sales BS in line at Costco?

I have only been a member at Costco for a couple months, so maybe this is normal but..

Standing in line today at the self checkout area, an employee asks me to see my card. I show it to him, he scans it, then he scans someone elses card, then asks to scan mine again. This time he asks me if I'm a new member, and if anyone had explained to me the benefit of the executive membership, and that he sees that I've already spent over $600, at which point I said "I'm not interested" and he went away.

I called the store later on and told them that I didn't like that type of BS while I'm standing in line, and he said it was a corporate-required practice and was not going to stop. He said I could write "No 2%" on my card, and they will not try that sales crud on me again.

Is that common stuff to happen at Costco? Does the "No 2%" thing on the card really work (sounds like kryptonite)? I think I will just play dumb or ignore the person next time they ask for my card if I'm not required to show it.

If you like being hit with a sales pitch as you stand in line, then I guess there is no problem. I don't.

next time, get right in his face and spit talk, bet he won't bother you anymore

It's real easy to say "No thank you" and not flip out over this.

The checkers at one of our grocery stores ask if we'd like to hear about the daily special. At Target, they often ask if we'd like to apply for a Target card. This sort of stuff is no big deal.

Heck, when we go to a drive-through window at a fast food place, the order taker often starts with something like, "Would you like to try our super combo special today?"

OP should not watch TV because of all the ads. Even cable stations have promotions for their shows.

Companies send us sales solicitations in the mail all the time, and our newspapers are filled with ads. I hope they all stop soon! It takes MORE time and effort to throw out an ad received in the mail than it does to say no to a Costco rep.

Would you like fries with that?

I don't have a problem with the occasional attempt at an upsell. OTOH, sometimes it's kind of silly - I bought a drink at the Starbucks in a Barnes and Noble a while ago, and had to answer what I thought seemed like a silly number of upsell questions for a $3 cup of coffee - no, I don't want to become a rewards member, I don't want to add a shot of expresso, and I don't want to add a cookie.

Xnarg said: It's real easy to say "No thank you" and not flip out over this.
That's not true for everybody.

I'm speechless.... I was going to give OP a sales pitch on H&B.

airtommy said: Xnarg said: It's real easy to say "No thank you" and not flip out over this.
That's not true for everybody.
And they have medication for those people who flip out over a simple question

Would you like fries with your post?

Have you ever looked into the benefits of the executive membership? It might be worth it to you.

momgoingbroke said: Xnarg said: That's true, but the challenge is something that we all face in society all the time. Look around - we are solicited to buy things continually. Dealing with life's issues like this is something we have to learn to master.

With 6B people on the planet (heading towards 12B) the odds are great that we will face not less but more incidents of solicitation.Sure....they do it because it works enough of the time to do it. It's like the guy who does slot machines. He can pull that arm all day, but he knows eventually it will pay out.

I do agree with MadAnthony that it can be excessive. There should be a two question limit on upselling and it should at least relate to what you are already buying. If I go to McD's for a coffee, I should not be asked if I would like fries with that!If I encounter a solicitor with whom I don't wish to speak, he rarely gets a chance to ask more than one or two questions. momgoingbroke said: ..There should be a two question limit on upselling and it should at least relate to what you are already buying....Smart retailers will get the message - and prosper - while dumb retailers will falter. How would you enforce a 2 question rule.

Xnarg said: airtommy said: Xnarg said: It's real easy to say "No thank you" and not flip out over this.That's not true for everybody.That's true, but the challenge is something that we all face in society all the time. Look around - we are solicited to buy things continually. Dealing with life's issues like this is something we have to learn to master.

With 6B people on the planet (heading towards 12B) the odds are great that we will face not less but more incidents of solicitation.I disagree. I think we are heading toward 7B.

formattc said: I get approached by salespeople at Home Depot a few times a year, trying to sell me new windows or a new deck, etc. I just say "thanks, not right now" and they go away, except when the salesperson is hot, then I have to feign interest for a few minutes.

I've found that younger female salespeople at Home Depot tend to wear low-cut shirts that expose some cleavage.

The comparison to a casher making an offer (did you know about the daily special?) is not a good one. In fact, it is difficult to make a comparison to a non-membership type of store, because in a membership store, there is a reason to show your card -- it proves that you are a member and if you don't have a card you don't belong there.

Had this costco guy approached me in line and just asked me, do you have an executive membership? Oh, well then you might be interested.. at which time I might even want to listen to him while I stood there.

But that's not what happened - he requested my card, then told me "Oh, I see you've spent $$$$ dollars here in the last 2 months.." (and he told everyone in earshot -- I don't think it should be HIS choice as to whether that information is provided in a public setting).

Had I knew why he was asking to see my card, I would have declined the offer at that moment.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would give them their card if they knew it was related to a sales pitch.

Ask to see his card.

katx said: I don't want to be bothered by silly whining posts.
And yet here you are in FW OT.

I'm pretty certain that it's their card and not your card. Just like a credit card is not yours. It's the bank's.