Beginning August 1, one-stop-shop wholesaler Price Costco will phase out its wholesale club, which entails a membership card system that has been implemented for about a decade now.<\/p>\n
Primary cardholders would even get a refund of their membership fees, according to Price Costco general manager Yasuhito Irinaka.<\/p>\n
Price Costco\u2019s annual membership costs $25. Primary cardholders who have more than six months remaining on their membership would be refunded the $25 fee, Irinaka said.<\/p>\n
For those who have less then six months remaining on their membership by Aug. 1, Irinaka said primary cardholders would get a 50-percent refund\u2014or $12.50.<\/p>\n
\u201cManagement has observed that there are a significant number of non-members who want to take advantage of the low prices and unique U.S.-sourced warehouse club merchandise selection available on Saipan only at Price Costco,\u201d Irinaka said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re listening to the public. We want to see what we can do,\u201d said Irinaka, who recently assumed Costco\u2019s top executive post.<\/p>\n
Currently, Irinaka said Costco has about 4,500 members. A 5-percent surcharge is levied on non-members who purchase items at the shop.<\/p>\n
Once the membership card system is phased out, anyone can purchase quality goods from Costco without the surcharge.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur concept is low [profit] margin for quality goods,\u201d Irinaka said, expressing optimism that Costco\u2019s volume of customers would further increase.<\/p>\n
Irinaka became general manager of Price Costco last April. Prior to this, he headed the Hafa Adai Shopping Center in a similar capacity. The business executive joined the Joeten family in 1995.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s about time we make some changes. We have to give the public a chance,\u201d Irinaka said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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