I think they're more marketing-oriented than you're suggesting. There's a reason I have to walk by the big-screen TVs every time I walk in to my Costco, and why they hire all those workers (who are contractors, no?) to give out food samples. Come to think of it, at my local store, everything you might want to "browse through", from clothes to books to seasonal stuff, is in the low-shelved center of the store, while the "dependables" are in the back.

I'm sure they make money from the members who buy the same dozen things every time they visit, but I bet they make a lot more from the folks who browse the sample stations and who buy TVs on impulse.

Anyway, that counters my argument about Amazon, since they'll never be able to hand out Bagel Bites!