Contents
           1     Introduction
           2    Retailing Strategy
           3  Merchandise Management
           4    Store Management
    Introduction
   
    Membership Warehouse Club
     best possible prices on quality brand-
     name merchandise
     wide selection of merchandise
     convenience of specialty departments
     exclusive member services
      Introduction
    History
       first location opened in 1976 under the Price Club 
       name San Diego, CA, U.S.A.
       small businesses  serving a selected audience of 
       non-business members
       first Costco warehouse location opened in Seattle, 
       WA, U.S.A.
       Taiwan's first location opened in 1997 in Kaohsiung 
       - three in Taipei market, one in Hsinchu, one in 
       Taichung, and one in Kaohsiung.
       Retailing Strategy
    Retail Market Strategy
       Target Market Strategy
        • Primary target market is small businesses
        • Marketing teams contact local businesses, trying to 
         persuade them into purchasing a business 
         membership
        • Direct mail marketing to attract potential customers 
         that meet their customer profile
        • Reliance of members using word-of-mouth to attract 
         new members to the company
       Retailing Strategy
    Retail Market Strategy
       Products
        • Low prices on selected private and a limited selection 
         of nationally branded products in a wide range of 
         merchandise categories
        • Kirkland Signature: currently carries 330 private label 
         items which make up 15% of their sales (2006)
        • Carry only around 4,000 active stock keeping units
        • Some offerings rotate in and out of the warehouse 
         based on season, and other factors.