[mattmaroon]

Costcos tech stack is frankly unconscionably bad. It’s the one way in which Sam’s Club crushes them.

There’s no reason they couldn’t do basically all of the good things mentioned in this article plus have a functional website, let me scan and pay with my phone in store, have a handheld scanner at each register, etc.

[ssl-3]

> a functional website

It works for me. Am I holding it wrong?

> let me scan and pay with my phone in store

That's already beginning to happen: https://www.cheapism.com/costco-scan-and-go-technology/

> have a handheld scanner at each register

I've seen handheld scanners at each Costco register that I've ever paid attention to.

[mattmaroon]

Costcos give a scanner to the person running the self checkouts, not to the customer, so you have to wait for them to come over. They are very attentive usually but still. (Perhaps this isn’t the case at all of them but I’ve seen it several times in various states.)

Their website/app makes it impossible to just see what’s in store at what price. Go search for coca cola and I see the price to have it delivered (much higher than in store) and a link to instacart. No pickup options or even prices.

On Sams Club’s website I can see that in store price and order it for pickup.

Again, Costco could keep the things we all like and just have basic 2018 functionality, it isn’t hard.

[bell-cot]

Very few people are shopping at Costco for their tech stack.

And maybe it's just their talented/experienced/numerous staff, but my in-store experience with their tech is as good as it gets. Stuff just works, and works quickly.

[mattmaroon]

Ok, load the app and search for Heinz ketchup and tell me what it would cost to go get some in store.

You can’t. You can only get delivery pricing. They don’t have the basic functionality every store has had for a decade.

Go to self check-out and grab a scanner for your heavy items, which they sell many of. You can’t, they don’t have them, you have to wait for the attendant to get to you with it. (They’re generally good at their job but it’s still annoying if you’re in a rush.)

Sam’s Club is as good as it gets tech-wise, in-store and out. They even have AI that allows the exit door receipt checker to skip checking people so you don’t get stuck in a line waiting for someone to verify you paid for everything.

[bell-cot]

> Ok, load the app and search ...

> Go to self-checkout and grab ...

Okay, but what if I really don't care about those important-to-you features?

Based on Costco's membership numbers, I might have a whole lotta of company in that regard.

[mattmaroon]

Good old HN.

Me: they’re great but their tech sucks

You: their tech is good

Me: it can’t do basic stuff

You: ok you’re right but they’re great

I can tell you I’m a member of both, but I frequently let my Costco lapse but never Sam’s. Just because it isn’t killing the golden goose doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile to fix.

[bell-cot]

Okay, cool - measure "bad vs. good" however wish, and shop wherever you want.

I'm focused on my own use case, and how bad or good their tech-plus-all-the-rest-of-their-operations is for that use case. There seem to be plenty of folks with similar use cases and priorities, so my preferred store should remain available longer-term.