Another reason to patronize Costco over Wall Mart:

[roguevalley]

Costco vs. Wal-Mart
Sam's Club has 71 percent more U.S. stores than Costco, yet Costco's total sales are 5 percent higher. The average Costco store generates almost double the revenue of a Sam's Club. By any hard-nosed business measure, Costco is succeeding brilliantly against what may be the most formidable competitor in any industry on Earth.

Furthermore, Costco's success translates directly into benefits for workers and customers in the very manner that cheerleaders for corporate America have long described. The company offers "the best wages and benefits in retail." Its starting hourly wage is $10. Full-time hourly workers earn annual salaries of $40,000 after four years.

And get this: Whenever Costco buyers negotiate a good deal on products, the savings are actually passed on to customers. No, seriously; markups are capped at 14 percent.

For an interesting read, Costco vs. Wal-Mart

Rest of the story is at Bartcop in the entertainment section.