Costco Wholesale — Attraction in Town of Hempstead

This rating is for an employee at Costco that handled a situation so poorly and disrespectfully. My experience shopping and acquiring help from employees was good and accommodating. However, when I was leaving Costco, my experience drastically changed.

I’ve been Costco member for a while now and have shopped at various locations in different states. My impression of Costco employees is that they’re always happy to help when you are in need. I love Costco and go often.

This was my first time at this Costco and upon checking out, I decided to go through self check out. I was helped by some kind employees who were clearly working with high volume and stress, but managed to be pleasant to their customers. Upon leaving check out, I was told by an employee there that if she counts my items and checks my receipt I should be good to leave and skip the line that piles up towards the end of the building. With that knowledge, my mom and I head towards the exit bypassing the line and I was stopped by a middle-age man (feel free to contact me about a better description on this employee as I don’t feel comfortable posting it online) who shouted in the open, “you can’t do that you gotta follow the rules”. I replied “I was told at self checkout that if they sign my receipt, I can walk through. That’s why I’m walking through.”. He responds “I know that’s not what they said.”. Flustered and embarrassed, I yelled back saying that’s what I was told. I also said that “ I don’t appreciate being called a liar” he responded “I did not call you a liar.” In fairness, he did not call me a liar directly, but what is one to insinuate when someone yells at you that the instructions that you were given were “not told to me”?? When he could’ve picked tasteful words like “they shouldn’t be telling you that please line up” or “OK I understand that’s what you were told but that was incorrect information and I need you to line up”. Admittedly, I should not have yelled back as I didn’t want to be reactive the way he was and stoop to his level, but I let my embarrassment get the best of me”. I had no issues lining up, I do it all the time when I go to Costco, but I had 100% issue with the way I was communicated with. I am not a defiant, privileged person trying to skip the line.

I am a manager and work with a team and customers all day. I get high volume stressful work environments. If a team member of mine ever spoke to a customer or even a fellow team member that way, I would be absolutely appalled. There is no reason, even under stress, that myself, or my team should ever talk to a customer the way your employee did. This man is not fit to be in customer service and his performance and communication skills need to be reevaluated. Just because he can do his job doesn’t mean he’s doing it correctly.

It’s unfortunate that a good experience turned so bad due to the actions of one person who couldn’t handle the situation with better communication and grace. Please don’t allow him to speak to other people like this.

Thank you for taking the time to read about...

If you want a twelve pound can of tuna, they have it.

If you want a 50 inch flat screen tv, they have it.

If you want thirty pounds of pistachio nuts, they got it.

If you need a package of 50 rolls of toilet paper, they got it.

Do you know why?

Because if you eat twelve pounds of tuna and thirty pounds of pistachio nuts, you are going to need fifty rolls of toilet paper.

Costco is a world into itself.

REVISED - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Even with what I hope is the near end of the pandemic...costco trudges along. They did not have the Poland Spring water bottles that i like.. only Kirkland.. i had to look elsewhere today.

UPdate - November 5, 2022

Still the same old costco. Lots of rats frolicking in the parking lot tonight.

UPDATE - OCTOBER 30, 2023

I sill like costco.

Everyone likes Costco.

It looks like most of the employees like Costco.

But at night...lots of rats patrol the parking lot. Costco acknowledges that there is a problem by placing several rat poison stations on the perimeter of the premises.

Sorry Costo...you are losing the battle.

I brought this to the attention of "Telly," one of the managers.

He told me ...because it is on the outside of the building, the vermin is considered to be wildlife, so additional action can't take place.

In either case, it's messed up.

UPDATE- JANUARY 12, 2024

No major changes. Churros are gone but cookies replaced them. I'll consider that an upgrade...even though I didn't stop to try one.

It's day time in tge parking lot so the rats are sleeping in their "hidey holes."

They will be out later when the night shift begins.

UPDATE - MARCH 15, 2024

No changes. It's still Costco.

UPDATE - MAY 24, 2024

No changes. It's still Costco. Come to think of it...the Costco experience never changes much. Nor should it.

Shout out to the guys who fish in the parking lot! Fishermen are great for a community. They are the ones who find the bodies first!

UPDATE - AUGUST 9' 2024

Today they were throwing a bar-b-q lunch for the staff in the back of the parking lot. Big grill...tents...tables...the whole 9 yards.

It smelled great!

UPDATE - APRIL 21, 2025

Still the same, Costco in all its glory, wonder and splendor.

UPDATE - OCTOBER 25, 2025

Still the same. New rat bait stations on the outside perimeter of tge facility. Hey...ya gotta keep up with...

I don't even know where to start. We had an accident in the Costco foodcourt. My son fell down the bench that has the bar in the middle and hit his head on the ledge by the wall. He had laceration on the back of the head and started bleeing out. What is the purpose of the ledge on the wall? Some customers came running to help. One gave us lots of ice to control the bleeding but no Costco employee was present to help at all. While we're waiting for the ambulance, one employee came and asked what happened. We asked for a medical or first aid kit and said they don't have that in-store. How is a huge facility like this not have any first aid kit???! So we stepped out to wait for the ambulance outside and the person checking the receipt was harassing us as we rushed outside cos we couldn't let him check our stuff. We were running outside with our son bleeding out and your employees were no help! As we're about to leave, we're in the ambulance and then the manager showed up asking what happened as he was not aware and just saw that there's an ambulance in front of his store. Seriously, you guys should do a lot better treating your customers than just asking what happened and not help at all. I hated the fact that you have no first aid kit available to use should there be incidents like this may it be your customers or employees that need it. And the fact that the guy harassing us to show him our receipt while my son was bleeding out was beyond...