Costco Wholesale — Local services in Verona

If you have a Planet Fitness membership but haven't actually been to the Gym in 6 months you're the target demographic of Costco. Please avoid this store if this describes you. If this doesn't describe you and you're feeling brave let me share with you my almost three years of Costco experience.

The crowds here are rough. If you impulsively swing by Costco during peek hours (which are most of them as this store is designed to maximize peek hours) you'll be swimming in a mass of human misery fighting for a free sample. People are going to bother you. There are just too many crying children and lost husbands blocking your warehouse sized cart to not get under your skin. So make sure you have someone there to go, "Bro, it's fine, go to the food court and get a smoothie" and be ready to do the same. Also, they can help you keep dumb purchases out of the cart. Nothing here is cheap and costs add up fast.

Another important thing to note is the CEO has been hardcore bragging about how few people shoplift at the store but he and the entire board have nightmares that some guy who watches YouTube videos about Hustling is going to create a Door Dash for Costco. One man with a membership buying bulk toilet paper and freshly made pizzas for hundreds of households who are paying Costco zero dues. This is a very important note because it'll explain why every employee is about to harass you.

When you go to sign up for a membership. You're going to have to enter the exit area and you are going to get swarmed by staff telling you you need to scan in at the entrance but ironically as a guest looking to sign up you're actually where you need to be.

This awkwardness is probably intentional because what happens next is going to to require you to be Brave and Steadfast and they don't want you prepared. You're going to need to argue with the person signing you up that you don't need an Executive Membership.

This is going to be long and drawn out. They're going to show you their phone, tell you're throwing away money, and might call you an idiot. Unless you're planning to buy $6,500 in groceries you aren't going to make enough in cash back to break even (gas doesn't count).

You might think, "Hey, I can just get the executive membership then downgrade right?"

Wrong. You can only downgrade by going back to this or another salesperson to downgrade. You can't do it online. Remember, this is the Planet Fitness of supermarkets. You aren't supposed to cancel the membership and if you don't show up even better!

Now that you're ready to go into the store, you'll have to go around to the entrance and scan in. Where some jerk might actually grab you because after you heard the beep you just walked in without getting permission first.

You'll be asked for your card again to check out and told to show your receipt at the door where they may or may not put on a show of looking at your purchases.

The best time to shop is a weekday evening when the crowd has thinned out. As I mentioned earlier, this place can get crowded and tempers can wear thin. I've seen old ladies giving people the dirtiest looks and I had some weirdo use me as human shield, basically pushing me through other people so he could get through.

The Costco food court does have some nice deals but the staff won't talk to you because they're constantly overworked and lowkey freaking out so getting their attention to check on your pizza can be hard. Double check your order as sometimes they're forget the sauce (Yup, just cheese and bread) or give you the wrong stuff.

If you leave to put your stuff away and come back they'll make you go through the main door again and there is not a direct path to the food court so you have to squeeze by the checkout.

Why do I still go? Well, my spouse has a planet fitness membership and no amount of pleading will get her to cancel any subscription she has made. When she tried to downgrade she immediately gave up as she didn't want the confrontation. So here I am, trying to get my money's worth and keep her from fighting...

I cannot post on LG since their business is located elsewhere. I'll keep this short as much as possible:

I bought a fridge, the water and ice dispenser didn't work. Contacted LG, they'll send a repair tech (RT) out.

1st RT comes out, looks like we have to order electronic components. (Components delivered to address) 2nd RT comes out. Swaps components. Looks like it's actually the components in the door. Will order some. (Nothing was ordered)

I call LG and ask what's going on? I also call Costco and ask if I can return the product. I get told yes - but since they are repairing, lets wait.

3rd RT comes out. Reviews the fridge. I'll order components for the top of the fridge. 4th RT comes out (ITS THE SAME RT on 2nd visit), hey - it's you again. Replaces the top components. Still not working. He states a special case needs to happen.

5th RT comes out - looks like we need to fully replace the door. 6th RT comes out. I've deemed it unrepairable since manufacturing. I was advised to wait for a call from LG.

Month rolls by.

I call back. LG: Per the tech notes, you're fridge has been repaired. I call Costco and connect with the LG rep. The fridge has been repaired. I call the RT that came out and he verified that he sent the notes but the receiving end didn't document it. I call Costco and connect with the LG rep. We see the note from the RT that it is deemed non-repairable.

LG advised to wait 24 to 48 hours, and LG will contact me. 72 hours later - I call back. They explain that their engineers need to review the notes of the RT and will get back to me.

LG advised to wait 24 to 48 hours, and LG will contact me. 72 hours later - I call back. They explain the same reasoning. I ask for a super. She tells me that's the process.

LG advised to wait 24 to 48 hours, and LG will contact me. 72 hours later - I call Costco. Coscto get's the LG rep online. Their process is to have their engineers...It's the same repsonse.

LG advised to wait 24 to 48 hours, and LG will contact me. 3 weeks went by since the first request to wait for 24 to 48 hours (LG engineers took 3 weeks to review RT notes).

I get an email from Costco today, 5/19/2025: Another RT will need to be sent out.

Summary - Please DO NOT PURCHASE LG appliances. *Note: The people are nice, the PROCESS IS TRASH. I have no quarrels with the folks who work for LG. But they need to update their low customer focus processes.

As for Costco, since the product is pass the 90 days return, I cannot return it - even if all three parties (Costco, LG, and I) were aware that the fridge was busted...

Even better than the Middleton Costco IMO (better parking space arrangement), we've been Costco members for a number of years, and we are now glad to have this Verona one closer to us. Gas is always cheapest there, plus you get the annual cash back bonus on that, and everything else you run through their card, which usually more than covers the membership fee.

I especially like the rotisserie chicken, their $10.50 Costco large pizza, and ice cream now and then, too. The only bone to pick I have with the Food Court was the decision to remove brats from the menu: that was my goto meal deal! :(((

The muffins and apple or pumkin pies are awesome, too, for families of any size (but 4 or more is probably more like it).

We also get our eye glasses there; it is much more affordable. We're always on the lookout for needed clothes there as well.

The only downside would be for single people on a tight cash flow budget. Any shopping trip there adds up very quickly, so maybe team up with a seasoned member you know to go there. With the bulk sizes, you really do get some of the cheapest per item/ounce/unit...