Workers Reveal What It's Really Like To Work At Costco 

What's the most interesting thing you've learned about Costco?

I work at Costco, only downsides are members, they’re really rude at times, besides that, management/pay/benefits are amazing. Pretty much getting payed to work out and play Tetris all day

I’ve worked for Costco for 6 years. Yes its extremely stressful and you are going to work hard. Actually we burn through new hires pretty quickly. Most think it’s going to be a easy job. And burn out in less then a month. However if your not afraid of hard work and commit yourself, this company will take extremely good care of you.

Costco is the best job I’ve ever had, from management to the employees I work with, benefits and bonuses. I’m truly blessed. Every company should take notes.

Costco, a company that treats its employees well and still makes a healthy profit. If only more companies had this same policy.

Been working at Costco. Really helped me pay for school because of the unbeatable pay and benefits. Had an offer that relates to my degree somewhere but an entry level still wouldn’t beat what Costco offers me. Also the work environment is amazing. People are just happier here. The only downside is the slave driving culture due to entitled members.

My wife got laid off and applied to several places, including Costco. She got a job at a doctors office. A couple weeks later, Costco called her back. She said, “Thanks, but I already found a job.” I was so pissed.......

One simple way to receive the best memberservice at Costco be kind to others, as a worker i can tell you i will do everything i can to help you if you kindly approach me. If you give me attitude, don't expect much.

My dad worked at Costco for 23 years and worked in the bakery, tech, cashier but mainly was in charge of the employees. It was really nice for him and he enjoyed most of it. The employees are all super nice and recognize me, my mom and dad every time we go in. They’ve known me since I was a little girl and would put smiley face on the receipt when I was a kid leaving the store. It’s prob my fav store with Publix and target

This video was surprisingly accurate and a pleasure to watch! I am a 30-year retired Costco employee, from boxing to management, thus certainly understand the ins and outs. Well done! Very truthful.

I work for Costco and whomever said that it’s okay to tell a member to come back the next day if we run out of product on the floor when we have more in the steel needs to be spoken to. If we have that item in the steel and not on the sales floor it’s our duty to serve the member and get that down. We will have a driver and at least two spotters come out to drop the item for the member. Customer service is our number one job.

I currently work at Costco and I can say that yes it is a hard and physical job, but I mean what would you expect working in a warehouse, especially one that sells bulk wholesale items? I love working at Costco, and anyone who complains about having a hard job is just trying to shirk their responsibility, or is probably lazy.

Costco is a good job. Closed on holidays and close early on weekends. 👍🏾

The movie clips are from "Employee Of The Month." 😂😂😂

I don't see how Costco could be a BAD place of employment. The employees are ALWAYS friendly and the success of their business seems to reflect a happy workforce. I'm a happy member/customer and I really hope that the employees are treated as well as I believe. At 7:50, there's a COMPLAINT about working 40 hours a week as a FULL TIME employee. Anyone else remembering Dumb & Dumber here?

Retail employment is a tough job and usually a unfair and corrupt one.

I can also attest to working at Costco being great. One thing is you also get opportunities to move up the ladder and I've known many who started packing in the bakery and are now regional managers. Much better than other stores where they hire inexperienced people to manage stores and never even worked on the floor. Costco has people work their way up the ranks, which I think helps the managers and bosses understand what their employees go through.

I'm a newly hired maintenance worker at a Costco in California. The walking is intense to the tune of averaging around 22,000 steps a day. The last 2 hours I drive a scrubber which is a nice reprieve. It's a hard-ish job physically, but an easy one to learn and do. I'm excited about getting past my probationary period.

I worked at Costco and it is definitely not what people think. I's a warehouse job just like any other except it's retail combined. And it is all about who flirts the best with the management-they are the ones that move up quick, and yes there are managers that are on power and control trips too

I work in the tire center at Costco and I love it here. Just after my year of working at Costco I’ve received 2 raises already have a week of vacation on top of personal sick days that I accumulate and my favorite thing about it is that you can get raises a lot sooner depending on how much you work.

How do you make an error like charging $1000 and not have the cashier or customer check until after they paid?

If only other retail stores/chains would use Costco's business model. Many employees of other retail businesses can only dream of working hours, schedules, and benefits Costco employees have. As a customer, I am delighted with the service I have been getting since 2013 when I became a member.

I work at Costco and I can confirm this is all true. Except I disagree about the lack of technology. Our computers are up to date and you can request time off online.

I used to work at Costco. It was alright. Obviously it was hard work, but what retail job isn't? They have a philosophy of keeping good employees around for a long time, so they pay decently well and provide good benefits. IIRC, they're using AS400 servers for inventory and such, which are about 25 years outdated. That means it takes a learning curve to use them. On the plus side, their computer systems are bulletproof since all the bugs have been worked out decades ago.

That last quote, things are done properly and the right way. You have no idea how much that means to employee morale. It also separates the wheat from the chafe, people who care will last, people who don't give a fuck will be taking a hike. Personally I've always been impressed with how neat, clean and orderly my local Costco keeps their store. Granted its a big giant concrete box, so no frills on things like fixtures, lighting, design of the space etc. Yet the concrete floors are clean and have a certain sheen, you never see merchandise in dissary, even the folded clothes are reasonably neat. The meat and produce departments look immaculately clean, just overall you can tell people care, unlike Wal-Mart where everything is sticky and gross.

I laughed when they commented that person said they barely have personal time at 40 hours a week. That's a normal job and not that many hours...

I worked there for many years. Overall, it was a great place to work with good pay and benefits. I will say that most everything is based on seniority, but management only followed that when it benefited them.

all you got to do is look at how happy they seem, always smiling. go to Walmart and look at their faces, lol.

I don't know how the word got out that Costco is the golden bar on how employees are treated but it's not true at all. I've read the comments and many of of my fellow past employees agree with me. The managers at Costco play favorites... HARD. Which is fine in elementary school but not for a job where you spend so many hours of your week and depend on a paycheck. By my experience; it seems that the managers feel you out anywhere from the interview to your first day of orientation. If they like you, you get to go to the front end; cashier assistant and membership after some training. If they don't like you, whether it be your look, your speech, or general vibe, they send you to the unfavorable departments like Food court, front door, meat department, or in my case, the lot. Since the managers favor the front end, they get all the good stuff first, better hours, better treats, and definitely better treatment. I work in the lot and we're shat on daily. We're treated like the shit on Costco's shoe, the red headed step child of the store, the undesirables. Where as the front end and most other favorable departments get help IMMEDIATELY when requested, it takes us forever to get help, if at all; which really sucks when your job consists of pushing of hundreds of carts a day. If something ever goes wrong in the lot, it's our fault whether we can control it or not. One of my co-workers was once reprimanded for yelling at a member who almost flattened him with their car. The worst is the extreme weather we are forced to work in. 100 degrees under a hot beating sun or -15 degrees in a blizzard, we're out there. And if the front end employees get a little too cold, we are required to shut the vestibule doors for them, even though it makes our job that much harder. I will agree that the benefits are great and the salary is competitive; but when your treated like crap and your hours can get cut in half in a weeks notice; suddenly it's a lot less worth it. Costco IS great to their employees; as long as you're lucky enough to make it to the managers' favorite list.

I work at Costco. It's the best. I'm kicking myself for not starting earlier. Great management. Great benefits. Super professional. It's what any employee, who puts in the work, deserves. (And it is VERY hard work)... sometimes anyway.

Working for Costco is awesome! Overall just a great environment to work at. I work in the food court and I can agree that it can be really stressful and it’s definitely not an easy job by any means but the pay, benefits and just the great work environment in general make it all worth it

I work there, it’s mentally/physically exhausting! I hate it but the pay and benefits keep me from leaving. It’s a trap!

I work at Costco and I LOVE it. I dont know many other jobs that offer benefits for part time employees. Also appreciate all the paid sick/vacation days.

I work at Costco and get paid very well and have amazing benefits. Management treats employees pretty well. Customers are often jerks is pretty much the only downside.

If an item was on sale and expired the next day, they can still honor the sale price despite what employee tells you. It's up to the cashier manager and not the floor employee. My only problem with Costco is that certain days, they have only one employee checking the receipt as you exit that created a long line because the customer in the front would not stop chit chatting with the employee.

I love this channel kudos to the lady who does the narrating.❤️

Job security is the best part about costco. Once you've made it past your 90 day probation period you're basically set. To get fired you would have to be late countless times or do something really dumb. They literally can't fire you just cuz they don't want you no more. And once you've been there 5 years they have to get corporate approval to fire you no matter the reason

I was in biz 30yrs. Semi-retired. Did a 2018 seasonal gig at SINY costco. ALL this is TRUE. Great people, great place to work. I have OCD, so perfection is fine by me!. 👌🏼🛒🔝🆗️

They block off aisles all the time in Lowes in order to get down stuff for customers. It does not in any way affect traffic. I worked in hardware and in lumber, where a good majority of the time powered equipment is being used. Customers usually understand the lack of desire to be crushed or run over.

It's really fast paced and really stressful environment and I am deciding to quit working at Costco before Christmas but at least I had 2 years and 5 months of experience !

Costco is a great place to work at. The only part i didnt enjoy was coming in at 5am to start heavy lifting. But it did make for a great day towards the end

I worked in the food court for two years and still see no other place using beard nets. Not many food places even use hair nets.

That shopping after hours thing is really a gray area... At the most it's more like 15 minutes after the members completely leave the warehouse. It has to be done at a specific register, because almost all of the tills are dropped after all the members have left.

Worked at Costco for 30 years. Members with narcissism are the only difficult thing. Which has gotten worse lately. But the Costco family is wonderful. Costco family get you thru the day.

I work at Costco currently. Most of what they said is fairly true, but rules are different from building to building. We do not shop after hours in our warehouse as the registers close at 9:00pm. The main downside is Members as most are either rude or 'insist' they bought an item in this Costco when we've never supplied it. Not all Costco's carry the same products, and what you might buy one day may not be there again for a super long time. Milk is also all the way in the back of the store to force you to browse and buy more. We also scramble our inventory to make you look at other items to buy so you spend more, so no. We don't know where everything is as most items don't stay in the same place.

I like that Costco seem to recognized me now. Because they always open a counter near the exit when I was about to pay because I always buy a lot in there store.

I'm a current employee of Costco and I got to say it's probably one of the best places I ever worked I had one other job they gave a s*** about me and they sold out to the Chinese after 100 years Costco is the last best place to work you got to earn your keep do you have to earn your keep though if you're a slacker don't show up you got to earn your keep but it's worth it I love working at Costco even though I am exhausted at the end of the day.

If the staff are manually loading the product onto the pallets it is probably a sign the product was produced outside of the US and handballed onto containers as the pallet/pallet heigh restrictions would mean shipping more air.

Looks like Louie Anderson with longer hair. Same exact face and teeth. What a world!

Being a trucker I like Costco they unload my truck in 2 hours ,in and out quite. Walmart 4 to 10 to get unloaded

You should do a video on America's Test Kitchen.

A friend works at Costco pushing carts he's been there I think 5-6 years.He loves it.When she said employees say it's like a hardcore gym workout it's true.He likes that though he is an actual bodybuilder.So he works out all day rather he's at work or not.

Regarding "No Express Lanes Needed": that is true only if the store is well-run. Some of the pharmacies will allow you to pay for 3-5 items if you are picking up a prescription or buying something from the shelves behind their counter. Several years ago, one Costco had some automatic checkout lanes, that was great.

You can go to the membership desk and ask for a guest pass but don't do it often they won't let you slide forever

Hard work lolz! I thought roofing in July as a ginger was hard! But stacking bags of sugar oh my!

I LOVE Costco, I been a Member since they opened the store here in the mid Nineties and most of the employees their have been there since they opened. The quality of what they sell is really good and I'm there a lot because I only live a mile and a half from there. That store is always crowded even weekdays, it's the only Costco in a county with a population of over 500,000 people and they were smart enough to build it along the main east/west highway very close to a very busy tourist area.

years ago i watched a video comparing costco vs sams club about the employees, and costco was union and sams club non union. the benefits and higher pay made them happy and they would stay working there longer, which meant they knew more about the products.

4:45 yes they have everything... and the kitchen sink! Literally!

Costco at least pays their employees well, Sam's Club in the other hand works their employees just as hard but doesn't pay nearly as well...

you can shop at Costco even if you're not a member using the Costco Cash Card. the only catch is that a member has to buy/reload the card for you

I’ve worked for Costco wholesale for 5 years… absolutely horrible place to work

I worked at Costco and the benefits are great. However, some of the jobs are VERY LABORIOUS. I've worked in the Deli/Rotisserie department. Morning staff was in the deli that ran 5 staff. Rotisserie only consist of 1 person. It was incredibly difficult. Food court isn't any easier. Also, the employees can be rude themselves and management! The favoritism can be very real!

I worked at Costco and they do not let you shop after hours, I had to race to get my shopping done right at 830 when it closed because I can't do it during my shift and they cash out the registers as soon as the last member leaves

The working ethic at Costco is the same as Mayfair/Gelson's Markets back in the mid 1970s when I was in high school/college but I made swing shift manager when I turned turned 18...There were 3 of us that broke our balls to better each other! We almost know all the items prices especially all the weekly sales items ! We also have touch keys proficiency that amazed the customers! When I was a BOX BOY, I used "my minds eye" flipping all non breakable groceries with my right hand to my left hands and placed/stacked the paper back so perfectly tight and solid that all my customers were actually enjoyed coming to my lines because they know they were in the fadtest of all other lines...😎

We didn't have Costco by me when my kids were little, but we did have a Sam's Club. My young daughter referred to it as "The place what has the samples".

It really all depends on what store you're working at, your coworkers, and mostly what department you're in. I started this past August, and I've never hated a job so much. Sticking it out for another year until I move then I'm done with Costco lol.

Love Costco, but the sample lines tend to get hostile. People act like it's their last meal or something.

The two Costcos in my area are great. One has been open for nearly 30 years and has an outdoor eatery.

Although it is a warehouse and there is no "in the back," on a couple of occasions, someone has found an item for me that is not in the most obvious spot, but on a palette that has not been processed yet. Don't count on it, because I have also been told I'll have to come back the next day, after the day's deliveries have been processed. Still, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Scanned $1000 item instead of avocados.. didn't question why the bill was over 1k

speaking of outdated technology i worked at a place that ran windows 2000 in 2017

I want to know more about Costco's work routines. How many trucks do you get a day, and how long does it take to unload? Are workers also trained as backup cashiers? What is the stocking process like? Each retail chain does things their way but there are some similarities. Costco is wholesale so I'm not sure what to expect or if my experience in retail will transfer well. I highly doubt there's a lot of individual items stocked. So what exactly does a typical day of work consist of?

The COSTCO I worked at in WISCONSIN had a mold problem with its pallets. They stack EVERYTHING on them, they are part of their displays. But they stink. And, when I told my manager about it, they did nothing. While it might be a little thing...think about it. The same wooden pallets are used for decades, collecting any spills or water from products. Not to mention the turnover. 5 years after I quit, I can count only a few people that are still there...other than management (but they move around a lot too to other, newer stores).

Literally no one: Mashed: Is working at Costco really all that it's cracked up to be?

Its louie anderson with hair, and the free sample girl is the one that does lisa simpsons voice.

When I was in my 20s, I applied at Costco like 4 or 5 times and never even got an interview. Was it because they simply had so many people applying? or did they already decide not to hire me no matter how many times I applied since they rejected me the first time?

One Costco here in San Diego has a self check out section. Has anyone else seen that in a Costco?

CARTS!!! MEAT DEPARTMENT!!!! Those are the hardest jobs NOT standing at the door... I don't think anyone in my warehouse would say that checking receipts and memberships is hard.

1:20 *When I was a cashier and members would just toss the money down like that instead of handing it to me.... oh man!*

Costco and In-n-out burgers have the nicest employees hear in Southern California. Those are the only two I'm aware of. I can tell cause they are like me. The return policy is very convenient and I guess because they charge $50 for membership people that shop their are for the most part responsible, so returns are no big deal. I've heard some crazy stories about soiled returned underwear though. I'll never forget that story. I started shopping at my Costco before it was Costco. My Costco used to be called Price Club until the late 90's. Same vibe.

My Son-in-law, his Dad & Brother work at Costco. My Son-in-law for over 20 years now. Costco is Very Good to thier Employees! Good pay, benefits & retirement etc.... and it's my Favorite Store!!!

@1:31 did that shirt for sale have a kirkland logo on it? Thats like going to walmart to buy a shirt with a WalMart logo on it. Wtf?

1:53 is that Yeardley Smith (voice behind Lisa Simpson)??

You can use the Pharmacy without being a member. The prices aren't as good as if you are a member, but still better than most pharmacies.

As a customer ... you wait to get in, you wait a very long time to pay (While most registrars are not manned) Then expected to wait to leave the store! Seriously on the cusp of inconvenience!!

I just got hired at Costco yesterday! super excited!

Whaaaaaaaaaaat. If you are employed full time you have to work full time? What is going on!!!!!

Actually, in AZ, there is a law that states they have to sell alcohol to anyone of legal age regardless of whether they’re a member or not.

Exactly how strenous is the day time stocker job at Costco? Am I going to put my back out lifting? Will it give me a heart attack? Is it continuous lifting of heavy items or do you get a break stacking light stuff? (Like potato chips? LOL). Or is it just a moderate amount of lifting?

If you have an instacart in your city, you don't even need a membership and they will deliver your Costco items to your door.

Former Costco employee here: will never go back a day in my life. Fired just shortly before 4 months for alleged marijuana usage on company property, but I was passing every drug test and they couldn't provide any physical evidence. Turns out they took the word of somebody in administration who would follow me to the parking lot for my breaks. Costco's employee handbook (at least our union) states that you are allowed to use tobacco and prescription drugs granted it doesn't impair you while on clock and it's not affecting customers. They attempted to hold my phone, wallet and car keys in my employee locker after being terminated until I threatened them with police. Held my final 2 paychecks for a month and a half, the latter of which had union dues taken out for a union that WASN'T EVEN PROTECTING ME. Just an overall bad experience.

Climbing the steel and hanging 17 84-person tents in 1 aisle is probably the most fun aspect of my job as a Costco employee. Can’t forget having a big ass kayak fall on me because it wasn’t fastened properly. All sarcasm aside being a Costco employee can be a very difficult job sometimes but it is such an amazing company to work for and, at least at my store, we get have a lot of fun in the mornings as long as we get our shit done.

"You are required as full time to work 40 hours a week ... giving you very little time away from work." What do they do, make you work 3 hours here, 3 hours there, etc? If you work 8 straight hours for 5 days, you should have plenty of time away from work.

Don’t become an overnight stocker and you’ll be ok, I hated working as an overnight owl, the pressure they put on you gets insane, and the customers are Rude as hell and look for any reason to complain. I quit abruptly after 3 months, sucked for me. The supervisors where evil only good thing was the coworkers. In Westbury in New York, sucked

I've been with them for 19 years most of that time as a stocker and to me it is a fun job compared to the stress working as a store asst in a former life with Kmart + I make more money by quite a bit doing this than any store asst who works for Walmart , Target or my former company do now . I can honestly say that this company treats their employees very well. As for the work well most every thing comes on pallets and you simply top off the new product with the older till you get to the desired height. It is only on a rare occasion where something gets stacked from the bottom up like the video implied

I worked at Home Depot and it's also a warehouse. People always ask what is in the back and their really isn't a back. Everything is brought in and if it doesn't fit on the lower shelves it gets stocked above. So if you can't see it, then it's not there.

I’ve wanted to work for Costco soooo baddd 😭 But I’m committed to Amtrak which i start later this March.

Sam's club is the same way. Except for the fact that there's nonstop gossip and heaps of lazy temperamental co-workers and managers who punish the wrong people. My co-worker literally got fired for something someone else on his shift did.

Working at costco for 8 years full time i would say dealing with so many people its very frustrating especially when we get a door count of 500 members every 30 mins and not including the guests they bring. So lets say youre a member and you bring your family with you of 3. Thats a total of 4 people for each membership. 4 x 500 member door count every 30 mins and thats how many people we have in the warehouse. It takes people about 30- 45 mins to shop and on top of that the lines of food samples. Imagine working around that many people or dealing with that. Its not youre average retail store. Its like Disneyland

I just got $442 cash back from my Costco credit card and paid no interest since I carry no balance. I will also get another check over $200 because I get 2% back on every purchase from Costco just for being a member. Prices compete with and sometimes beat Walmart, the food is much higher quality, my car does not get dinged because they have very wide parking spaces plus getting over $600 cash back. What's not to like?