among Costco members. The chain’s bakery is also popular with its latest creation, Kirkland’s Fresh Baked Lemon Blueberry Loaf.
Lemon Blueberry Loaf retails for $8.99, and weighs in at a whopping two pounds.
A heavy, thick pastry bread that’s great on its own or can be toasted with butter or even enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee, and the new product has sold out somewhere. The sweet fruity scent brings the idea that summer is here and it’s time to enjoy it, lemon loaf and blueberries.
Costco Customer Satisfaction #1
Costco has made its mark as a retailer that will go above and beyond to make its members happy. If a customer is unhappy with a purchase, refunds or returns are not questioned but happily processed. So, when Costco launches a quickie at its bakery, it’ll be hard to find anyone who isn’t happy with buying Lemon Blueberry Loaf or fan-favorite Pull Apart Cinnamon Rolls, or the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, the customer’s choice.
Costco has reportedly accepted returns of half-eaten food, but finding a customer willing to part with any of these fabulous baked goods will be hard to find. Creating value for Costco members and an object of quality and good taste creates a shopping trifecta that leaves members raving about the latest and greatest finds in the warehouse.
While other companies are pulling the strings to achieve profit margins and share, Costco maintains its primary goals, happy customers who buy great value products and who renew their annual membership.
Samples offered by Costco are tested during peak hours to remove the human part of the sample service. While it’s just in its testing phase in Bellevue, Washington, the device’s sample server is handing out samples to customers.
The samples were submitted by people, but these people were not employees of Costco but employees of an outside vendor. If Costco’s prototype kiosk or machine does launch, it’s only one way Costco works to keep costs down and continue to provide service as always while other retailers cut costs.