‘It didn’t make much of a difference,’ criticizes Costco member after trying new store concept – and warns about gift card policy

COSTCO opened a 150,000-square-foot store in a popular Florida city, but some shoppers weren’t impressed.

Daytona Beach and Volusia County have a Costco store for the first time, which pays homage to its famous neighbor.

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The giant wholesale club, which opened in February, is across from the Daytona International Speedway and has a checkered flag in the window in a unique design.

A Costco shopper posted on Facebook to ask the community if anyone has had the opportunity to visit the new store.

She also asked people to weigh in on whether Costco or Sam’s Club were better.

“To be honest, there wasn’t much of a difference,” one person wrote in response.

“I was disappointed because I expected something different.”

“I’m a Costco girl!” someone else responded.

“I use my subscription for gas, TP, and paper towels, and it pays for itself.

“You can shop at Costco with a gift card to try it!”

But another shopper shared an update that many people don’t know about.

“The gift card policy changed on January 1st of this year. They are slowly enforcing it, so just FYI, they may make it harder to purchase with a gift card but no signature,” they responded, indicating that the new policy does not allow us to accept gift cards from non-members.

However, Costco’s website appears to refute this, reading: “Both members and non-members can use Costco store cards to make purchases at any Costco location in the US, Canada or Puerto Rico, as well as online at Costco. com and Costco.ca.”

PRICE CLUB

This wasn’t the first time customers compared Costco to Sam’s Club.

In May, a Costco member explained in a Reddit discuss why they canceled their membership and switched to Sam’s Club.

“I like many Costco products, but lately the crowds have become too overwhelming to shop in peace,” they wrote.

“I almost always have to park near the back of the lot, all the other aisles are like rush hour, and checking out or getting gas takes 15 minutes of waiting for your turn.”

They decided to try shopping at Sam’s and had a much more pleasant experience.

Membership and store cards offered by major retailers

Here’s a breakdown of store cards offered to customers from various retailers and their benefits

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Costco:

• Gold Star Membership: $60 per year, shop at all Costco stores and online with two additional cards for your family.
• Executive Member: $120 per year, 2% annual rewards, discounts and additional benefits on Costco services, shop online and in-store and get two additional cards for home use.
• Sign up for a Costco Membership here

Sam’s Club:

• Club membership: $50 per year, Bonus Offers, Same Day Delivery, Instant Savings, Sam’s Club Mastercard, Members Only Fuel Savings, Tire & Battery Center, Free Membership and Add-on Memberships.
• More membership: $110 per year, all the benefits of Club membership plus Sam’s Cash, free shipping, free curbside pickup, advance purchases, and pharmacy and optical discounts.
• Sign up for Sam’s Club membership here

Target:

• Target Circle: A free rewards program that allows users to earn 1% in Target Circle Earnings rewards when a qualifying purchase is made, access personalized deals and offers, receive a birthday gift, and earn a vote to help direct how Target helps your community .
• Target Circle Card: A credit, debit or reloadable card that offers users 5% off in-store and online, as well as exclusive offers, free two-day shipping and an additional 30-day return window. Formerly Target RedCard.
• Sign up for Target circle here

Walmart:

• Walmart+: $12.95 per month or $98 per year with 30-day free trial. It offers members free delivery, free shipping with no minimum spend, fuel savings, Paramount+ subscription, car, Walmart+ travel, home drop-off, mobile scan and store entry, and early access to offers and product launches.
• Sign up for Walmart+ here

“My local Sam’s Club is much less crowded (at the same times) and with the app I can check out on my phone and go,” they said.

“A full trip takes half the time.”

The shopper admitted that the stores have “almost the same food selection” and that they “didn’t notice much of a difference” in Sam’s inventory.

A Sam’s Club membership costs $50 per year, but is usually on sale for just $25 annually.

Meanwhile, Costco’s basic Gold Star membership costs $60 per year.

Another shopper who canceled his Costco membership said the switch saved him $2,400 annually.

Also, check out the “hidden rule” which means your Costco membership can be revoked at any minute.