Costco retail store-santa clarita - Essay Example

The company’s typical warehouses measure and average 143,000 squire feet and the outlets operate approximately seven days a week. The core outlets comprise about 3300-3800 dynamic stock. The company’s reported total revenue for year ending August 2012 were $ 99 billion while the income was $ 2.8 billion. The company’s assets many fold surpass their liabilities indicating a stable company (Costco wholesale 1). Costco store layout, visual merchandising, customer service Store Layout There is a constant movement of items and sometimes confuse the price tags and disorient regular customers.

This may mislead customers and they may be embarrassed when they are making payments at the teller. The store is fairly clean and the items are generally well organized and tidy. Similar items are located in close proximity hence this makes things easier for the customer. The stores have a specious layout for ample air circulation. There are fire equipments located strategically for ease of access. The high number of shoppers especially children accompanied by their children make the place especially the alleys very crowded.

The concept of having food courts, gas stations, chemists, optical section, salon among others is well designed and located strategically within the outlets. Staff attendees are strategically located within the lane to help assist customers in need. The image below represents a spacious food court and a raised ceiling for ample air circulation.. Their return and exchange policies are great and the staff are helpful. On one occasion, I experienced poor packaging for items purchased since some of them were in poor shape when I received them.

I once experienced discrimination and have seen these happen to others in different occasions. The checking out process is supposed to be same for all but some in these occasions some undergo thorough check while a few are allowed with minimal checks. The waiting experience is sometime terrible with customers having to wait for up to 30 minutes after having paid just to be checked out. Despite commendable job by a majority of the staff, a few are still rude and unfriendly to customers. Once I enquired about location of some items from one staff member only to be told to keep looking.

My brother once narrated how the management favored a staff in a disputed case and the same supervisor who intervened at the floor in favor of the staff was the same who was assigned to resolve the case. Costco feedback mechanism is excellent because the outlets allows patrons to air suggestions and reviews through the suggestion boxes, online platforms and user generated networks. The outlet has many affiliate links online where one can leave comments for further actions. Some of the shopping carts have trash inside any occasionally used by children for play.

Although most staff show genuine willingness to help shoppers, some probably the new employees often are either not confident or lack the knowledge on what to do. Some of them definitely need more training and motivation. The store offers sampling from time-to-time enabling shoppers to test and experience varieties and consequently make better purchase