Here's what Costco workers are actually looking for when they check your receipt at the exit
- Costco is one of America's favorite retailers.
- Die-hard fans have probably noticed that receipts always get checked one final time upon exiting the store. So, what's that last check all about?
- "It is to make sure you have what you paid for, but it is also to make sure you don't have what you did not pay for," said one Costco employee.
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Since it first opened its doors in 1983, Costco has become one of America's favorite retailers, a place not just to get your favorite items, but to get them in bulk.
Die-hard fans, regular shoppers, and Costco members will probably have noticed one curious thing about the check-out process at the stores, however. Even after cashiers have rung up their orders, bagged their purchases, and customers are almost out the door, there's still one more receipt check just before the final exit.
So, what's this last receipt check all about? Business Insider reached out to a number of Costco employees, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, to get the scoop on that final receipt read-through.
Read more : 13 things you can get at Costco for under $10
In the broadest terms, said a Costco employee of one year, "it is to make sure you have what you paid for, but it is also to make sure you don't have what you did not pay for."
More specifically, however, another elaborated that Costco employees are checking for the following things when customers leave the store:
- A code on the top and bottom of the receipt that changes daily so employees know the receipt was, indeed, printed that day.
- The item count on the bottom of the receipt to make sure there were no under or over charges.
- High-end items like jewelry, stamps, electronics, or items over $300, which need supervisors' initials on them.
- Large items like tissue and water have various signifiers on the receipt to ensure final checks include a look at the bottom of the basket.
One Costco Canada employee recounted an attempted theft while doing this final receipt check. Someone exiting the store attempted to steal, "a produce box full of clothes," said the employee.
"He was walking very quick past me and I quickly asked him if he had a receipt for the clothes. He said, 'my wife has it and is waiting in the car.' I asked him to leave the clothes here with me until he gets the receipt and he gave me a hard time until he started seeing my manager walk towards me - he threw the box on the ground and bolted out the store!"
Clearly, for customers and employees alike, this one last check of Costco shoppers' receipts is key!
- Read more:
- Here's what Costco looked like when it opened in 1983 and the annual membership was $25
- 8 of the best car accessories you can buy at Costco
- 6 times a Costco membership isn't worth it
- We did a blind taste test of cheap wines from Costco, Target, and Trader Joe's, and the winner cost less than $5