A COSTCO member has sparked online debate over whether or not free samples at the store are worth taking.
The members-only wholesaler, like many grocers, occasionally offers small samples of products for free.
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While some defended the practice, others said they don’t bother with the samples.
Shoppers shared their reasoning on Reddit.
REDDIT RAMBLINGS
The conversation began when one member posted a question on the r/Costco subreddit.
“Anybody else here that never eats the free samples?” they asked on January 14.
“I don’t think I’ve touched any of them in 20 years,” they added.
Shoppers came out of the woodwork to comment.
“If it’s out and ready, no line or mob of people, and it looks halfway decent – I’ll grab it,” one commenter said.
“Otherwise I’m barely even looking at the samples and just wishing they went away.”
Others agreed that they’d never bother waiting in line.
“Waiting in line for a sample is wild,” another wrote.
That comment got over 600 upvotes in two days.
Others said they’d wait if it was something they wanted.
“There are some items I’ve been wanting to try but I’m afraid to commit to a 20 pack, in case I don’t like it lol I’ll gladly wait in line for something like that,” a Redditor wrote.
Some felt quite strongly that waiting was not worth it.
“I literally don’t care about anything enough to just wait around for it,” another said.
Costco membership sharing guidelines
Costco has strict rules for membership use that shoppers must follow and they’ve been cracking down on offenders in recent years.
- Primary Member Use: Only the primary cardholder can use this Costco membership card. Sharing it for purchases is not allowed as the photo on the card must match the person using it.
- Household Card: Each primary member can add one free household cardholder who lives at the same address. This person will receive their own membership card and can shop at Costco independently.
- Guest Policy: Members can bring up to two guests per visit to Costco. However, only the member can make purchases. Guests must be accompanied by the member.
- Authorized Cardholder: For an additional fee, you can add an authorized cardholder, such as a family member or friend, who doesn’t reside at your address. They will receive their own card and can shop independently.
Credit: Costco
MEMBER MADNESS
Costco members are often upset with problems they see at the store, as shoppers have to pay a subscription fee just to purchase groceries there.
Some have vented about self-checkout machines at the chain, with some saying they “despise” the tech.
Others have taken issue with the company’s crackdowns on shoppers entering the store without memberships.
A Shop card could get you around the membership rule, but some employees are said to act “weird” about it.
Changes to the food court are frequently contentious.
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