It's absolutely intentional. It means you have to browse the store. And if something piques your interest -- you know you can't wait to buy it "next time" since it might not be there.
Apparently Costco plans a fully separate online order picking area in one of their new massive warehouses. With that they won't have the uncertainty of shrinkage (Costco has a serious problem with theft), and of course the amount of inventory that is moving around the store in people's buggies.
I don't think there is any intention to it, but it's just a legacy remnant of being a very successful B&M company where they would periodically do an inventory and figure out where they actually stand.
Ordering something at Target for Order Pickup is very straightforward and convenient. For Costco, I guess they don't want you to just order 1-2 items for order pickup and be on your way. Not to mention, the parking lot situation at Costco is a major turnoff to going.
Costco also accepted an item return over a year later. To be fair, it almost caused a fire by turning itself on in the middle of the night.
For online ordering where do you want them to store your purchase? The whole layout of the store is that all available inventory is on the floor since its a warehouse by design. Target and Walmart are retail designed stores which has a different purpose in mind.
Seriously?, the parking is like any other store, there are peak and non-peak times.
The thread yesterday (based on another post from the same source as this one) said Costco had much lower theft (shrinkage) than rivals.
First, because of the size of the products themselves. It's hard to conceal them. And small items come in blister packs which are hard to open even at home. Second, because they have cameras and have almost every shopper's photo and address on file. Third, because they have the receipt checkers at the exit.
I'd love to know how theft happens.
It's more like if an item or 2 "sneak in" and the checker just lets them go. It'd cost more money in congesting the line, grabbing security, etc. to contest that item than it would be to just let them go. They don't want to press charges on someone who spent $100 because they wanted to sneak some $15 pills by. All stores expect X% theft anyway and build it into the price of their item (or secure it better if it's a small, often stolen good, like tech).
It's probably a cultural choice, though. Meanwhile, the Walmart down the street is much more aggressive on that stuff.
"Pressing charges" isn't a thing.
Seeing as Costco exists in Ontario, Canada. Where citizens with knowledge of a crime can use private prosecution.
The only plausible thing is to steal at the self-checkout, but the receipts are different and cause more scrutiny at the door.