Flash Report 4 minutesRegister for Free AccessShoppers Flock to Costco’s First China Store, Forcing It to Close Early Coresight Research August 28, 2019 Executive SummaryOn August 27, Costco opened its first store in China, in the Minhang district of Shanghai. The Coresight Research team visited on opening day and saw the store gain huge traffic, forcing it to shut early due to overcrowding. Costco gained heavy traffic and customer flows: lines were formed before opening; consumers had to wait three hours for parking; average check-out time was about two hours. From August 28, Costco is introducing traffic control in the store. Costco sold 160,000 membership cards on opening day. Members enjoy benefits including full refund of membership cancellation, free return and 90-day return of electronics. Food and consumables are the most popular area to shop, with products priced around 10-20% lower than market prices. Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in: Weekly US and UK Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2023, Week 40: US Closures Up 77% vs. Last YearEarnings Insights 4Q22, Week 3: CVS and L’Oréal Report Strong Sales Momentum; Capri, Coty and VF Corp See DeclinesBreathing New Life into the Shopping Experience: The Surge of the Resale Market—China Retail InsightsThree Data Points We’re Watching This Week