Costco Wholesale — Local services in Torrance

I would like to tell something about the humiliation I suffered from the cashier at the Costco Torrance branch. I am a costco business member since 2008. I purchased groceries and daily necessities with my two high school daughters. When my daughter put the items on the register and showed my Costco card, she refused because she was not the card holder. Even though the cashier saw me( mother )next to her, the cashier (he) told my daughter that she couldn't pay because it wasn't her card. I was right next to her, I explained that it was my card. Even though he could clearly see that we were one family, he recklessly said no to this card. My daughters was so embarrassed and didn't know what to do.

This was the first humiliation, the second was a huge humiliation as I had to pay $165 for the items. Until now, I have mostly paid at Costco with my husband's card. I also used my husband's card when buying a refrigerator, MacBook, or other expensive home appliances. This is not a problem since one bank account is used for one house hold.

But today, I became the person who stole and used the card for $165. This was because the card holder and credit card names were different. In that case, it would be okay to talk quietly. Because Costco always has a long line and a lot of people, and my daughters are in high school. The cashier thinks we're scammers and says I can't pay because the name is different from the card. He loudly told me to show me another card. I only had Apple Pay. It took me 20 ~30 seconds to find my name written on the card. Instead of waiting for that time, he threatened to void all items. He didn't listen to me and my daughters and only spoke his own thoughts. He thought we were scammers and kept talking.

I barely showed the picture with my name on it and paid the bill, but my daughters and I were so embarrassed, miserable, and our pride was hurt because we only paid $165.

The cashier emphasized to the customers that they should donate to the children's hospital. We were deciding to donate a certain amount while waiting in line. But not a word was said to us about donations. I felt very bad because after paying, the receipt was handed over to me like it was throwing away trash.

Even now, 6 hours later, my daughters are still crying because of this absurd incident.

I felt racism very clearly. This is a problem that could have passed by if only I had been in a bad mood. However, as my daughters live as minority American citizens, I do not want something like this to happen again in the future, so I am informing them of the cashier's actions that treated them unfairly.

Even minorities are American citizens. We have the right to be treated fairly and to be respected.

I tried to leave a comment on the Costco website, but I couldn't find a place to leave it, so I'm leaving my...

Gotta love Costco!! Best gas and car wash prices! But they should install vacuums for the car wash.

Wow— Their staff is so kind and patient!! I came in here at about 7:00 on a Friday night. You know I was not done shopping at 8:30 when they closed. 🤣😬

I asked an employee about it, and she said they “sweep” the store starting at the back and work their way to the front (gently “guiding “ all the customers to the front—my words; I don’t mean anything negative by that😊.) So I knew I could continue shopping until I was spoken to. 😬🙄😳😬🤣🤣🤣 So that’s what I did!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I was able to get through almost the entire north section of the store before I got spoken to. ($600 later!!!)

A young man “caught” me and very politely and apologetically said, “I’m sorry ma’am, we’re closed.” I began laughing and said, “Ok it’s cool. You tell me where you want me to go—a cashier line or self checkout?”

He showed me the self-checkout to go to, and of course I had so much stuff that I needed help at least four times!

The young man that was staffing that area was also very kind, helpful, and patient. The lady at the next register and I had gotten into a conversation as we were scanning our items. I had become so engrossed in what she was saying that I took my phone out to write some notes.

This employee waited very patiently for a break in the conversation to ask me for my payment card. I felt a bit bad because I hadn’t realized he was waiting for me for that. But he was very nice about everything.

So even though I spent $600, I feel much better after my Costco therapy—it helps a lot after a long, hard week at work!!

The optical department has really hard workers, too. They wanted to make sure that all of us got served before closing. I told the lady, “You can only do one thing at a time.” It bothers me when companies pressure people like that because I know what that’s like. I’ve been living that for 30 years at my jobs.

My thought is, “If they don’t get to me before they close, then it’s my fault for not getting here earlier.”

Also, regarding optical: without insurance, they’re going to charge me $200 for lenses that my other optometrist charged me $479 with insurance!!

But I want to get a luxury brand for my next pair of glasses, and this Costco doesn’t have many frames by luxury brands.

However, the optician said that they have tons of different frames in the back. So their selection will change by the time I come back with my prescription, which I’ve already gotten recently elsewhere.

But Costco now has a virtual try-on for frames online. It look’s like it should work very well, and I’m looking great to trying out. I’m hoping to get some frames by Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dior, etc,

GREAT JOB,...

Dear John Camerena,

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your exceptional service in resolving the issue with the gift cards promised during my switch to Verizon in January. As you may recall, on January 24, 2024, I, along with my mom and aunt, all switched our phone plans from T-Mobile to Verizon. We were enticed by the promotional offer that included a $250 gift card each.

Unfortunately, the following months turned into an exercise in frustration. For over 14 weeks, we were met with a constant runaround whenever we inquired about the gift cards. Not only were there delays in receiving them, but the information we received from Verizon representatives was inconsistent and misleading.

At one point, we were told there was no such promotion for a $250 gift card, and the maximum offered was only $200. To add to the confusion, some representatives even claimed Verizon wasn't responsible for the gift cards and directed us to contact Costco, where we initially made the switch. Needless to say, this back-and-forth communication was incredibly frustrating.

On May 20th, having reached the end of my tether, I contacted you and explained the situation in detail. I must commend you for your immediate understanding and empathy. You expressed sincere regret for the trouble we had been facing and assured me you would take charge of the situation. You mentioned getting to the bottom of the issue and ensuring we received the promised gift cards. Your prompt action and follow-through were truly impressive. On May 21st, I received a phone call from you confirming that three emails containing our gift card information had been sent. Within minutes, I verified the emails, and to our delight, they all contained the promised $250 gift cards each.

John, I am writing this not only to thank you for resolving the gift card issue but also to recognize the exceptional member service you provided. Your dedication to resolving our problem and ensuring we received what we were rightfully entitled to is commendable. Your commitment to member satisfaction shines through, and it's clear that you value building trust with your members.

Your leadership and problem-solving skills are exemplary, and I sincerely hope your leadership team recognize the valuable asset you are to the company.

Thank you once again, John. Your exceptional service has left a positive lasting impression on our...