CH.16: Symbolic Consumer Behavior

    Costco provides profane items such as household products that everyday consumers like to purchase and enjoy without having any specialty. Items such as coffee, milk, pens, and toilet paper are products that Costco provides to its customers throughout the year. Costco also provides sacred items like jewelry. Jewelry items can be passed down through generations since they are made of durable quality. Items like these can be considered sacred because they are treated with great respect. Costco understands this and ensures their Costco members are receiving the best deal on jewelry items. 

                                                        

Stages of gift-giving

Costco is, no doubt, a place where one goes to buy gifts for people. When people go to Costco in hopes to purchase a gift for someone they are in the first stage of gift-giving, which is the gestation stage. In this stage, Costco members consider what to get as a gift for the person. Costco offers a variety of items that are great gifts, such as kitchenware sets, jewelry, and electronics. They also have baskets stuffed with goodies like chocolate, popcorn, and even wine. These baskets are offered year-round with new offerings for different seasons allowing people to buy and gift them for different holidays. During the holidays, in December, Costco’s revenue increases due to all the gifts people are purchasing for their loved ones.