COSTCO shoppers have begged the chain to reverse its policy and bring back a beloved section that was axed.
A social media user took to X to present the case, after he said the decision to scrap it was “breaking my heart”.
GettyCostco shoppers have begged the chain to reverse its policy and bring back a beloved section that was axed[/caption]The Costco customer said on Sunday: “I love @Costco. It’s a great place to shop: reasonable prices, some unique items, great optical department, great produce and other food items.
“But, @Costco, you’re breaking my heart: What happened to the book department?
“Even @SamsClub has kept that. Please, bring back books!”
With the mounting economic pressures facing big retailers like Costco, there could be lots of reasons why they cut their book department.
The most obvious reason could be to save money, but oddly, book stores have been doing quite well recently.
The US Sun reported on the growth of the popular book chain Barnes & Noble.
The chain will open a record 60 new spots this year, beating their last year total of 57.
A lot of this success has been credited to the social media platform TikTok, for making reading accessible to younger audiences.
The company has said: “[Barnes & Noble] is experiencing strong sales in its existing stores and has been opening many new stores after more than 15 years of declining store numbers.
“In 2024, Barnes & Noble opened more new bookstores in a single year than it had in the whole decade from 2009 to 2019.
“[The company] is enjoying a period of tremendous growth as the strategy to hand control of each bookstore to its local booksellers has proven so successful.
“Since the rise of BookTok during the pandemic, bookstores have seen a significant surge in popularity, especially among young people.
“Our stores have become popular social spots, offering an experience that online shopping simply can’t match.”
The rise of more niche bookstores has also delighted fans, as more than 20 romance bookstores have opened in the last few years.
This is an increase from just two in 2020.
Costco's membership scanners
Costco has unveiled membership scanners at its store entrances.
In August 2024, the retailer released a statement about the scanners on its website.
“Over the coming months, membership scanning devices will be used at the entrance door of your local warehouse,” it wrote.
“Once deployed, prior to entering, all members must scan their physical or digital membership card by placing the barcode or QR Code against the scanner.
“Guests must also be accompanied by a valid member for entry.
“If you have any questions or concerns, there will always be an attendant at the door to assist you!
“If your membership is inactive, expired, or you would like to sign up for a new membership, the attendant will ask that you stop by the membership counter prior to entering the warehouse to shop.
“Additionally, if your membership card does not have a photo, please be prepared to show your valid photo ID.
“We encourage you to stop by the membership counter to have a photo taken to have on your card.”
Given this, it could be seen as surprising that Costco have gotten rid of their book selection in their stores.
was replied to by a fellow Costco customer who suggested that rising prices could play a part.
They added: “I’m finding that Costco’s prices keep inching closer to our regular retailers’ prices.
“There are some things that we keep buying there, but we have been progressively shifting our business to Sam’s.”
This could imply that Costco is increasing prices as a way to combat economic strain, but this has not been confirmed by the company themselves.
Barnes & Noble has the advantage of a streamlined product offering, but different industries have different demands.
It is not known if Costco plans to bring back a book selection in the future.
Costco has not yet directly replied to the post.
GettyIt is not known if Costco plans to bring back a book selection in the future[/caption] Read More Details
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