Costco, Amazon, and LJ: A trilogy of disappointments

[thistlechaser]

All minor things, thankfully.

Dear LJ: How hard would it really be to include a user name when someone likes your entry? "Someone likes your entry". We know you can send user names, you do it when someone leaves a comment, so why in the world not when someone likes something? Ugh.

Dear Amazon: While I understand why you do it, making the customer pay postage for a return is just awful. It's not even worth returning stuff to you... which I know is exactly the point. Boo on you!

Just last night I bought two new containers of Benefiber, $30 each. Went to Costco today... they were $14 and change. I ran right home and tried to cancel the order, but it had shipped already. Ugh.

Dear Costco: I was so looking forward to shopping at you! I'm not usually someone who enjoys shopping, but I have such fond memories of going to your store as a kid. Unfortunately you are no where near as good or as fun as I had expected... Admittedly it has been 30 or so years since I last went, so lots of time to build you up in my memory. I recall you as a store that had everything! I haven't gone grocery shopping in two weeks so I could clear out as much freezer space as I could for stuff I was going to buy on my trip. ...and I came home with almost nothing. The aforementioned Benefiber. New Brita pitcher filters (questionable if a good value or not, since I had to buy a pack of TEN, and I'm not sure I'll use ten before I die), and a $10 pack of pulled pork (oh my god, such a big pack). There were other things I wouldn't have minded getting, but of course everything was in such big packs...

I had heard so much good about their hot food as well, but... I had part of a hot dog (yes, a good value at $1.50, even if I gave away the drink it came with) and I bought the chicken bake thing to try later (very big for the price), but both of them were pretty meh. I wouldn't get either again. The last thing I bought was probably the best purchase: A rotisserie chicken. They're usually $8 or so from supermarkets around here, so the $5 price alone was great, and I swear this chicken is three times the size of supermarket ones. I'd go back for that alone.

Comments

[hamsterwoman]

The LJ mysterious like thing really annoys me, too. I'm pretty sure it's an artifact of my outdated style, and these things actually show up with names for people who are using the latest and greatest, but I'm not, and have no plans to ever, so the Like feature is totally wasted on me.

For Costco, my parents do buy a lot of food and consumables, but they are shopping for 2 at minimum, and also for parties and camping trips with a lot of people. But they also end up buying a lot of their big purchases from there -- my dad's last DSLR camera, for example. And a coworker of mine does all their optometrist related shopping there (contact lenses, glasses, etc.). So, not things you buy every couple of weeks, major expenses.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I'm using the S2 thing, and I see no names either. I think it's just a (giant) flaw in their system. I almost wonder if it's on purpose, to make you go back to their site (thus getting more pageviews, thus more ad money).

Hmmm I should have picked up info on their contact lenses while there. I'm due for new ones in a month or so! Good thought, thanks!

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I feel like Costco only works if you have a gang to feed. We debated getting a membership but we don't really buy the kinds of things you can buy in bulk. I can spend $150 at the grocery store and be pretty much done for the month, apart from running in to get a tomato or pepper or something.

Amazon has to pay for Prime somehow and I think they pass the buck on to anyone who isn't a prime user. :\ Last time I tried to return something, they just told him to keep it (music CD) and I think when Tim returned his shoes, since they were Prime, it was covered. :\

Poor LJ. I had those creepy "someone liked your post" emails...it might as well say "someone is peeking in your window RIGHT NOW!"

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

This was with Prime though, which I thought was especially odd. (I don't have it anymore, but my mother lets me use hers.) I'd think they could do something for Prime people...

And yeah on Costco, that's why I waited so long to get membership. It cost me less than $10 for a year, so I figured that would be worth it. I'm pretty certain that I won't be renewing, not unless it turns out to be a big savings on contacts or some big ticket item like that.

I had those creepy "someone liked your post" emails...it might as well say "someone is peeking in your window RIGHT NOW!"

Seriously, yeah!

[kelen.livejournal.com]

We buy toilet paper and butter there. Sometimes we get appliances.

But unless you have a family.. buying food there isn't worth it. Their ready made stuff goes to waste, and are bland besides.

But really.. get toilet paper there. We buy it once every six months. Would likely last one person a year. :)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I did notice the butter! But it's so much to store...

I have a $20 Costco cash card coming for signing up, once I get it, I'm going to get toilet paper for sure. :) A lot of their meat looked good, but again... the packages were so big.

[kelen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we don't get a lot of food there, as it's two much. But when we do get meat, we pull everything out of packaging and re-wrap them to meal size bundles. Then freeze. That makes it easier to use.

Just be prepared to deal with a huge package of toilet paper. ;)

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I do often freeze meat anyway, so that's an option as well.

My new member coupons just came, now I'm looking forward to going again. Free pizza and a free pack of paper towels! Handy.

[kelen.livejournal.com]

Woo! Sounds a bonus! :)

[wizardelfgirl.livejournal.com]

Stores like Costco are useful when you buy stuff in bulk, but not for everyday grocery shopping. We usually go about once a month and buy enough frozen meat and chicken for the same period, as well as toilet paper, coffee, some canned food, and cleaning supplies to last at least a couple months. Definitely not useful if you want small or individual packages of stuff.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yep, exactly. I'm going to do the meat-freezing plan next time, for sure.