From: rlr@bbt.com (Powdered Toast Man (Ron Rader))
Subject: Re: Price Club Info Sought
Organization: BroadBand Technologies, Inc.,  Research Triangle Park, NC
Distribution: us
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 92 16:42:41 GMT

  In response to a query about joining Price Club in the tri-state area,
these fellows said:

In article <1992Dec29.220803.17680@walter.bellcore.com>
    jchen@ctt.bellcore.com writes:

>In article <1992Dec29.153557.44068@watson.ibm.com>,
    rubin@watson.ibm.com (Bill Rubin) writes:

>|> ...  too bad, too, since I might have joined [the Price Club in
>|> Westbury, Long Island, NY] if they'd let me in 
>|> to see what it was like before making me stand on the long line to plunk 
>|> down my membership dollars.

  I agree wholeheartedly with your reaction, Bill, but after all, this was
one experience with one door-watching employee in one PC warehouse.

  I've been a member in Price Club and Pace Membership Warehouse (both very
similar warehouse stores, many "store brands" are identical products with
packaging that differs in store name only).  The Price Club warehouses
I have patronized are Azusa, Alhambra, and I think Sun Valley (all in
Southern CA).  I've found most of the employees very helpful and efficient,
but since these stores are almost always crowded (due to population),
the general employee attitude is often unemotional.

  I now visit the Pace MW in Cary, NC.  A lot less crowded, product
selection is a little more limited, but the employees knock themselves
out to insure customer satisfaction.  For instance, once I bought a
small package of AA batteries, and couldn't find them when I got home.
Assuming they fell out of the cart in the parking lot, the next day I
went to the front desk to ask if anyone happened to find and return the
batteries (dunno if I would have done this in L.A. ;) .  They gave me
a brand new box of batteries, no questions asked.  Another time we wanted
to buy the washer and dryer that were then out of stock.  Once they came
into the warehouse, all were snapped up within the day (a really good
price, obviously), but the manager set a pair aside for us, which was
technically against store policy.  Yet another time I bought a string
trimmer that had a broken spark plug (found the porcelain and electrode
busted in half!).  They cannibalized the display trimmer and I was trimming
that evening.

  Granted, they might be more willing to please since the store is fairly
new and people tend to be more polite in North Carolina, but such is
my experience.

> Price Club has some odd rules for membership eligibility.
>You have
>to be either an employee of a credit union, utility company, or government, or
>a small business owner to be eligible.

  Price Club does have some seemingly arbitrary membership eligibility
rules, as do most membership warehouse stores.  I suspect some of these rules
are tailored to suit each individual store's locale; i.e. you can join
Pace here if you work at any company within the Research Triangle Park.
All they wanted to see was a business card.  In Southern California, I
was able to join Price Club as a Caltech/JPL employee, and Fedco as a
student.

>But you are right about their attitude: cold, indifferent. Once you realize 
>the way they do business, it is not hard to deal with them. They are not
>unreasonable.

>I found PC membership is worth it.

  I agree.  I've found my Price Club and Pace memberships well worth the
yearly membership fee.  The Pace MW will also let you join for free, but
you pay a 5% charge on your purchases.  Products are mostly of excellent
quality, but the selection varies.  Be prepared to buy in large quantities.

  As far as price is concerned, well you must resist the "Membership
Warehouse == Low Price" mystique.  Keep your eyes open!  Sale prices at
other stores often meet or beat PC/Pace prices.  But for the most part,
you can save a lot of money at the warehouses on the durable goods at
least.  I've found the prices on consumables (food, paper products, etc.)
can significantly vary in relation to other local stores, but you still
do better in general buying at the warehouses.

  Ron "Tightwad" Rader

ron rader, jr  rlr@bbt.com OR ...!mcnc!bbt!rlr 
      walking through this world of lies, with a heart made out of stone
      I looked deep into my eyes, and I knew I was alone, all alone - BF
**Opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of BroadBand Tech.**