Costco Wholesale Reviews

Pros

Great environment, friendly staff, good pay.

Pros

Very affordable high quality health insurance benefits even for PT employees. Great for working parents who split up child care and need coverage. The key to succeeding at Costco is to work hard, have a good attitude and be nice to people. It's hard work and fasted paced, you have to be down for that to succeed.

Advice to Management

Allow the PT staff at 24/hours per week or so to work 4/6 hour shifts or 3/8 hour shifts rather than 4 and 5 hour shifts. it gets expensive for those who commute a long distance to work or have to cover day care.

Pros

I tell everybody that if you do not have a Degree or know a trade, or if you are going to school and need a part time job, you need to work at Costco. To anyone reading this considering working for Costco, know that you could be a part time cart pusher making $25/hr getting bonuses twice a year, with excellent insurance and a 401k. Getting sick/vaca, and all the benefits you can think off. Just for being a good retail employee.

The best way to get in at Costco is you have to know someone already working there who can vouch for you. OR, do what I did and ask for the hiring manager and make sure they know your name and face. That way when they are hiring, and they see your name, they can schedule an interview. Costco main hiring season is March/April. They also hire extra seasonal temporary employees in October. But just know that they can just let you go in January when seasonal position is done. It is a temp job. BUT when March comes around, you can ask for the hiring manager and let him know you worked there seasonal and loved it and want a permanent position. It is best to create a relationship with either the dept manager or hiring manager while working seasonal so they remember you when permanent positions open up.

You start off making $13, IF you can get in. You get benefits (incl. sick/vaca) after your 9 month probation. The thing about Costco, if you are reliable and a good worker, meaning you aren't calling in, hardly late, and give excellent customer service, you will make it past your probation. Its that easy. So as long as you make it past your probation period, you will make it at Costco. Costco does not keep bad employees. They have a strict tardy/sick call policy. They have a strict attitude policy. You cannot go to work with a bad attitude and show it. Hint, that's why every time you go to Costco, everyone seems like they love their job. its easy and Costco takes care of them.

You get raises based on the amount of hours you work, not by your work ethics like most companies. Like I said earlier, if you are employed at Costco, there is no reason you aren't a good worker or have good work ethics. So raises are based on amount of hours you work. they reward based on how much time you put in. Typically its 50 cents for the first 3 or raises then its $1 after that. Top out pay is near $25. That's how you can be a cashier assistant making great money. It's just based on the amount of time you work. You start out part time, min 24 hours a week. But you can always pick up shifts, ask other dept. to be crossed trained to further your knowledge at Costco making you able to pick up more hours easily. Plus, it lets managements know you are serious about being employed at Costco. Once a full time position opens up, you can apply for it. But know, there are other part timers who are putting in for that spot too who been there longer than you. But if you have no tardys/sick calls, and great relationship with managements/supervisor, and the others have lots of tardys/sick calls, you can easily be picked. The same goes to applying for supervisor positions. I've seen 2 year employees go from pushing carts, to becoming a supervisor and go from $14/hr (24hr/wk) to $26/hr (40wk) because they took care of business.

Once you put in enough hours, you start to earn bonuses twice a year (after each inventory). and bonuses are based on, again, the amount of time you work. And its for full timers AND part timers.

Another thing that is true about Costco - Sunday Pay. Its time and a half. So if you are making $25 mon-sat, you are making $37.50 on Sunday.

You do not get employee discounts. You do get a executive membership ($120 yearly value) and 3 basic members to give out to family/friends ($180 yearly value) The good thing about getting the executive membership free, is that anything you buy (other than gas, pharmacy, and tobacco) you get %2 back yearly. So if you shop there, every year, Costco gives a check of what you earned and you can use it there, or cash it out.

SO the pay is great. And like I said before, if you are working there, you are good employee. Which translate to, the people working at Costco are great to work with. You make friends, sometimes long lasting friends. I've seen employees meet their wives there. It is a family oriented retail store. They have EAP (employee Assistant Program) if you ever need it. Costco does care about their employees. Costco have Christmas parties and give away things. You get all major holidays off. Costco is an excellent place to work at.

Costco does not mind hiring students. If you are in school, they work around your school schedule. You have to turn in your school schedule and let them know when you can work. They will never make you pick Costco over School. A lot of Costco employees who went to school and graduate sometimes just stay at Costco. I know an employee who finished their teaching degree, but ended up staying at Costco because of pay and everything else great about Costco. That how great working at Costco is.
But they will never be a secondary employer. Meaning, if you work for Costco, and have another job, they will not work around another job you may have.

Advice to Management

The only thing I wish Costco did was ask lower level employees (full timers-part timers) surveys about how they think the managers are doing. All level of management. From immediate supervisors to warehouse managers. Then have the warehouse manager review them. Just to get more input from the front line employees who almost matters most in Costco.

Pros

Starting pay is $14 (as of this review)
Automatic hourly raises
Health benefits are good
Free Executive membership (after 90 days)
Don't need much of experience

Pros

Competitive pay and good part time benefits

Pros

Great benefits and pay and time off

Pros

The pay is slightly higher than comparable jobs in most locations. Basically a minimum wage job that pays a little above minimum wage.

Advice to Management

Consider more than seniority when making promotions.

Pros

good working environment and atmosphere

Pros

-Fair treatment
-Good Pay
-Sense of team

Pros

Great benefits, decent pay, awesome coworkers