New Costco causes riots, traffic jams, general mayhem. Nice place.

On Tuesday, August 27, 2019, the first ever Chinese Costco situated in Minhang opened its doors to the crazed masses. The masses, to their credit, definitely did not disappoint. On that day, shoppers-to-be were greeted with the pleasant sights of: congested highways, endless traffic jams, and brisk three hour parking lines to top it all off. Even those fortunate enough to enter the store were not safe from the frenzy. If anything, the inside of the warehouse was far more chaotic, especially when taking into consideration the reports of brawls over liquor and of customers clawing at butchers’ meat before it could even be cut. Eventually, the whole debacle warranted official attention and the police began taking measures to alleviate the congestion while Costco itself sent a message to its members actually imploring them not to come. 

Over two weeks after its wildly successful grand opening, the excitement has yet to die down. Though the wild mobs have long since dissipated, one can still expect significant traffic upon entering the area with an additional 30 or so minute wait, once parked, to be admitted inside.

Upon entry, Costco first appears very much in the same vein as its far less popular competitors such as the Metro chain of warehouse supermarkets, what with its high ceilings and IKEA-esque racks of goods. However, upon further examination, one would come to realize that most of the available goods, unlike Metro, are imported and (for the most part) sell for lower-than-retail prices. The difference in regards to Costco’s produce and meat sections, however, are far more apparent as their methods of refrigeration and packaging afford a higher degree of both cleanliness and presentation that puts the average Carrefour’s to shame.

Despite its place at the end (after the checkout), Costco’s canteen is easily the highlight of the experience. It offers a stellar combination of reasonable prices and large portion sizes that make it a fighting contender for any real restaurant.

Even with all the aforementioned positives, 300 RMB is admittedly a significant sum (nearly 600 lollipops worth) for just a membership, and must seem daunting for any student with even half a brain. As such, the question must be asked: is it worth it?

While Costco does offer a wide variety of imported items at notably low prices, the answer (at least for students) is a resounding no. For practical reasons, Costco membership details are intrinsically linked to the person who registered in the first place and are required to make any purchases (outside the canteen). While not necessarily an issue in itself, it soon develops into such when one realizes that those under the age of 18 are prohibited from registering. If always having to be accompanied by a parent seems too convenient, there is also the issue of distance to contend with. Even in low traffic conditions, getting to Costco from the school in the first place would take well over an hour; over two via the subway. To make matters worse, the place is notably crowded, even during non-peak hours, making it incredibly difficult to maneuver around and acquire certain items in an efficient and timely manner.

Andy Chen, a senior, who happened to visit Costco, weighed in on the matter saying, “The Costco in Shanghai is surprisingly the same as those in America…it’s absolutely amazing! However [the lack of] free samples…is highly [unsatisfactory].”

If, even after all the aforementioned downsides, it still seems reasonable to head to Costco, here are a few pointers: firstly, don’t cut in any lines. It may be tempting, but what use is an extra 10 or so minutes anyway? Secondly, the lines for the rotisserie chicken and other poultry tend to be the longest so heading there first would be a wise decision. Thirdly, the canteen does not have any tables or seats as of now and, as a result, bringing a shopping cart along to place food in is practically essential. Alternatively, one could do as Andy did and purchase a pizza, taking care to place the box on a trashcan, thus making a makeshift table in the process. Lastly, make sure to have fun because it will almost certainly be too inconvenient to return any time soon.         

NOTE: This article was not sponsored. Sharks Scholar is in no way, shape, or form associated with Costco or any other corporate entity (SMIC notwithstanding).

Featured Image–Shoppers can be seen shambling about in an instinctive, almost zombie-like fashion, heading towards the best deals in all of Costco’s many aisles Courtesy of Alexander Chu (12A)

By Alexander Chu