Yes, I once got a sample of a frozen meal. It was thawed out but still cold in the middle. It tasted really bland and not at all like what the description said. It was a big disappointment.
The worst for me was when I was in line for a sample of a popular new coffee blend. There were so many people pushing and shoving in the line. By the time I got to the front, they had run out of samples. I wasted a good 15 minutes waiting in that chaotic line for nothing. It was really frustrating, especially since I had specifically made my way to that part of the store for the sample.
One horror story could be getting a sample that was clearly spoiled. For example, a customer took a bite of a sample sandwich only to find the meat smelled rancid. Another might be when the sample giver was extremely pushy. They wouldn't take no for an answer and made customers feel uncomfortable. And there was a case where a sample had an ingredient that someone was allergic to but it wasn't clearly marked. A customer had a minor allergic reaction right there in the store.
Sure. There was a traveler who booked a luxury resort stay through Costco Travel. When they got there, the resort was undergoing major renovations. There was construction noise all day long, and parts of the resort like the pool and some restaurants were closed. The traveler was not informed about this at all before arrival. They felt very cheated as they had paid a high price for a relaxing vacation.
One horror story could be long lines at the checkout. People have to wait for hours sometimes, especially during peak hours like weekends or holidays. It's really frustrating when you just want to quickly buy your stuff and leave.
There was a case where a couple booked a cruise via Costco Travel. During the cruise, they faced issues with the food quality. It was not up to the standard that was promised. Also, some of the excursions they booked through Costco Travel were mismanaged. For example, the transportation to one of the excursions was late, and they almost missed the activity. They had to constantly complain to Costco Travel to get some sort of compensation.
Perhaps a top story could be related to Costco's membership benefits. Their membership offers great deals on bulk purchases, exclusive discounts, and services like optical and pharmacy. It's very appealing to customers, and any updates or improvements to these benefits would be a significant story.
Yes, I once stayed in a hostel where the room was freezing cold at night. The heater wasn't working, and when I asked the staff about it, they just said there was nothing they could do. It was so uncomfortable that I barely got any sleep that night.
Candy samples can be incorporated by making them the rewards in the story. Like the characters in the bedtime story are on a journey, and whenever they complete a task, they get a candy sample. You can describe how delicious each sample is to make it more interesting for kids. Also, you can have the characters use the candy samples to solve problems. For instance, a mint - flavored candy sample can be used to cool down a hot path they need to cross in the story.
One could be about a little girl who discovers a magical box of candy samples. Each candy she tries takes her on a different adventure, like flying through a land made of marshmallows with a candy cane as her wand.
By offering value - for - money products. Their large - scale buying enables them to get lower prices from suppliers and pass on the savings to customers.