Costco quietly fixed a massive customer checkout pain point

Core Insights - Costco's business model focuses on minimizing costs to provide savings to its members, operating its stores like warehouses with merchandise on pallets and limited traditional store investments [1][2] - The company emphasizes a simple operating philosophy of keeping costs down and leveraging its large membership base and buying power to offer the best prices [2] - While cautious with technology investments, Costco is making strategic upgrades to enhance user experience, including checkout process improvements and digital enhancements [3][4][6] Checkout Improvements - Costco has tested self-checkout but has shifted to a new method that integrates human cashiers while speeding up the checkout process for members [4] - The new checkout technology allows employees to scan items while members are in line, reducing the time spent at the cashier [5] Technology Enhancements - The company is advancing its technology roadmap for digital and e-commerce, focusing on improving search effectiveness and user experience [6] - Recent enhancements include data augmentation for better search, passwordless sign-in for the mobile app, and a waiting room feature for high-demand items to reduce bot traffic and improve site stability during peak times [7]