My trip to Costco

Costco is such a great indicator of our economy, of trends and just a great overall litmus test for society.

Today my Costco was packed. I have not seen it like that since pre Covid. It was nice. It felt like things are heading back
To some normalcy.
Second thing I noticed, PRICES.. Oh my word, food prices are getting scary. I have an odd photographic memory for prices (I think I got that from my college days working in the mall). Some foods are almost double the price. Almost everything is up, and I noticed many package sizes are down, which is weird for Costco. The only item that was down in price was garlic.

The final thing I noticed, and maybe the most sad, the self checkout at the cafe. They now have self pay kiosk at the cafe so you pay before getting your hot dog or greasy pizza. At what point will you be making your own food? You go up to the kiosk pay for your food, get your receipt, and then they throw your food at you. Not quite, but sure felt like it...

a reply to: JAGStorm

Just wait till they double the minimum wage...

Although I think big businesses are seeing the writing on the wall.

The nearest "big" town to me just put in a self checkout ONLY WalMart.

originally posted by: Lumenari
a reply to: JAGStorm

Just wait till they double the minimum wage...

Although I think big businesses are seeing the writing on the wall.

The nearest "big" town to me just put in a self checkout ONLY WalMart.

They dont have self checkout only walmarts they did however decide to revamp their registers. Now you can get a host or hostess to help you shop. They will check you out on a register if you so choose its up to you.

corporate.walmart.com...

originally posted by: dragonridr

originally posted by: Lumenari
a reply to: JAGStorm

Just wait till they double the minimum wage...

Although I think big businesses are seeing the writing on the wall.

The nearest "big" town to me just put in a self checkout ONLY WalMart.

They dont have self checkout only walmarts they did however decide to revamp their registers. Now you can get a host or hostess to help you shop. They will check you out on a register if you so choose its up to you.

corporate.walmart.com...

And yet they have one now in Missoula, Montana.

They re-opened last month after the renovations and I was curious and went there.

Or was it just my lying eyes?

originally posted by: Lumenari
a reply to: JAGStorm

Just wait till they double the minimum wage...

Although I think big businesses are seeing the writing on the wall.

The nearest "big" town to me just put in a self checkout ONLY WalMart.

I don’t do Walmart. Ours was already practically self service. Maybe two real cashiers open.
The self checkout lanes never work, always had issues.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I dunno about down there in America, but i've noticed in the last month or so, meat prices have jumped at least $1-2/lb for chicken and pork and like $4/pound for beef. Milk prices are like $7/4L(gallon) up from about $4.50-$5 pre covid, vegetables have gone up. A bag of organic onions went from $3-$7 for a 3lb bag non organic went from $2-$4. Eggs have jumped from $3-$5 for a dozen. Whole black pepper's at like $8 for 500g. Bread's up like a buck, green veggies up a dollar or more. I haven't even looked at fish for a while because it's not even...hell even a pound of bacon's up at almost $10 now, was $5 or less not long ago...

I think this is the biggest increase in food prices I.ve seen in such a short time since like 2010 or so when a big tube of ground beef jumped from $5 for real ground beef to $8 for 'extra lean pink slime special' ground beef.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: Lumenari
a reply to: JAGStorm

Just wait till they double the minimum wage...

Although I think big businesses are seeing the writing on the wall.

The nearest "big" town to me just put in a self checkout ONLY WalMart.

I don’t do Walmart. Ours was already practically self service. Maybe two real cashiers open.
The self checkout lanes never work, always had issues.

I dunno... the nearest WalMart to me is 87 miles away and I had not been in one for at least a decade but the local "buzz" about "self service only" made me curious so I went in to check it out.

To be honest, I took the drive for "business" reasons but I actually did the drive because there is a pretty good hole in the wall Mexican restaurant there and I was Jonesing for a decent carne asada street taco that wasn't my recipe.

But I bought a movie there I had been looking for, cashed my own ass out because there was nobody there at the registers and kept going.

I also didn't realize that the "People of WalMart" was an actual thing until I went in...

a reply to: JAGStorm

I’ve posted this before; I work for Costco, in logistics and receiving.

Prices are going up, yes. BUT it’s because of regulations, and policies.

We also have WAY more paper products then we know what to do with.

I have seen prices rise, but the *wage* debate considering Costco is irrelevant; we decide are wages based on national average. We are competitive in that sense, and even though I don’t agree with it, I benefit from a 15$ minimum wage.

But I will quit based on two things; *forced* vaccination, or if the climate becomes to “socialistic”..... I love my job and my company..... but I love life, and the world a lot more.....

I pay close attention to the changing dynamics of this industry and will let this community of like minded individuals know as soon as we’ve reached the precipice....

We aren’t there yet, there is still a chance that people reject this communist takeover; we still have a horse in the race.

I’ll answer any questions anyone has. Thank you.

originally posted by: Lumenari

Just wait till they double the minimum wage...

It's like the proponents don't understand the inflation it will cause. Then again maybe they do, eh?

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: dragonridr

originally posted by: Lumenari
a reply to: JAGStorm

Just wait till they double the minimum wage...

Although I think big businesses are seeing the writing on the wall.

The nearest "big" town to me just put in a self checkout ONLY WalMart.

They dont have self checkout only walmarts they did however decide to revamp their registers. Now you can get a host or hostess to help you shop. They will check you out on a register if you so choose its up to you.

corporate.walmart.com...

And yet they have one now in Missoula, Montana.

They re-opened last month after the renovations and I was curious and went there.

Or was it just my lying eyes?

Did you read the link i posted?

If a customer wants to be checked out by an associate, a host rings them up and bags all of their items just like they would have in the old lane-driven layout.

its up to you

originally posted by: The GUT

originally posted by: Lumenari

Just wait till they double the minimum wage...

It's like the proponents don't understand the inflation it will cause. Then again maybe they do, eh?

You mean...

If it costs more to make the product then the product is going to cost more to purchase?

Nope.

They don't get that at all.

Well, the people voting for them don't understand... the actual leadership is just promising stupid people more money because they know they are too stupid to realize that if you make 50% more but everything you buy goes up 75% then it is a net loss....

Frustrating, is it not?

originally posted by: dragonridr

originally posted by: Lumenari

originally posted by: dragonridr

originally posted by: Lumenari
a reply to: JAGStorm

Just wait till they double the minimum wage...

Although I think big businesses are seeing the writing on the wall.

The nearest "big" town to me just put in a self checkout ONLY WalMart.

They dont have self checkout only walmarts they did however decide to revamp their registers. Now you can get a host or hostess to help you shop. They will check you out on a register if you so choose its up to you.

corporate.walmart.com...

And yet they have one now in Missoula, Montana.

They re-opened last month after the renovations and I was curious and went there.

Or was it just my lying eyes?

Did you read the link i posted?

If a customer wants to be checked out by an associate, a host rings them up and bags all of their items just like they would have in the old lane-driven layout.

its up to you

I didn't read the link you posted because I WENT THERE MYSELF.

It is advertised as a "New and Improved self checkout only" WalMart in my local paper.

There were no "associates" to ring anyone out when I was there.

I...

Nevermind.

/facepalm

a reply to: JAGStorm

Another thing I find ironic; is while Costco as a company is pretty liberal, most folks I work with are conservatives.......

People aren’t as asleep as TPTB would like to think.

a reply to: Lumenari

Self checkout leads to theft and D&D ( damaged and destroyed) Costco implemented it for “ease of service” but we lose millions in sales and people lose jobs.......

I personally hate it

originally posted by: SeektoUnderstand
a reply to: Lumenari

Self checkout leads to theft and D&D ( damaged and destroyed) Costco implemented it for “ease of service” but we lose millions in sales and people lose jobs.......

I personally hate it

I personally have never been in a Costco.

So I wasn't commenting on anything you said because I have no experience about it at all.

But I really appreciate it when someone pops into a thread with first-hand knowledge on the subject being discussed!

Common sense says that you have to be correct on the matter of self checkouts though...

"Now you can get a host or hostess to help you shop."

The hostess with the mostest.

originally posted by: dug88
a reply to: JAGStorm

I dunno about down there in America, but i've noticed in the last month or so, meat prices have jumped at least $1-2/lb for chicken and pork and like $4/pound for beef. Milk prices are like $7/4L(gallon) up from about $4.50-$5 pre covid, vegetables have gone up. A bag of organic onions went from $3-$7 for a 3lb bag non organic went from $2-$4. Eggs have jumped from $3-$5 for a dozen. Whole black pepper's at like $8 for 500g. Bread's up like a buck, green veggies up a dollar or more. I haven't even looked at fish for a while because it's not even...hell even a pound of bacon's up at almost $10 now, was $5 or less not long ago...

I think this is the biggest increase in food prices I.ve seen in such a short time since like 2010 or so when a big tube of ground beef jumped from $5 for real ground beef to $8 for 'extra lean pink slime special' ground beef.

Boy. Almost makes one wonder wtf Gates is actually doing with all his newly procured American farmland.

Someone get him some overalls and a straw hat so maybe he LOOKS like he knows what he’s doing.

Oh wait. Nvm....

a reply to: slatesteam

To be fair, I am talking Canadian money, it's kinda like american money but only worth like 3/4's as much. Still it's the increases I speak of. The increase this year in prices is about the same as the last ten years in price increase. Prices have been going up steadily over the last few years at maybe 10¢-20¢ per year, at least from my observations buying food regularly every week and such. The increase this time though seems pretty drastic, almost the same as the last ten years put together.

originally posted by: dug88
a reply to: slatesteam

To be fair, I am talking Canadian money, it's kinda like american money but only worth like 3/4's as much. Still it's the increases I speak of. The increase this year in prices is about the same as the last ten years in price increase. Prices have been going up steadily over the last few years at maybe 10¢-20¢ per year, at least from my observations buying food regularly every week and such. The increase this time though seems pretty drastic, almost the same as the last ten years put together.

Understood.

Yet. Maybe they aren’t mutually exclusive?

All I can hear is his TED talk and how if you read between the lines of what he was saying, it screamed “All you (us) eaters gotta die!”

Then he high-fives Greta & that’s when the aliens strike!

originally posted by: JAGStorm
... and I noticed many package sizes are down

An astute observation that deserves to stand alone for a second. Maybe others will start noticing and fast. I've been pointing this out to my wife when I see it ... like a broken record.

I think this is an orchestrated fail. We're being setup for the carpetbaggers.