I have always loved Costco, but I went recently during the Covid-19 Pandemic and I have to say that I was very impressed with the way they ran things and now I love them even more. Masks are mandatory at Costco during these pandemic times, and if you don't have your own, they will give you a disposable one for free. They take the mask directly from the box with a pair of tweezers and hand it to you that way, so the workers don't touch the mask or you. They also have hand sanitizer at the entrance. They spray down the carts as well. The shopping experience inside is similar to Pre-Covid times, other than the fact that there are less shoppers allowed into the store, so it's less crowded. There is also plexiglass at the cash registers. They still take cash. The food area is open for takeaway only. You order at the touchscreen and pay there too. Only cards are accepted here, no cash. Fountain drinks are given to you by a staff member (no self-serve), they do ask you if you want ice or not, which I thought was nice. Once your food is ready, they call out your order and you go and get it. I don't know how long this pandemic is going to last, nor do I know how many of these measures will continue once the pandemic is over. However, I think Costco has handled things well. Costco has a special place in my heart because my usual Costco companion is my brother and we have brother-sister together time at Costco when we go. My most recent visit to this Costco though was with a new friend I met at work (I was deployed to a new work location for the Covid-19 Emergency Response and hardly knew anyone there when I first started). Costco, helping people bond, one relationship at a time, lol. I guess I should write a blurb about what Costco actually is, right? Although I think everyone knows that Costco is a store that sells items mostly in bulk, and you need a membership to shop there. Memberships start at about $55/year. Members can bring guests though. They take debit, cash or Costco credit card (they don't take other credit cards). Pre-Covid, they would give out samples of their items. Samples of course are no more. They have their house brand, Kirkland, which is actually quite good. Prices are cheaper than regular prices at mainstream grocery stores, but not really cheaper than sale prices at mainstream grocery stores. Although Costco has a lot of exclusive products, which I like. In addition to items you would find at regular grocery stores, they also carry electronics, books, toys, clothes and jewelery. There is also a pharmacy and an optical at Costco. They also have a Costco gas station and prices are about $0.10 a litre less than at other gas stations. There's lots of free parking. read more

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For the price, you can not go wrong with the resto at Costco. This HUGE pizza is absolutely delicious. I prefer the cheese myself as the pepperoni gets a bit oily. This could easily feed 4/5 people with one pie. Cost is 13.99. I wish they still had the all dressed but this in a pinch when you are at Costco really does the job read more

Costco Wholesale - Wholesale Stores Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Just had my appliances delivered when I was told it would be delivered, even with the tornado waring in affect. Ahmed and his partner (can't remember his name) gave me great advice, shipped and handled my merchandise with care and were very very professional. I hope their manager reads this. I wanted to call and leave a review but impossible to find a contact number. Deliver to Larkin Street today July 13 2023. read more

As a new Costco member, I finally understand why my parents have been so obsessed with Costco my whole life! This Costco location is just as good as others and has the plus of having a gas station on site (significantly cheaper than competitors). Shelves are well-stocked, employees are pleasant and the return policy is hassle free! We love to buy produce, cleaning products, clothes and more at Costco! You won't be able to do a complete grocery order here for 2 people (cause you don't need everything in bulk) but an order at costco for all your basics 2-3 times a month is super simplifying for my life! read more

I and my wife have been away from Canada for 8 months. I paid all our dues with Costco before leaving as I do always, and due to the coved 19 epidemic, all overseas flights were stopped since more than 5 months, and we were stranded overseas until we came back by chance on Aug.12,2020 and have to quarantine our selves for 14 days as we were instructed in the airport. Unfortunately we found so many calls on the answering machine and also received a call this morning from Capital One ( Allied international ) instructing us to settle a voucher of $123 right away, or we would be sent to the court. After checking, we found out that the unpaid payment was for the renewal of our membership with Costco which wasn't due when we left Canada. I would like to know, is this the way or policy of Costco with their clients, since we have been your customers for a long time. It is really weird. Thanks. read more

Groceries in Ottawa are not cheap. Having moved from Southern California, where you can grow pretty much anything year round, I was not used to having to pay such a premium for food. Same goes for gas, gas in Canada is definitely not cheap. Thankfully, Costco provides a hefty discount on both of those items. The gas at Costco always seems to be about 15 cents/liter less than average. The lines used to be long, but now that they opened a second location nearby, the lines have really died down. If you get here before 10 am, there is rarely a wait. Costco also provides a large discount on most food items - coffee, cheese, olive oil, bananas, spices, kombucha, frozen stuff. The household goods section can also save you a bundle. It is a well known fact that Costco has the best deal on toilet paper...I'm just sayin'. If you wear contacts or glasses, those items alone are worth your membership fee. Now that the Barrhaven store has taken half of the traffic, the craziness has really died down. If you like saving money, you really should start shopping here. read more

I don't necessarily like buying in excess, but there are some things that are just better in bulk. I love that you can get some of those necessities here for a fair price. Be prepared: this place is so busy. Perhaps that's because I am mostly here on weekends, but almost every time I come I have difficulty finding parking. That being said, I will say that things seem to be a little better since the Barrhaven location opened, offering another alternative spot for those in the Nepean area. One other small downside, I often forget to bring my own bags or boxes. This is key here. I really love that they don't waste with plastic bags, but it can often be inconvenient when they have no bags to buy. That being said, if you are lucky you can usually pick up some empty boxes around the store or near the exit, or (as I do) bring the cart out to the car and freeload it. There are many, many options here. I have often come to pick up Christmas gifts for a secret exchange, cleaning supplies, or groceries for a party. Chocolate in bulk? Why yes, yes I think I will! This is always my first stop when I'm moving and need to stock up on something like cleaning supplies or dry foods that have a good shelf life. The food court is super affordable and just what you need after a long shopping trip. Their hot dogs are my fave! Totally worth checking out if you know someone with a membership. Tag along and see if it's for you! It's been worth it in my opinion. read more

I will keep this short and sweet! If you enjoy crowds, bumping carts with others, and super-sized everything, then Costco is for you!! Sure its great for business owners, large families, and for customers who like to buy in bulk....you can save a lot!! BUT, Costco is just not for me. I have tried to like this place, but I have promised to myself to never step foot in one again. This place turns me into a B with an itch!! I just cannot take the crowds, and trying to fight through them is not worth it in my opinion! read more

Out of all the Costco's in Ottawa I hate this one the most. It's not that there's anything wrong with it. The staff is friendly and I mean once you've been to one Costco you've been to 90% of them. This Costco is pretty identical to the others in town but trying to get to this location seems to be such a task with the traffic on Merivale and the terrible parking lot at this location! If you don't live in the area and you try to come here on the weekend I'd deter you from doing so. If you come during the week it'll still be a bit busy but nowhere near the zoo you will see on the weekend. read more

I usually visit this location for gas in the mornings on my way into work. By far the cheapest price when I do visit, for example, today it was 14 cents cheaper than the station beside them. The warehouse itself is pretty standard to other Costco locations. Everything is setup opposite to other locations, but you still get the same great products and pricing. When visiting this location, I would budget a little extra time for the parking lot. Parking can be a bit of a nightmare to get in and out of. read more

Costco is my favourite store of all time! We went to the food court after shopping and got a turkey provolone sandwich with a chicken caesar salad. The turkey sandwiches are to die for... They're moist, delicious and yummy. If you ever need a snack you can always walk in the exit and go to the food court. You don't need a membership for that. Would definitely go back again and get the sandwich, i've had it many times. read more

Costco Wholesale - Wholesale Stores Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

How could you not like Costco? Sure, some items are actually cheaper NOT in bulk (if you do your research), but it's a fun experience (although stressful when too busy). I love getting: roast chicken, cakes, their bags of chocolate, coconut milk, hummus, and contacts here. You end up saving more than your membership cost! Food here is also cheap and filling and tasty. Waiting for gas is a pain (it takes a long time) but in the long run you save! read more

Costco Wholesale - Entrance! - Wholesale Stores Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I visited the Costco on Merivale last Friday. The cashier pushed her mask down, coughed in her hands and then replaced her mask before proceeding to scan the rest of my items. REALLY??? read more

Costco makes no effort to be environmentally responsible. Very few biodegradable packages - everything is super-wrapped in plastic. Eg- bananas - no reason whatsoever for bananas to be in a plastic bag. Everyone should leave the plastic banana bag on the customer service counter in protest. In Europe the use a banana leaf to hold the hands of bananas together. Get with it Costco. read more

A few months ago I purchased Automobile breakdown protection from Costco.ca. It was issued by a company called Elite in London, Ontario. About 2 months ago I needed the breakdown protection, as I found myself in the parking lot of the Aloft Hotel in Montreal with a dead battery. I called the above company Elite and waited on hold for 45 minutes roaming minutes. When someone finally got on the line they put me on hold for at least 10 more minutes. They came back and told me that their sub-contractors in Montreal were not taking calls and that I should find myself a tow, and send them the bill. They suggested I call the "authorities" and they would "prioritize" a tow truck for me. I must have been talking to Polyanna because the "authorities" would not have given me the time of day, since I was in a hotel lobby with a car in a parking lot in no distress whatsoever. I demanded to speak to a supervisor who after some verbal arm twisting agree to find me someone willing to tow my car which he did in the following hour. I still had to pay that service directly and then apply for reimbursement. Yesterday afternoon I documented the above to Elite and copied the CEO of Costco Canada on my email. By 2 p.m. this afernoon I had received an email from the CEO who assured me I would be contacted by somebody, as she had referred my email to one of her VPs. I received a call which from Mario at Costco in Customer Relations who informed (when we connected after playing telephone tag) that the following actions had been taken: Costco had issued a refund for the towing. Costco had included in the refund an amount to cover my roaming charges for spending 1 hours on the phone. Costco was sending me a gitft card for my troubles. I had simply copied Costco on my email to just let them know how one of their vendors had acted. This is GREAT customer service. It shows that Costco cares, and I will make it a point to reward them with my continuing patronage. With regards to Elite, I have yet to hear from the head of that company. I will let that speak for itself. Bravo Costco! read more

Whew! I always feel like some sort of victor after conquering the intense world of Costco. I recently purchased a membership here, and my experience doing that was great. I was in and out of the store in under fifteen minutes and the staff member I dealt with was very friendly and helpful. Once I decided to make the trek with my sister, we decided it was best to avoid this place on a Saturday (just like Ikea on a Saturday...never a good idea!). We decided to go on a Sunday afternoon and hope for the best. We were rewarded with slightly less crowds, fewer meltdowns, and only having to wait about eight minutes for ice cream. My system at Costco is basically to do the perimeter and avoid any aisles that aren't on our list (like electronics or clothes, which I'd be tempted to linger in!). It went pretty well! Best things about Costco (not in order): - The ice cream. - The free samples! - The bubbly and funny staff. - The produce! It's quite good, especially for my sister who juices and needs a lot of veggies and fruits. - The amount of gluten-free products as well as some environmentally safe cleaning products. Good on you, Costco! Worst things about Costco: - People who stop in the middle of an aisle or people who go crazy slow and block the aisles. - The parking situation. It is a nightmare. Be prepared to lose your desired spot at least once. Patience, my friend. - The massiveness of it all, and the fact that I think I need everything in bulk. I don't. I'll be back Costco! Just not on a Saturday. Note: They only accept debit, cash, and American Express. Don't get stuck with your Visa or Mastercard and a massive cart! read more

The Costco Merivale location is examplary culture that Costco management should strive to achieve in other locations! The Barrhaven Costco location is sickening. The staff there need some sensitivity training A.S.A.P. While the culture in Canada is aiming high to be inclusive of everyone the staff in Barrhaven Costco location couldn't be more racist & unprofessional. Two weeks ago I witnessed two cashiers stereotype their line supervisor who is very helpful to clients and label her because she is an immigrant all along making fun of her English language skills insinuating that she is English illiterate based on a dispute that was going on. In front of clients!!! I was distraught, felt very uncomfortable and left thinking this is very unprofessional work environment. Yesterday, I called the Barrhaven Costco location to get a price on an item they were selling. The administrative staff there were useless. Couldn't help me with my inquiries. I was transferred to "membership" and no one answered. I hung up only to call again and get automatically transferred to the same unanswered line by non other the administrative staff at that location. At the time I decided to call Merivale Costco. The administrative staff there was so cheerful & with pleasure said to me "why you need membership sir since I can help you right here?" And help she did. The Merivale location is an exemplary location for all Costco staff in Ottawa to learn professionalism & customer relations! Good on you Merivale Costco you never cease to exceed my expectations. That same day after two hours passed by, I decided to call the Barrhaven location again (we are now close to mid-day Friday Nov-19-2018) I got the same ignorant treatment from the administrative staff where I was automatically transferred then it dawned on me that my caller ID was at the time from an ethnic location. Wow, I was astonished how racist these people are!!! Shame on you Barrhaven, I can understand some clients in Barrhaven May have tendencies to reject multiculturalism but your staff is the epitome of ignorance and there for you must hold sensitivity training for all your staff in that location. Really disheartening and unprofessional. Btw, the automatic transfers were being done after the administrative staff picked-up my call then transferred me over & over again to an unanswered line just because where I was calling from!!!! read more

Costco Canada is ok, but their online ordering and processes leaves a lot to be desired. This (West Hunt Road) is Costco Canada's HQ (Corporate) Location. I obtained it from an email I received from them recently regarding an issue. I am surprised it is not listed in Yelp. With the no agreement and termination of business relationship with American Express, coupled with their rather "painful" activation process of Costco Cash Cards, I can't say too many good things about the business side of things. You see, I have dealt with Costco USA HQ, I have ordered US Costco Cash Cards. Unlike in Canada, where you have to wait two days to get your Costco Cash Card activated when received by mail, you also have to contact Costco during regular business hours, M-F, to 5 PM. In contrast, with Costco USA, you simply call their 800 number, activate, and you're done. You're on your way. Your card is fully activated. No waiting. Of course, if you buy in-store, you don't have to wait. Furthermore, Costco Canada doesn't listen to customer feedback. For example, Costco Canada discontinued a brand of Wonton Noodle Soup that is still available in the USA. They replaced it with a simple, smaller portion, same priced, Wonton soup without the noodles. This was a great seller, especially in Chinese dominated cities like Vancouver and Richmond. Although Costco [Canada] is king in terms of their return policies, they certainly lack in other areas that are also very important. read more

Costco is awesome! Sometimes I seem to save money on things I may not necessarily need, but Costco has so many interesting deals that are not found elsewhere that I always walk away feeling good about my purchases. I primarily shop at Costco for bulk food purchases. With a Costco membership, you will need storage space; toilet paper, paper towel, canned goods, and if you have a deep freeze the deals on frozen goods or fresh meats are also great. My top picks are the Lactose free milk cartons (cheaper than anywhere else), fresh Salsa in the refrigerated section, and Balderson Cheese! There is also a Food Bank basket located between the doors at the front of the store; I highly recommend grabbing a bulk package of KD or a canned soup bundle to drop off on your way out. read more

Bought two pairs of bi-focal glasses at Costco on Cyrville in Ottawa. Screw on one pair kept falling out after about a month. They repaired it but had to drive in during pandemic lineup. Frame broke in half a few months later on same glasses when I tried to adjust to fit my head (they kept slipping off when I looked down). Brought them back and they replaced frame for free. I guess my review is mixed. Glasses and frame seem lower quality then LensCraft that I purchase before. Lense is harder to get streaks off from Costco pair and I did order the exact same type of lenses as I did from LensCraft. Service was good but glasses seem cheaper. As for the other pair I bought at Costco, I don't use them as much so time will tell if this was just a defective pair. read more

The manager of Costco Barrhaven hearing Aid Center is an exemplary otologist. I AM SO GRATEFUL for the sterling service I received today. Her thoroughness and knowledge are next level but it is her empathy and sincere desire to help those with hearing problems that so impressed me. read more

Love It. After coming from Van I didn't think you could improve on the customer service. Supper friendly! Happy this is my new Costco. Also shorter lines then Van. But yah it is Costco so hit it up at the wrong time expect to wait still read more

1) Impossible to find parking on weekends and during rush hours +huge lines, the space gets really crowed. 2) Overpriced fruits and vegetables 3) Very few high quality selections of just about everything (creams, soaps, food items, etc). 4) A huge selection of junk food! (not healthy) 3) Bad customer service at Costco Optical. I know one person does not represent the whole store. Yet, this Asian customer service representative was quite something. She was not very eager to give me a free trial of lenses, so I literally had to beg her to give it me. At the end, I said "thank you" and she said nothing. Weird nasty attitude, considering that those lenses are not hers...and that is the first time I asked for samples. read more

I was humiliated, intimidated, and harassed by Costco staff yesterday. I do not recommend this location. My membership wasn't linked to the front-end computers (the cash registers). I made the cashier (cash 13, around 2pm, older white male) aware that I've paid my membership fees for the year. He persisted to yell at me saying that I: (1) either buy a membership to make my purchase; or (2) leave. It was as though he was aiming to bully me, by use of making people behind me in line, believe I was trying to scam the store. I thought to myself, why else would he turn to the line and yell, not looking at me? A person by the name of "[name withheld for review]" soon arrived. [name withheld for review] only reinforced the cashier's behaviour. Both [name withheld for review] and the cashier were unable to help. They told me to either buy a membership or leave (over and over). I continued to explain that I've paid for my membership this year. I went as far to ask if they could verify my membership by another means. They refused to do this, and refused to let me make my purchase. I took it upon myself to go to the customer service desk. It was there a membership coordinator identified a problem with the computer and verified my membership was up to date. At first, he was adamant to help. I showed him the transaction, indicating my membership was paid, using my online banking platform (off my mobile phone). His first reaction was: "there's a minus sign before the debit, this indicates you've been returning things to the store." I simply replied that a minus sign on my debit account would indicate money is being taken out. Below that was a transaction for my mortgage. It had a minus sign too. Usually you don't receive money when paying your mortgage, do you? It is still unbeknownst to me if my membership card works correctly; however, information from me was collected. Why is it the client's responsibility to ensure that your systems are working correctly? If there is a problem at the cash, shouldn't a degree of due diligence and prudence be used to ensure your customer is not humiliated; let alone intimidated and harassed by your staff? Should use of a Costco membership be an irksome challenge? Is it right that services I pay for, I can't use in the manner with which they are intended? Should I walk out from a store, I pay to be a member of, feeling humiliated, intimidated, and harassed? This is probably one of the most sickening types of behaviours I've experienced publicly. I question not only the integrity of those employees whom I was met with, but the infrastructure of your organization, which evidently fosters this behaviour. This is not the first time I've noticed behavioural discrepancies with your staff (at various locations). It is by this reasoning I've written this review and would kindly ask that Costco reconsider strategies in place regarding customer service/experience. I'm unable, at this point, to give a positive review and would not recommend this location. read more

I had a new set of tires installed at this Costco branch. First of all, they don't take appointments and since it's a popular service during spring time, it meant having to show up 1.5 hours before opening time to get a spot for the day. During the installation by their "trained" mechanic, he managed to scratch one of the alloy rims and put chip in it with his equipment. When I picked the van up, there were greasy hand prints inside the vehicle. I guess that was too much to expect for them to wipe their hands. read more

Good price on many things here. It's always busy so don't go if you are rushed. The gluten free pizza here is AMAZING!!! best gf pizza I've ever had hands down. I only wish they would bring back the gluten free bagel chips crackers, the gf fish sticks and the other gluten free stuff which in the last month seems to have dissapeared from the shelves. read more

Love Costco. I go with my parents bc they have a membership and I'll be getting one. Ya, it's pretty darn busy,but, you get good deals on everything. I love going there. I got my iPad, iPod there. The grocery selection is awesome and a good deal. The furniture is beautiful And good quality The clothes are amazing. I have nothing bad to say EXCEPT they should really take all methods of payment. But whatever. The return policy is great too. Never an issue. read more

Costco @Merrivale Ottawa is getting worse and worse, for a long time, no more fresh ground pork, we are used to buy from there for more than 15 years, currently only strange tube package non fresh ground pork, no more Canadian produced brand face tissue - Scotties, non wholewheat flour, we have to drive further to go to Barrhaven or Kanata to get these in order to not changing our living habbit. I don't know what happened to this place, Are they looking for more profit? Or they don't care about local Scotties brand or they like white flour only? Hopefully they will read this reviews and continues to provide the above three products. read more

i tried to order Mirage door from Costco. the call centre associated with this process is very incompetent. i could not get the call back they tried to offer and waited a long period of time before someone answered the phone. My friend had already gone through this process and is a Quebecer as am I. She had a lot of trouble getting the door installed at the time and place she requested....now I am having trouble just ordering this door. Costco needs to be more involved in the services it is offering its patrons. read more

So ... I use Costco to save money for my family. It's big, impersonal, and frustrating sometimes, but we do save a lot. My complaints are that you never really know what will be there (their stock changes regularly) and that they don't carry enough healthy, natural products. You also have to keep a close eye on prices. The regular price of Raisin Bran, for example, fluctuates regularly (between approx $4.50 to $7.99 for a super-sized box). So just because it's on the shelf at Costco, doesn't necessarily mean it's a deal compared to other non-club stores. read more

The people are really nice. The price is pretty good. The glasses are great when new. But.... The polycrystalline lens material that they use is very soft and easily scratched. Yes, it may have good optical qualities when new, but what good is that if it becomes useless due to scratches, etc? The scratch resistant coating they use is not effective. After 2 years my glasses are more scratched than my old 25-year old ones that I still use (not polycrystalline, CR39 maybe?). The anti-glare coating may reduce glare, I don't know, but it does attract smudges, oil, dirt,etc. After one hour of wear they are always all smudged up and need to be cleaned. Get ready for constant cleaning! And, you can't say no to the anti-glare coating at Costco. Why? I don't know, but it's definitely more of a problem than a benefit. I reported this to them, but they just shrugged it off. One dissatisfied customer lost is not a problem I guess. Anyway that's my experience. 2 out of 5 stars for the nice people. Zero for the quality of the lenses. You draw your own conclusion. read more

My wife bought a watch for her mom. Her mom came from China, stayed with us for several months, then went back China. Several month later, her mom came from China to visit us again. She told us the watch has stopped working. We went to the Costco store to tell the customer service about the watch's problem. The store offered us an immediate return of the watch without hesitation - too good to be true. read more

I spent over $700 in groceries this past weekend (Nov 4th), so the cart was extremely full. The guy that's supposed to pack the groceries ignored the fact I had taken bags out right in front of him and starting putting everything on the cart the way it was...nothing packed....I was with my sister and my 9 months old baby. When I asked him why he didn't use the bags he told me he could give me another empty cart so I could bag it as I wanted in the car.....WTF!!! so he basically expected me to somehow between my sister and I to carry two carts with a stroller and the baby...I had to move to a closed cashier and put all the groceries on the floor so I could put them in the bag. My sister carried the cart while I had to carry the baby with one arm and pull the stroller with the other hand as it was carrying the box of diapers. HORRIBLE SERVICE! no one even offered to help! read more

Though there was a problem with price match from other Costco store by Asst. Manager Martin, Andrew Asst. Director came out and helped in matching the price. read more

If you are trying to save some money on tires, make sure that you have the whole day off. They never finish your car on time & for sure more than 1.5 hours than the actual promised time. People at the tire center are not as friendly as at the main store, i think they think they are the only place in Canada that you can buy tires from. This is my last tire and the oil change is $5 less at oil changers and done (15 minutes) while you are still waiting inline to get your car in at Costco read more