why I'm allowed in a USA Costco, but NOT a UK Costco!

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Where are my Costco fans at?? Who can get me into a UK Costco with their membership card. 😂😂

[@lemdixon01]

Yeah well why haven't you got a US membership card ? Maybe next time you're over there you can get one.

[@martyndeyoung8207]

Surely, if you earn an income from your KZbin videos etc., you are self-employed, therefore a business, therefore eligible to join CostCo UK?

[@judithrichardson3684]

We joined Costco when we lived in the US some years ago. I've never had a problem using my American membership over here even though we wouldn't usually be eligible in the UK.

[@jamesbeeching6138]

Hi GGL a good USA GB comparison video would be for military bravery/service/campaign medals...The culture/philosophy between our 2 great nations is VERY different and would make interesting viewing!!😊😊😊😊

[@Drew-Dastardly]

@@martyndeyoung8207 Trade membership is also cheaper too.

[@michaeldibb]

I'm British and have a UK Costco membership. On my holiday to USA last year I visited a US Costco and my membership card worked just fine. The only difference was the UK card photo is black and white and the US version is colour. You don't need to have two memberships UK and USA, they are interchangeable.

[@thefiestaguy8831]

Weird. I have a Costco membership (Individual) although so far I have only used it for online orders, and never actually been in store to pickup the card, it's been over a year since I signed up and I've just renewed it, and I've never visited the store yet as the nearest Costco is about 9 miles away. Two of my work colleagues both have Costco memberships, one has also only recently renewed his and his was colour also with a photograph of himself on it from what I recall when he briefly showed me.

[@scoops0406]

I van shop at Costco as I have a business, I've never had a membership card though I just have to provide them a VAT number I think.

[@seijika46]

I'm unemployed due to permenant disability and thus ineligible for UK membership. My workaround is to pay for my mum (a retired civil servant) to have membership and to use a companion card from that. I don't do that much bulk buying so sometimes it feels like a waste...until I go into the cafe bit and can enjoy a hot-dog and refillable soft drink for £1.50 (as well as other nice things like their pepperoni pizza and black cherry ice cream cone). I do find it an interesting contrast how much Costco has thrived here while Wal-Mart has famously failed (across Europe).

[@gillianrimmer7733]

I had a warehouse membership years ago when I was working as a chef in a pub, but TBH, hardly ever used it for personal shopping . I don't think bulk buying would be as popular in the UK as in the US as storage space is at a premium in most homes, and the fresh food needs to be eaten quicker than in US.

[@brianwhittington5086]

There's also the distances between places in the US compared to the UK. Unless you're in a pretty remote UK area, where your own transport is essential, you're usually within walking distance, or a bus ride to buy fresh stuff daily.

[@lumpyfishgravy]

Yeah this. Unless you're feeding a big family or have room for a "freezer shed" (it's a thing).

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

Both Costco and Sam's Club were originally business oriented memberships. Reams of office paper and bags with hundreds of ball point pens were not targeting individual sales, but business sales. Sam's Club was Walmart business sales warehouse store. To shop at them, you either had you own a business that had a membership or you had to work at a business that had a membership. Who else buys a gallon of peanut butter, thinking it won't go moldy before it is finished? Who wants to keep giant half gallon jars of mayonnaise, filling their refrigerator?

[@billjoyce]

Before Costco added personal memberships, the US workaround was to be a Costco stockholder. I knew many who bought some shares of Costco stock just to get a membership card.

[@HoratioChinn]

There are no joining restrictions if you just want to purchase online, if there is no Costco warehouse near you

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Good point, I did read that, I think there is a slight markup if you buy online but that's a good idea. :)

[@JenniferSaxin]

Cool, I didn't realise that! Going to check them out now. 😂

[@egbront1506]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial A noticeable markup. Over 10%.

[@iamthestig1]

@@egbront1506 How can there be a mark-up to buy online, rather than instore? I would have thought buying online was cheaper...

[@davidz2690]

@@iamthestig1 costco is basically already a warehouse so no savings there, and someone has to pick your items

[@tonys1636]

As someone that lives alone it's hard to find products in small quantities in regular stores apart from the likes of M&S. Only buy non perishables in bulk, a box of 48 toilet rolls that lasts me a year.

[@raycardy4843]

I agree, Tony! The focus seems to be on families, or at least couples! I had a Costco membership when I was married with young kids, but could no longer justify the membership once we split! Although while I was going through the divorce, their jacket potatoes and pizza saved me a fortune!

[@warden330]

There are wholesale warehouses in the UK ad have been for many years. Bookers is probably the best known. Costco is a newcomer. But big box stores are much less of a thing in the UK because of land values and planning restrictions.

[@grahvis]

I worked with someone who had a Bookers card, they didn't use it much. I do remember one Christmas where they bought a catering sized 'Death by Chocolate'.

[@NealB123]

I was a Price Club member back in the day and enjoyed shopping there. I dropped my membership not too long after PC and Costco merged. Costco raised the annual membership fee and replaced a lot of name brand products with inferior store brand products. I've never been back.

[@julia2jules]

I used to live ten minutes walk from the Southampton England Costco. I live on my own so not needing bulky buying. I used to work for the nhs, so eligible at that time for membership. I worked out that the cost of the membership was less than what I would save by purchasing the dyson hot cool fan that I wanted. So I was a member for a year. Good for printer ink, tubs of sweets, but as a coeliac single person, not good for regular meals. I still use the dyson fan on hot days in the summer and some storage boxes that I got.

[@tonys1636]

Haven't bought printer cartridges for years, my HP monthly plan means my printer tells HP when low on ink and new ones arrive in the post along with a pp envelope to send the used off for recycling. Various payment plans dependent on number of pages printed per month. Bonus and free pages included in the plans.

[@philipellis7039]

I had a Makro membership card for many years, it’s roughly similar and aimed at small business and in particular catering/restaurants (30 branches across the U.K.).It used to carry clothing, televisions, printers,cheap cigarettes,etc, but is now just the food and alcohol side. I didn’t have a need for it really and prices often didn’t compare well to supermarkets but if I needed a catering size frozen gateaux for a Christmas party or crate of wine, huge chunks of meat , massive frying pan or fresh fish it was the place to go. Membership is free if you have a qualifying business (I used a card for where I worked twenty years ago until about two years ago when they rumbled me 😢).

[@Jinty92]

My dad had a Makro Card growing up due to his job. We stopped going there around 15 years ago. We visited The Glasgow Costco but he was adverse to paying for a membership.

[@niallrussell7184]

I think Makro is part of Booker now, which is owned by Tesco.

[@jamesbeeching6138]

Yes if your parents had a Makro card it was certainly a quedos!!!😅😅😅😅

[@heraklesnothercules.]

@@Jinty92 *averse, not adverse. 🙂

[@kirillkomarov5928]

Me and my partner love more unique comparison videos! It makes this channel stand out from the rest.

[@pspence9569]

In one of my many jobs over the years. I was a stock taker, I still am, but this was for a third party stock taking company. We did B&Q, Primark, M&S, tones of places. Costco got us into their Glasgow branch. They made us walk over to Tesco for food at lunch, because we weren't members. I do not appreciate their managers.

[@Drew-Dastardly]

It's strict UK government regulation that hampers Costco over here. Only businesses and government employees or "professional classes" are allowed to become members. If you are regular working class scum then f*ck you. This has been the case for decades.

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

My friend Ruth's dad, a self-employed electrician, used to have a card for a wholesalers called Tradex, which was for tradespeople. Sometimes he would lend Ruth his card, and I would go with her and we'd shop. They sold food, household goods and really good clothes at very reasonable prices. I got several jumpers there, and a superb anorak which I still have after 30 years. It was on a good bus route in the small town of Pudsey, and there was a nice cafe, so we made a day of it. Later, ordinary members of the public could apply for cards, so we did. I can't remember whether it cost anything. We only stopped going when the Pudsey branch shut down and they moved to a suburb of the city of Leeds, which was harder to get to, and not as pleasant to shop in. We only went there once, and I haven't heard of it for a long time. I still miss it.

[@smartypants7284]

I used to love Tradex in Preston. I got a card as a student 30 years ago. I don't know if it's still there but it was great at the time

[@r.brooks5287]

There used to be one in Lincoln. Not there now.

[@AmberGilbertson]

I find it interesting that because i work in banking, i could have a membership, but my husband, who makes far more money then I do couldn't have a membership on his own because he works as a contractor.

[@scoops0406]

If as a contractor he has a Ltd company then no problem at all for him.

[@lunasky39]

my hubby has a card I love the kirkland steak strips & pretzlles filled with peanut butter

[@seprishere]

You can have an online-only membership in the UK without having to qualify. Or become a lay magistrate, then you'd qualify ;)

[@rockerjim8045]

if you want to get a UK Costco Membership set up a UK company. £12. Opt for automatic yearly renewal with your bank/credit card. Not only is company based membership cheaper you don’t have to run your business any more to continue to be a member.

[@scoops0406]

You can't really just set up a company, you have to trade, submit returns, ok, technically you can do as you suggest, but you'll eventually get a compulsory strike off notice.

[@rockerjim8045]

@@scoops0406 i do each year. costs me nothing. I didn’t set up my company for this reason. Very soon I will use it as a vehicle for my business

[@jonathanburson4994]

We transferred our membership when we moved from Japan to the UK. Some of my jobs would have allowed me to be a member and Costco even came into the office to get members! Currently I would not be eligible but can just renew my membership 😀

[@mattkingaby]

Reminds me of US PX shops on Army bases in Germany. Being Britsh HM forces we were not allowed to buy from them, but we had some US and Canadian friends who would let us go in with them. We used to do 6 monthy shops in there but gime the money to our friends who would then pay for it at the tills.

[@pauljohnson4871]

I love all your videos. So fascinating

[@alucardskyflyer4237]

If you registered your media (girl gone London) as a company in the UK you could get a Costco membership.

[@RobinPalmerTV]

I think we should all join and have our first girl gone london irl social at Costco.

[@allenwilliams1306]

In the UK, there is no legal distinction between “wholesale” and “retail” suppliers. There may be local planning restrictions, but that is a different matter. Again, in the UK, Costco has an incredibly small range of brands in each category, and their prices are not significantly lower than you would get in a selected local supermarket. Their membership model is not viable.

[@dasy2k1]

There is in both planning law and business rates... But the biggest difference is in planning law. (what Americans would call zoning) Where a wholesale warehouse is not counted as normal comercial retail as it would be if it was open to the general public but instead comes under one of the industrial categories more similar to a distribution warehouse. This allows them to be built on what is often cheaper land and often pay significantly less in Buisiness rates

[@CurioByBSpokeDesigns]

Here in the north of the UK, we call it Cos-co

[@dprid]

Last time I went to Costco in the USA the food court did Polish sausage in addition to hot dogs, and they tend to have outdoor seating areas which the UK doesn't.

[@annedarbyshire7634]

My mother in law worked in car manufacturing and had membership. She had my husband as a second membership. He was allowed after a period of time to become a full member meaning he can now have someone be a secondary member on his card. This means mostly anyone can be a member here in the UK

[@NickfromNLondon]

There was a TV documentary that said that membership of the National Trust or insurance with the RAC or AA (can’t remember which) could get you a card at some warehouses but not all, you have to ring them.

[@danensis]

We used to have access to a wholesaler, but we didn't find them any cheaper than a big supermarket.

[@Mariazellerbahn]

I had a single use guest card for Costco. I bought absolutely nothing. The hassle of vehicle queuing and getting a parking space meant that the few pennies saved on items I didn't want, meant I never bothered going again.

[@annaburch3200]

Love this. ☺️👍 As a Seattle-born, Costco is a HUGE part of my life. Our bi-weekly shop, for one. My family have been members since the 80's. I worked for Costco Travel at the Issaquah headquarters for several years. Best company I ever worked for. Fun fact: Kirkland Brand is named after the small city, just to the south of where I live, where Costco was first headquartered. We also have a Business Costco, near by, that is closer to the original style stores - catering to restaurants and larger businesses, but anyone with a membership can shop there. They sell anything from sides of beef to walk-in freezers! They also sell WAY more snacks and beverages, but fewer clothes and toys. Oh!! And Hawaii Costco is. THE BEST!!!!!! There's one in Ewa near Aulani, that we stop in to get our favorite Hawaiian stuff for our stay. HUGE bottles of POG, flats of Hawaiian Sun, all sorts of SPAM, Portuguese sausage, Hurricane Popcorn, and, if you want, gobbs of those chocolate covered macadamia nuts that everyone brings home to their neighbors. 😄

[@HollyandSandy]

I've never been in a Costco as there isn't one near me, but I had a Facebook friend Tim (now sadly passed, I think) who used to be in charge of Logistics for Kirkland's. I'd love to go in one and buy a Kirkland's product in his memory. I noticed on your list it said retired NHS workers. I worked for the NHS for 23 years. I wonder what proof I'd need to show, maybe an old payslip?

[@stevenbalekic5683]

Australian Costco has "All pork" hotdogs...during c19 the onion and sauces were only available in little prefilled pots. We have clam chowder served in a bread roll, churros, meat pies, Korean chicken wings, mango smoothie, iced coffee, chicken caesar bake, chicken or beef burgers with chips, pizzas & sundaes

[@davidz2690]

i'll never understand hotdogs made with beef lol

[@digitalcomposer2000]

I enjoy the insightful parts to your Channel. What you do now will lead onto your next theme of videos

[@JLO72]

I have a costco card as an Avon rep. You can join in the UK if you are employed, so if you have an invoice, you can get a membership, and it's a trade card, not an individual. I originally had a costco through my mother, who worked for local authorities as an additional member. After a year, i got a card in my own right, and I'm not sure they allow that.

[@brianwhittington5086]

I would definitely check out the other UK wholesale outlets for your own membership, Kalyn. It could just be Costco being strict about membership with it having outlets in other countries. Working in the motor vehicle industry, we often had sales reps offer membership to all our staff, not even any restrictions about you being VAT registered, etc. Some will even offer you your own membership card if you've been signed in as a guest of a member.

[@dasy2k1]

Costco is the least strict of any of the wholesale stores... They will try and work out how you might be eligible and do offer individual membership Boomers/Makro for example don't allow individual membership at all and are super strict about who the allow in... If you don't have VAT registration or a companies house registration then you arnt getting a card

[@egbront1506]

@@dasy2k1 Yup. The amount of paperwork I had to submit to Makro was insane. Costco was a breeze in comparison.

[@brianwhittington5086]

​@egbront1506 There must be a wide interpretation of membership terms in different parts of the UK. I've been to Makro and a few others, with friends as a guest. Almost every one asked if I wanted to become a member, few questions, even handed a cardboard temporary membership card for one place. I bought a few things, but found that unless you bought in bulk, and could claim the VAT back, the prices for buying smaller quantities didn't really save more than some supermarket multibuy prices. I'm in Yorkshire, maybe it's more competitive nearer London ?

[@brianwhittington5086]

​@@dasy2k1 Which area of the UK are you in, there must be some variations m, or maybe some are trying to boost membership ?

[@zandvoort8616]

Very good.

[@hurnethehunter]

Been a member for years, and visit Costco regular. I am retired but can still be a member, as I worked in the pharmaceutical industry and and l have a pension from that industry. I do like Costco allot...

[@HeatherMyfanwyTylerGreey]

I was taken to a Costco once by my cousin who is a lucky member. She bought all my buffet food for my wedding to my first husband many years ago. (My husband has now been deceased nearly 21 years!) Now I do not live near one and still do not qualify for membership; though I was a Qualified Book-keeper they only accepted the higher Accountant Qualification. I am retired now.

[@wharpblast264]

Back in 2007 Costco sent representatives to my place of work (London area), offering membership to anyone. Not even asking about occupations. I suppose in theory any employee, could purchase something on behalf of the company. In reality not very likely.

[@wildthing6668813]

When I was holidaying in the USA with the brother in law in the early to mid 2000's the brother in law went in the USA Costco and bought stuff with no trouble over what he bought, in the UK he never used to massively bulk buy. He only bought what he needed but bought a full tray of 12 or 24 at a time. He sometime bought more than he needed but just used to give it away.

[@gillianrimmer7733]

The nearest Costco to me is over an hour's drive away - I'd spend more in petrol than I would save on purchases. From what I've seen in my, admittedly, limited experience of visiting family in the US, is that Americans are used/willing to drive quite far distances to shop, whereas here we tend to go to supermarkets within a few miles at the most from where we live. It's just a different culture.

[@thegrinderman1090]

I think a big part of that is due to storage space. It's only worth travelling further to do a massive shop on cheaper items if you've got somewhere to put it all.

[@BlueJay2929]

Makro has been around for a few years before 1993, my friend had a card so we used to go regularly

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Oooh, will have to look into Makro!

[@egbront1506]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial Makro is very strictly business only and, if our local branch is anything to go by, on its last legs. We had 5 branches nearby and four have closed. The last remaining one seems permanently empty every time we visit. I don't know how they stay open. It's strictly for bulk groceries, food packaging, cleaning and catering hardware and more expensive than supermarkets who all have more efficient distribution networks, which was once the advantage of wholesalers.

[@suecox2308]

I've wondered about this--happily I have some UK friends with a Costco membership who are able to get me jars of Kirkland chocolate covered almonds.

[@jamesbeeching6138]

Good video GGL!! It used to be Maccro were the big "Cash and Carry " stores in the UK....If your Parents had a Maccro card you were essentially treated as a demi God in the 80s!!!

[@agharries]

When you mentioned that it was for businesses only, I was thinking office supplies and medical supplies. Things that businesses need, I didn’t think of food at all. I am just trying to imagine all the businesses with cupboards full of baked beans.

[@stevemichael8458]

The UK is the land of the corner shop :) These shops purchase wholesale from the likes of Costco and Bookers. That's where the beans go! :)

[@owenmcgheeandbdawg]

Very enjoyable video

[@lornewazny7152]

Cosco is a container shipping company. You can see their shipping containers all over the US.

[@gerriebell2128]

My husband and I lived in Scotland for 6 years and shopped at the Glasgow store. We were able to enter and shop using our American membership cards. So I wonder why you had a problem. Maybe England does things differently than Scotland.

[@Phiyedough]

I'm from UK but have not lived there since 2011. I had not heard of Costo but small retailers did sometimes refer to the "cash & carry". As cash is not as widely used these days I don't know if that name still applies.

[@stracepipe]

I know nothing about horses hooves but I really enjoy your vodeos. I'm just curious to know why horses need their hooves trimmed and why they need shoeing. What would happen 'in the wild'?

[@JEN13Deluxe]

When I lied in the uk I just got my membership when I lived in the US and used it there. So silly.

[@petertwinn786]

Costco food court menus in Australia appear very similar to the US. I miss the jacket potatoes from the UK food courts.

[@grahamgresty8383]

I like the deep dives!

[@miles_thomas]

UK Costco allows anyone to order online for home delivery (with a delivery charge), £15 pa membership fee (no qualifications, instant approval; used to be no fee but 5% price uplift for non members). Online only members may or may not get the same prices as a member in the shopping in person. Unclear from the costco website if non-members can go to food court or use the fuel station, and looks like UK Costco does not offer prescription items at pharmacy (NHS dispense or otherwise) where many supermarkets do (even Asda does as a bix box discounter, Asda also has or had a policy that they will dispense private prescriptions for IVF drugs at wholesale cost in their pharmacy but usually need to order these in to special order)

[@rogerwitte]

I was fascinated by this video, even though I don't shop at CostCo.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Mission accomplished! Thanks Roger!

[@digitalcomposer2000]

Pizza has never tasted so good since we started making our own: dough and toppings

[@paul8141]

We have been denied entry into two different costcos in the US with our UK membership cards

[@nevillemason6791]

Went to Arlington, Texas 10 years ago to visit my second cousin. She took me to her local Costco and I was surprised that the layout was exactly the same as in the UK. In the UK store there's differences, as you stated (apart from the lack of ammunition). Pain killers aren't sold in bulk (it's illegal to do so to prevent impulse overdoses attempting suicide). Some of the large items on sale are what I'd call typical American in style. Quite different to Europeans' taste. It has those annoying trolleys (shopping cart) that only have steerable wheels on the front (only found in US stores). It's the only UK store where the cashiers have to stand up (also a US trait?). Every month I receive a magazine of store offers but there's no prices shown for anything. That defies logic so it goes straight in the recycling unread each time.

[@dome592]

Regarding Costco membership, if you know someone with a Costco card (UK or US membership), you can ask them to put you on their membership, so you can have your own card. A Costco member can have (I believe) an additional 4 cards on their membership, not including the "Spouse" card (a husband or wife is entitled to a free card on your membership). Each additional card is chargeable at the standard yearly fee however. This way, you do not have to be with the membership holder to enter and purchase. An American friend put my wife on her membership. Sometime after our friend returned to the States, we tried to renew the card. We were told we couldn't, however, because we had had the card for more than 2 years, they would allow my wife her own personal membership account (even though strictly speaking she didn't qualify).

[@QALibrary]

Have they changed the rules? In the past, you either needed a VAT number (you should have one already due to having a KZbin channel because you do get changed/pay VAT on part of your KZbin income and donations) or you just needed a letterhead with a letter saying you are the owner of the above company

[@mencken8]

I don’t know what the pronunciation bit at the beginning is all about, but “Costco” isn’t the only word where this happens, e.g., the British “jag-you-are” and American “jag-whar” for jaguar.

[@gregoriancatmonk6904]

Wait....why would retired members of those professions be allowed access? Is it a retirement benefit?

[@Jinty92]

I am Scottish and I pronounce Costco the same as you. I have been to my local Costco once or twice. I love Costco sheet cakes. The frosting is amazing but I don't have a card. I could get a membership through my job but I'd have to drive into the city to access it and I don't feel the need.

[@Dithunder]

Warehouse workers aren't listed either 😂

[@jstasiak2262]

The Costco Hot Dogs in Asian stores are almost always Pork, not Beef.

[@trickygoose2]

One thing I have noticed with UK Costco is that, while you do have to prove you areon one of the eligible categories when you join, when you renew that membership they don't seem to check that you are still in one.

[@thegrinderman1090]

I believe it's mostly a marketing trick. They want as many customers/sales as possible. The only reason they make you jump through hoops in the first place is for the illusion (and I guess somewhat reality) of exclusivity.

[@AntonyMiles]

I'm in Australia and Costco memberships are open to all. I believe we pay AU$60 a year. It is worth it just to buy discount petrol which depending on the price cycle can be upto 40 cents a litre cheaper. Surprised to hear there are only 28 costco's in the UK. There are 15 in Australia. There are 4 where I live in Melbourne

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Interesting that Australia takes the US approach of allowing anyone to pay for a membership!

[@davidfarries3755]

I'm British, and I'd never heard of Costco until I moved to Japan and heard about it from American friends. Until I watched this video, I had no idea that Costco had any presence n the UK at all. To be honest, I still don't fully understand exactly what it is.

[@peterelvery]

In Australia the way we say Costco is light on the "t", almost exactly as you say it. You'd have to write it as Cost-co or Cost Co to get us saying it the UK way. Also membership is unrestricted here.

[@thegrinderman1090]

There isn't really a 'UK way' of saying it. Loads of accents in the UK drop the t in words.

[@RichardLordRix]

My local Costco [UK] has recently discontinued the cottage pie option at the food court 😢 thus removing 99.9% of the reason my daughter asks to go visit [I suppose that's a result for my pocket at least!]

[@Equiluxe1]

So Costco is much like Bookers here in the UK.He is most likely not here anymore but twenty eight years ago I was out on my horse with a group of friends when one of them who's husband had a farm pointed out an old man standing on a farm trailer pulled by a 1950's tractor, she said "se that man on the trailer, he is one of the richest people in Norfolk but you would not think it, that is the very first tractor he ever bought, He started and still owns Bookers wholesale." he was wearing an old army coat tied around the waist with baler twine and looked like a tramp, but he did allow riding over his land. By the way we were all riding western on American quarter horses.

[@delskioffskinov]

Very informative Kalin Thank You!

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Thank you for watching!

[@2005Guyver02]

As a half Brit/Dutchman I've always called it Cosco.

[@ianmclaughlin7420]

I think the real issues are the tax rules …I am a Costco card holder and we shop there primarily for bulk items . In the U.K. retail stores require to price goods at the actually selling selling price inclusive of tax. Whereas in Costco it is priced excluding tax as traders are able to claim it back when selling it onward or using the items within a business . In the US retail uses price excluding tax…..that’s the basic reason .

[@michaelbamber4887]

Doubt that is the problem. The local builders merchant near me everything is priced then plus vat at the till.

[@ianmclaughlin7420]

@@michaelbamber4887 , technically the builders merchant will be classed as trade but open to the public which is fine ….the rules on pricing is a little odd I agree. Buying a bag of sand in B & Q will be at the ticket price 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@michaelbamber4887]

​@ianmclaughlin7420 yes, but trade only is ment for bulk buying. They only want to sell to other businesses in bulk, not to general public.

[@Hydraas]

I also say it as Cosco, which may be because my accent (Essex) drops a lot of t's

[@emmettpickerel5016]

Started going to Costco in California when it was Price Club (before the merger or whatever it was). I have never heard anyone pronounce it "cossko".

[@Zatnicatel]

We have a Costco about 10 mins away and as my husband worked in banking for 40 years before retiring, we are eligible to join. We go maybe 6 or 7 times a year to shop but the biggest saving for us is the petrol station! Petrol is about 10p a litre cheaper than supermarket garages so that pays the membership fees in no time at all :) I'd be happy to take you in but we do live in Manchester so might be that travelling 300 miles to shop is taking it a little far :) Never eaten in their cafe but I don't like frankfurters or Pepsi anyhow!

[@rockerjim8045]

the fuel price is based on local prices and priced to undercut local garages. this works locally but sometimes the ASDA in Long Eaton is cheaper than the Costco in Derby!

[@michaeltb1358]

Strange as I used my UK card in the USA without problem. Membership rules here are strange. Post, bank and all medical branches can join. Otherwise you need to show that you have a business somehow. Best deal is if you can find someone who has a Trade membership, as you can join as an Associate. But you are tied to their renewal date.

[@bigaspidistra]

Costco UK has its stores mainly on land designated for industry or business trading rather than retail shopping, hence the restrictions. Really though it is very wide especially since included former employment within the designated jobs. They are looking to expand with active searches for new sites.

[@trickygoose2]

My nearest one is in Stevenage and the building was converted from what was a John Lewis distribution centre.

[@robertpearson8798]

What’s the most expensive vehicle to maintain? A Costco shopping cart.

[@bsasteve]

UK Expat living New mexico I've a Costco membership and never been the UK Costco yet but I will some day. They have done away with churro and now have a massive chocolate chip cookie yum

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

Mmm, love chocolate chip cookies as well. I think some are also based on the specific Costco store so the cafes might vary a little!

[@john_smith1471]

For myself Costco wouldn’t be viable, the nearest Costco is at Thurrock, at least a two hour round trip that’s if there are no hold ups, the roads approaching and around Thurrock are almost always congested plus the cost of fuel, so as mentioned the Costco concept isn’t for me.

[@finlandtaipan4454]

Costco membership is a bit priced unless you have a huge family with a huge appetite.

[@graemep804]

Can a Brit on holiday in the USA join, or is US membership restricted to US citizens only? Presumably a member joining in the US can renew membership indefinitely in the UK?

[@JacknVictor]

If you do baking etc for church dates, charity sales etc, although you aren't a for profit business, you can put down baker/bakery on the application. Same if you supply meals for people you care for. Or you can just lie on the form. I technically lied, I was setting up a market stall when I was 19 so applied and got my Costco membership, but in the meantime between applying and actually receiving my card, a job I had previously applied for came off so I never went ahead with the market stall, but I kept my card and still have it all these years later. Every. Now and again I do supply for charity bake sales and things like that, and also if I see a bargain in there I will buy it intended for resale so I do use my card for it's intended purpose, probably more than I buy stuff for home use. I do run a food van sometimes too so it helps with that. The main things I buy for home use are the giant sauce bottles and trays of the choc chip cookies. And I do know lots of retailers will buy themselves things for home use aswell as stock for their business.

[@tonyeden2944]

You also say that you use the Inner net - but in the rest of the English-speaking world we use the Inter net. And you sail across the A'laninc Ocean but we sail on the At lanTic ocean. Where did the t go?

[@russelsellick316]

They are even in South Africa! Never seen one though...

[@ImTheDudeMan471]

Why were people buying bulk VCR's in the UK?

[@Aloh-od3ef]

Don’t worry about the opinions of random people on the internet. Make videos that make YOU happy 😉

[@vijay-c]

I'm not a member, but I pronounce it "cos'co" like you, in my Hampshire (or should i say 'am'sher😂) accent. And you can go volunteer to become a magistrate - no need for legal questions & it's great civic duty. Not elected or anything, so another difference between judges in the UK & USA!

[@shirleyk7647]

🇨🇦 We do tend to drop the T and say it like Cosco. That does seem to often be the case between English words in the UK between U.S. & Canada, though I hear the t being dropped in certain English accents also, but said differently. Someone who speaks that way in the UK might pronounce bottle as baw-ul where we would often turn the t into a d, becoming in our accent boddle. I remember when you had to be a business to shop at a Costco here, but it was quite awhile ago.

[@insoft_uk]

Dropping the t is common it maybe a southern thing where they pronounce the t, in the north east of England we too would say cosco, probably down to the accent in the southern parts of England

[@thegrinderman1090]

@@insoft_uk In my experience, the t is usually dropped in the south of England too. It's mostly only RP English speakers who'd pronounce it.

[@davegb99]

Your comment regarding Sainsbury’s complaining when Costco were going to open here due to potential loss of business made me smile as it is the likes of big supermarkets like them that has caused the closure of many small grocery type businesses over the last 30 years or so. Quite ironic really.

[@davidjones332]

But Sainsbury's themselves started out as small local grocers and had to follow the trend to larger supermarkets led by Tescos, just as the Co-ops did, in self-defence. Do you remember George Masons? There used to be a branch in half the towns in Britain, but they failed to see where the market was going and went under.

[@johnp8131]

Membership sounds very much like Matalan is, or at least was years ago? I know my neighbour uses Costco, don't know how she qualifies as she's still a US citizen. Perhaps being ex USAF qualifies her?

[@missmerrily4830]

What you will find in Costco is impossibly large furniture and Christmas decorations for our living standards. I often laugh when I consider that a lot of their 3 piece suites of furniture are larger than my whole 1 bed apartment! And don’t forget those rotisserie chickens which are the best loss leader in the world!

[@peterpereira3653]

I like Costco it has some good bulk deals. I and some family members do a big Christmas shop each year in a Costco. Have shopped in both Costco Hayes and Watford locations. Well done with the video.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

A Christmas shop seems like the perfect reason for a Costco visit! Thanks for watching!

[@peterpereira3653]

@@GirlGoneLondonofficial Well the family thinks so, and because it's for Christmas shopping. We don't mind spending a bit more overall than we usually would do. After all it's for the most wonderful time of the year.

[@jliscorpio]

If it helps I belong to USA Costco and shop at the one in Scotland all the time. Only difference I noticed is in USA they accept VISA in UK you needed AMEX

[@BlueTangWebSystems]

I use the Edinburgh Costco and they accept all cards. There was a time it was only debit cards. Interesting fact. The Costco here is on the same street as IKEA. The council have thus named the secret Costkea Way.

[@Edsbar]

Why don't you look at the Trade Membership?

[@Loulizabeth]

I tend to think if you're from the place where the word originated then you have the right to tell others how to pronounce it. As far I'm aware Costco is an American Company so.... You shouldn't have to apologise to us for saying "Cosco" Any American I've ever heard pronounces it "Cosco" to do for me that's the way I pronounce it. After all British English drops letters all the time when we pronounce things. I say this as someone from Scotland. Love the place. Especially the Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix. Honestly it's amazing! Used it for a cheesecake base. Plus the chocolate cake and carrot cake are amazing. Not sure if this is right but I did hear that their large chocolate cake is the one used in the original Matilda movie. Could totally be wrong about that but think someone told me that once and when I saw it it looked pretty similar.