13. Put items back where you got them
A Costco worker from California told Business Insider, “Please put back that item that you just threw there. It doesn’t belong there.”
14. Don’t be rude
Chances are, whatever you’re complaining about is above the pay grade of every Costco employee on the floor. One such employee based in San Francisco said they wish they could tell customers “that they are being very rude when talking about things that are out of my control as a cashier.”
16. Don’t be sneaky
Don’t try to lend your membership card to people! It’s also not a family card as “there is no such thing as a family card.” The membership cards include a photo of the member to prevent card-swapping or lending.
17. Write good reviews
“I would love to tell members to write me good reviews about the help I gave them, but I can’t. I’d get in trouble if managers found out,” said one Ontario-based employee.
18. Stop making that “guess it’s free!” joke
Four Costco employees told Business Insider they can’t help but cringe when customers joke that items that don’t scan or have a price tag “should be free.”
“Stop making the joke ‘it didn’t scan, so it must be free. It wasn’t funny the first time we heard it. It isn’t funny after we’ve heard it 62,000 times.”
19. Put your phone away while interacting with employees
“Get off your phone and communicate while checking out,” one employee said. “Have your card ready! Members b—- about lines but do nothing to speed up the process.”
An Illinois-based Costco worker added, “Please help us help you. Please get off your phone and help unload the cart onto the belt.”
20. Speaking of which, help unload your cart
Treat Costco just as you would any other grocery store and unload your own cart. “Just because I’m helping you unload your cart doesn’t mean you can stop helping me,” said an employee from Oregon.
21. Be patient
“Please be patient, especially on the weekends! We can only move so fast. And there are far more members than employees,” said a Costco employee in Illinois.
22. Don’t bogart the samples
One employee admitted that they wish they could tell members “One sample per customer, please.”
23. Don’t make a mess digging for fresh produce
A Washington-based Costco worker told Business Insider that it was annoying to have to clean up after members who dug through produce.
“I get it, everyone wants the freshest stuff,” they said. “But, when members don’t fix the mess they make, it frustrates everyone to no end.”
24. If things seem slow, your local Costco may be understaffed
“Understaffing is a large problem at our warehouse,” one Costco employee admitted.
“We consistently lose employees that are never replaced, and then we all struggle to keep up with what is expected.”
25. Know that many Costco employees are very happy with their job
“I legitimately love my job,” said one Arizona-based Costco employee.
Another said, “Costco is an ideal kind of job,” adding that “I really enjoy working at Costco. They are a very supportive and try to take care of the employees, as well as the members.”
h/t Business Insider