Money Management

Many of Costco’s offerings constitute a great deal. But here are four products you may want to steer clear of. [[{“value”:”

One of the reasons why so many people tend to flock to Costco is that the warehouse club giant is known for its bulk deals. And you may find that shopping at Costco helps you stick to your household budget and enjoy savings on groceries and household essentials.

But certain Costco items may not be such a great idea to buy. Here are four you may want to ban from your shopping list.

1. Condiments

Condiments, by nature, are items that tend to sit out, whether it’s on your dinner table for 30 minutes at a time or at a picnic for hours on end. For this reason, condiments are one specific product you may not want in bulk quantities. Because they tend to remain unrefrigerated often after being opened, it’s best to stick to smaller bottles and jars to avoid spoilage.

Also, you may find that your local supermarket’s sale price on condiments is better than Costco’s regular price. Plus, many supermarkets have a store brand you can buy for less. So if you’re not picky about brands, that’s a good way to save.

2. Pain relief pills

We all tend to suffer our share of aches and pains from time to time, so it’s good to have pills on hand to address them. But hopefully, pain medication is the sort of thing you’re not swallowing daily, but rather, occasionally. And if so, then you may want to buy it in smaller quantities instead of at Costco.

At Costco, you can buy 1,000 acetaminophen caplets right now for $7.99 online, bringing your price to $0.01 per pill. That screams like a great deal. By contrast, generic acetaminophen caplets at Amazon will cost you $0.02 per pill for a 200-count.

But a 200-count of pain relief pills sounds like a smarter bet. The reason? Pain medication doesn’t last forever. Taking acetaminophen eight months after its expiration date could result in swallowing a pill that’s already lost its potency, rendering it useless. So unless you have a chronic condition where you’ve been advised to take pain relief pills daily, you should probably avoid buying these at Costco.

3. Sandwich bread

The cost of sandwich bread at Costco will vary based on your location. But sandwich bread has a pretty limited shelf life. Even if you’re packing a sandwich for lunch every day, you may not use up your stash by the time it starts to get moldy.

Even if you’re able to use up your bread before reaching the mold stage, older bread frankly doesn’t taste good. So if you’re already doing your part to save money by brown-bagging your lunch instead of buying it every day, you should at least be able to enjoy bread that tastes fresh.

4. Pre-cut fruit

Buying fruit at Costco in bulk could be a good bet if you have a larger family and you all tend to eat fruit every day. But pre-cut fruit is a different story.

Costco’s pre-cut fruit bowls might seem relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of buying pre-cut fruit at a regular supermarket. But pre-cut fruit is likely to go bad on you way faster than regular fruit. If you buy those Costco bowls, you’re really up against a ticking clock. Plus, you’re paying for the convenience of having that fruit sliced or cubed for you, which means you’re paying more than you need to.

Now if you’re in a pinch and forgot to pick up dessert as promised for the potluck company barbecue, then by all means — let a Costco pre-cut fruit bowl come to your rescue. Otherwise, you’re better off sticking to regular fruit and spending the time to cut it yourself as you want to eat it.

There are plenty of good deals to be had at Costco. But for the most part, these items aren’t good deals. So steer clear of them during your Costco shopping to avoid wasting money.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Maurie Backman has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Negative or positive, customer feedback is vital to your success. As tempting as it may be to ignore, here’s what happens when you do. [[{“value”:”

It’s human nature to ignore anything that feels like criticism, even if the person offering feedback only wants to help. Our egos would like to believe that we always do things right.

However, like a marriage, friendship, or any other relationship, ignoring customer feedback can lead to an unpleasant domino effect. Here’s what neglecting feedback can lead to if you’re a small business owner.

Emotionally detached customers

Say you have a small business that operates in both a brick-and-mortar location and online. Several customers complain that your return policy is labor-intensive and expensive. You shrug and tell yourself that you’re happy with the policy, and that’s all that matters.

You can’t be surprised when those customers stop offering feedback because, frankly, they know you won’t listen and no longer care whether your business is a success. In fact, as soon as they can find another business selling the same goods, they plan to move on.

According to Davies Technology Group, few aspects of the human experience are as powerful as the need to be understood. A bond is built when we believe someone listens and takes us seriously. On the other hand, when we don’t feel heard or taken seriously, it’s clear to us that the other party does not respect what we have to say.

Would you spend your hard-earned money in a place that doesn’t appear to respect you? If not, you can’t expect your customers to do so.

Unhappy customers

Have you ever noticed that the people who post online reviews typically log on because they have something negative to say about a company? What you don’t want are bad reviews posted by customers who provided feedback in real life, did not feel heard or respected, and took their complaints to the general public.

According to Tech Target, bad reviews can damage a company’s reputation, customer relations, and, ultimately, earnings.

Customer turnover

The more negative feedback you receive (and ignore), the fewer repeat customers you can expect to meet. As long as new customers come in, you may not miss the old customers. However, when business slows down, and new customers are few and far between, you’ll notice how many people have decided not to spend money with you. Slower sales make everything more difficult, from paying off the business credit card to ordering new inventory.

Missed opportunities

To become good at anything, we have to be willing to learn and adapt. A baseball pitcher does not become great by ignoring their pitching coach, and an orchestra doesn’t become world-class without direction. By neglecting feedback — both positive and negative — you miss out on the opportunity to grow as a business owner, to make modifications that may bring more customers to your door, and to put more money in your business checking account.

Turn things around

Like any habit, you have the power to turn the situation around. The next time a customer offers feedback, you may want to try this:

Rather than get defensive, think of this as an opportunity to grow as a business owner.Instead of immediately responding, listen. Make it clear that you care what this customer has to say.Apologize for the experience (if the feedback is negative).Ask for additional input. For example, “How can I make this situation better for you?”If the feedback is positive, ask if there’s anything else the customer would like to see in your small business.Thank the customer and let them know that their opinions matter.

Turning a negative into a positive may not work like magic, but it’s far more likely to help you retain a customer. It’s also a great way to learn what people are looking for.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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