The Costco effect
Originally uploaded by titaniumtommy.

I absolutely hate going to Costco. The only reason I do go is because the prices are hard to beat on some things. The famed Costco deals on non-perishables are really quite good. Plus, we use less materials for plastic bottles when we buy in bulk (can someone PLEASE tell Costco to allow refilling shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and other non-edibles?)--128oz in one container is better than 2 64oz containers. But what about the whole experience of shopping at Costco? Well let's see why I absolutely abhor it.

Parking: it's the pits at any Costco on the weekend. If you have the luxury of hitting the Godzilla-warehouse during the week, then I envy and applaud your ability to not work during the week. If you're as unlucky as I am, you have to hit up Costco on the weekends and that's generally a nightmare in the parking department. You've probably had to dodge 5 ton SUVs while trying to avoid creaming some idiot "surfing" his oversized shopping cart back to his car (no matter how much you'd really want to flatten the sucker and get 2 points on the score board).

Oversized Carts: maneuvering inside Costco is an awful experience especially with their 1960's Cadillac-sized shopping carts. I mean, they should probably offer combo Costco-cart and Cruise ship licensing courses out back for $39. Then you get the people who are oblivious to the chaos around them and park their carts in the middle of the aisle while they tackle other shoppers, vying for the last free sample of chicken apple sausage. Seriously.

Checkout: this one isn't so bad. I actually admire Costco's effort to bust out their customers as soon as possible by using two checkers to not only speed you through checkout, but also double check they don't miss the case of beer under the cart. Damn...the saw it again.

Overall, it's an awful shopping experience. The prices really are their only saving grace in my eyes. So what does this have to do with the Costco Effect? Well, the value proposition the Costco barely outweighs the negatives. This sort of dynamic basically forces me to save money at Costco at the same time hating the whole 2 hours I'm jostling with the other crazed shoppers. It makes me want to NOT GO THERE. But I have to if I want to save money. So what do I do? I buy MORE in order to reduce my Coscto visit frequency. I know I have to go there to save money, but I really don't want to go so often.

There are two parts to this story:

First, it seems that GameStop doesn't want to help out parents with a policy to only sell to kids with good grades. Wouldn't the game retailer want to have parents actually "like" them by playing the part of the third parent? I'm on the fence about this. I mean, in principle, this would be a good idea, but enforcement would be ridiculously difficult. I mean, it would be a boon for the technically proficient kids who could create fake report cards using a scanner and photoshop and sell them to other kids who are not up on their photoshoppery but have the chedda to buy the fake report cards. Or the smart kids could be the game pusher...buying games in bulk from the GameStop then inflating prices to the dumber kids who don't have the grades to get their game on. I think this would create more problems than solve them in actuality. Another alternative is that the kids would just go elsewhere to buy their games...there are TONS of places to buy games. Target, Walmart, EB, etc...there's really no end to the ways kids can get their mitts on electronic-crack. No, I think in the end, it's quite apparent what needs to be done: Raise Yo' Own Damned Kids. I commend the GameStop manager for trying to do his part and create a better educated world, but in the end, it really is up to the parents to get off their phones while driving their Hummers around and talk to their kids once in a while to "learn them" a thing or two.

Techdirt: GameStop Suspends Manager Who Won't Sell Games To Kids With Bad Grades

I'm a believer in good customer service, I really am. The trouble is that sometimes, I don't want good customer service RIGHT NOW. Case in point: I'm using some internal application at work and it fails. My first option is having to slog through a service request chat with some front-line dear-in-headlights dude on the other side of the planet at this very moment. It doesn't matter if this will take up 30 minutes or so of my time, I have to do this first. Ouch.

I'd think I should be able to just fire off a "hey, your thing is busted" email to the guys who can fix it and have the actual engineer who is looking into the problem get back to me with info they need from me rather than having me explain the app to the CSR and what I'm trying to do for about 20 mintues.

Anyway, just tooting the old blowoff valve...back to the conversation with my CSR from across the pond...

I'm not generally the kind of person to say that something only occurs in one place ala "only in San Francisco" because that is quite a narrow view of things I think, but I think Osento's Gender Policy Blurb may qualify as an "only in San Francisco" sort of thing...

Osento Gender Policy Statement

1. If you were born female and are transitioning and have not had genital reassignment surgery you are welcome at Osento. However, if you consider yourself male, please respect this as a female only space and do not come in.
2. If you are a female who was born male and have had genital reassignment surgery you are welcome at Osento.
3. All other females 14 years and older of all races, colors, sizes, abilities, religions, affectional persuasions, pierced, tattooed, or other body modifications are also welcome here. Lesbians, straights, bisexuals, stone butches, spiked hair, no hair, blue or pink hair, grandmothers, granddaughters, professionals in business suits, strippers, blue collar, white collar, no collar, union, non-union, and all other females are welcome at Osento.

PLEASE HELP ME KEEP OSENTO A SAFE RELAXING SPACE.