Introduction
Costco is one of the most popular grocery stores in the United States, and its customers are known for their loyalty. However, many of those same customers are now voicing their displeasure with the store’s mobile app, which they say is “useless” and “not worth the effort.” This article will explore the complaints of Costco shoppers and why they feel the app is not up to par. We will also look at what Costco is doing to address these issues and how they can improve the app to make it more useful for their customers.
Costco Shoppers Are Slamming the Grocer’s “Useless” App
Costco shoppers are not happy with the grocer’s mobile app. The app, which was launched in 2017, has been criticized by customers for its lack of features and usability. Many shoppers have taken to social media to express their frustration with the app, calling it “useless” and “a waste of time.”
The app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices, is designed to make shopping at Costco easier. It allows customers to view their membership information, check store hours, and access digital coupons. However, many shoppers have complained that the app is slow and difficult to navigate. Others have noted that the app does not offer features that are available on other grocery store apps, such as the ability to create shopping lists or order items online.
In response to the criticism, Costco has said that they are working to improve the app. They have added new features, such as the ability to view store maps and access digital coupons. However, many shoppers are still not satisfied with the app and are calling for more features and better usability.
It remains to be seen if Costco will be able to improve the app and satisfy its customers. In the meantime, shoppers will have to continue to rely on other methods to make their shopping trips easier.
E-commerce has never been Costco’s strong suit. The members-only club actively encourages in-person shopping at its warehouses, where customers usually find the best deals and widest selection of goods—and often end up buying a lot more than they originally planned.
Sure, you can purchase Costco products online, too, but the “delivered prices” are usually higher and the club also tacks on shipping fees. In some ways, Costco’s website itself seems designed to coax shoppers into logging off and physically strolling the aisles, with a whole page devoted to “warehouse hot buys.”
Costco’s lukewarm digital strategy stands in stark contrast to its chief rival, Sam’s Club, which has done a much better job of catering to online shoppers, according to the Motley Fool’s Ascent.
The store’s mobile app similarly leaves a lot to be desired. One shopper called it “pretty useless” in a recent Reddit thread, which prompted over 100 comments. “The Costco app is like how most bank apps were 5 years ago,” one user griped.
Customers can use the app to shop for online items, look up basic warehouse information like store hours and locations, and check current gas prices, but it lacks a lot of the modern features currently available from rival retailers, like Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go technology, which allows to shoppers to pay for items with their phones.
Maybe the biggest complaint about the app is the inability to check the product inventory at your local warehouse. “Tell me what store in my area has the product I’m looking for,” suggests one Redditor. “Other retailers can do it…Costco should be able to do it too.” Added another, “I go to Target way more now with there[sic] new app that shows product by aisle that lets me get in and out.”
During Costco’s shareholders meeting earlier this month, CEO Craig Jelinek said that an online warehouse inventory lookup feature is “something that everyone has asked for” and would be one of several “enhancements” coming to the mobile app in the new year. “As we move forward, you’ll be seeing more features available over time,” he said.
Perhaps the Costco app’s most handy current feature is the digital membership card, which offers customers an alternative method to prove they belong in case they can’t find their physical card—thereby avoiding any unnecessary hassles at checkout. “It’s mostly so you don’t have to fish out your card when you go in the store,” one Redditor said of the app.
But some members complained that even this feature is less than ideal, as the digital card takes too long to load via the app. “If the App allowed you to add your membership card to the wallet on your phone it might be useful,” one noted. “As implemented it’s more annoying than just taking out the card.”
The digital membership card also “cannot be used at Costco gas stations or food courts at this time,” according to the app.
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Chris Shott