Mystery phone use

Image via Wikipedia

Needed to make a Costco stop on the way home from work today, and during that I was really struck by something I'd just vaguely been noticing in previous Costco visits. Namely, the number of people in the store who were using their cell phones and actively talking to someone.

These were not people just walking around between putting items in their carts. They were stopped, faced towards an item or items and using the phone.

What can be causing that many people to be making calls while shopping in Costco? Some possibilities that occur:

• Needing to clarify exactly what item or items need to be bought.
• Finding an item that was supposed to be bought is not there and checking if something else that is there is acceptable.
• Checking if the other person is also interested in an item that was not planned to be bought but caught the attention of the person who was in the store.

Any other possibilties occur to you?

Costco: Keeping you alert

Image via Wikipedia

One thing that is consistent about shopping at Costco is that every so often when you go in you will find the placement within the store of some categories of items has undergone major shifts.

I assume this done at least partly to improve sales numbers of certain categories by bringing them into the areas that have heavier foot traffic. I can understand that.

It can be a momentary irritant having to at times hunt down where an item I consistently buy there has been moved to. But I try to think of it as an exercise in staying alert.