This Costco Layout Suggestion Put Everyone’s Behavior On Blast

Costco is a crowded place. That seems to be true for the majority of locations, not just in the US, but in the world. Over here in the UK, our Costcos can get as packed and stressful as the rest of them, and I frequently find myself huffing and puffing as I try to navigate my way through their cavernous halls. And this is the thing: Costcos are massive. Its stores are absolutely huge. So why does it always feel so damn hard to work your way around?

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Because of people. That’s according to Reddit, at least, where a thread suggesting that Costco incorporate a new feature into its layout erupted into a wider conversation about customer etiquette. With well over 700 people giving their two cents, we thought it’d be worth wading into what gets people’s goat when shopping there.

Kinda Like A Town Square, But Maybe Less Friendly

The Reddit thread in question, which was posted a few days ago, suggested the following: “Costco should have small squares throughout the store that you can stand in with your cart and think.” The idea, according to the customer who posted it, would be that people could navigate there to consider their potential purchases, check their app and/or their phone, chat, or else just take a break, without being in the way of anyone. 

It’s a smart thought – but the underlying implication is that there’s way too much of all of the above happening in the aisles. Which, y’know, people have to get through. As such, Redditors far and wide took this moment as a chance to express their annoyance at shoppers doing just that. “I’m pretty sure everyone at my store decided the middle of the aisle is the place to think,” said one highly upvoted comment, while another said, “There should be referees that cite you for violations and put you in the penalty box for blocking the aisle.” Sounds like a stressful job, but I get it. Someone else, meanwhile, just said it how it is. “I am always amazed at how oblivious people are in Costco. People think they’re the only ones in the whole goddamn store.”

Aisle Wars

To be fair, this isn’t exclusive to Costco. Most supermarkets have this same problem: The aisles aren’t wide enough, and people can take too long in them, getting in everyone’s way. At this point, isn’t it just a fact of life? At Costco, though, maybe it’s the size of everything that highlights the issue. The carts are bigger; the goods are bigger; the stores are bigger. It invites a slightly slower pace where perhaps it shouldn’t, and creates more obstructions. But next time you’re in Costco, and especially if you’re a first-time shopper, just remember that you might have someone behind you staring daggers into the back of your head. And maybe just pick up the pace, unless you want one of those referees to give you a time-out.