# I'm annoyed at BJ's Wholesale Club **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 12, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277 "2013-07-12T02:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/41 "2013-07-18T10:13:25Z")
I suppose you could solve this problem by having your husband sign up for the next card, and rotating between the two of you every 14 months. Me? That’s too much of a headache to have to complete paperwork and get new cards. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/42 "2013-07-18T11:46:57Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > I suppose you could solve this problem by having your husband sign up for the next card, and rotating between the two of you every 14 months. But I’d have to have a gay marriage for that. And that means my membership card wouldn’t be valid in most states. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/43 "2013-07-18T12:39:20Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You can get a BJ wholesale? Shit, I’m never paying retail again!! The logistics of wholesaling BJs must be quite challenging. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/44 "2013-07-18T12:52:37Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Do you really think it’s normal to pay for things you didn’t buy? Because it isn’t. All your analogies fail for the same reason: BJs isn’t forcing you to be a member. You are choosing to pay for your membership, and then to renew it. Pay your bill, cheapskate. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/45 "2013-07-18T12:58:30Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Background, I’m a Costco member, and shop there routinely. I’m welcome to use BJs under the same conditions, even though I am very much NOT a member of their store. The only difference between me and Little Nemo is that he has paid for BJs membership in the past, I haven’t. > > Conceptually, these folks are simply allowing their membership to lapse after it runs out, then getting a new membership when they want to shop at BJs again. Thanks for the explanation, but it’s not needed. Everyone reading the thread understands how the OP _wants_ the membership system to work. Unfortunately, that’s not how it actually works. Under this system, things would be more complicated for BJs and it would cost them money. Plus it’s not how memberships to things generally does work. For example, take Maxim… > [@](#): > > My Maxim subscription ends, I stop paying them until I want to get more magazines. If that’s 2 months later, I can restart my 1 year subscription with a 2 month gap. Not true. I finally outgrew maxim a few years ago. I stopped paying them and it took years for the magazines to actually stop coming after my subscription lapsed. They make money off ads mostly, not subscription fees. It’s in their best interests to have as many subscribers as possible, even if they don’t pay. That’s why most magazines are free for the first year. If you did pay two months late, you wouldn’t be given a two month gap. Your new subscription would begin at the end date of your old one. I regularly renew Wired, Fast Company, Field and Stream and others and they all work this way. The NRA and AAA also work this way since I’ve paid them both many years now as well. Do you have any real life examples of a membership or subscription that would actually give you a break for a two month lapse in membership? > [@](#): > > If these stores wanted to, they could institute a new pricing scheme, let’s assume today’s membership is $50/yr: > Annual Membership $55 > Renewal Membership $50 - valid when there is no lapse in membership > New Member Discount $5 Sure they could. They can set it up however they want. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/46 "2013-07-18T13:10:38Z")
[QUOTE=Budget Player Cadet] I was gonna point out that I wanted to join, but then I noticed the apostrophe. [/QUOTE] > [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > So you decided to stick with Trapper John’s Wholesale Club? _Trapper?_ I thought that said _Snapper_. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/47 "2013-07-18T13:27:59Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I wish that FTFY was allowed: > > FTFY Damn!!! That would be nice, like. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/48 "2013-07-18T13:42:57Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > But I’d have to have a gay marriage for that. And that means my membership card wouldn’t be valid in most states. You should try and change the world, one BJ at a time. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/49 "2013-07-18T13:58:57Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Thanks for the explanation, but it’s not needed. Everyone reading the thread understands how the OP _wants_ the membership system to work. Unfortunately, that’s not how it actually works. Under this system, things would be more complicated for BJs and it would cost them money. Plus it’s not how memberships to things generally does work. My apologies, when you use the term “insane logic” I thought you actually meant that the concept was illogical. Companies may not setup their subscription services to work this way, since it would cost them money, but the concept is perfectly logical, do you disagree? Why should BJ’s preference in the terms trump Little Nemo’s? Business agreements are ones of joint acceptance, if LN doesn’t want to be counted as a member after his 1yr term expires, why does BJs get to do that unilaterally? ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/50 "2013-07-18T14:48:13Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > My apologies, when you use the term “insane logic” I thought you actually meant that the concept was illogical. > > Companies may not setup their subscription services to work this way, since it would cost them money, but the concept is perfectly logical, do you disagree? The insane part is him thinking that he gets to dictate terms to BJs and get a special break that no one else is getting. Plus the fact that basically all subscription and memberships work this way so what he wants is highly unusual. > [@](#): > > Why should BJ’s preference in the terms trump Little Nemo’s? Business agreements are ones of joint acceptance, if LN doesn’t want to be counted as a member after his 1yr term expires, why does BJs get to do that unilaterally? Do you seriously need me to answer this? Because the reason is that it would not make sense for BJs to have different agreements with each of it’s customers. They need to have one policy (or maybe several) for all members. They work with lawyers and accountants and come up with the agreement and the price. Then people can choose to join or not. Do you seriously think it would be a good idea to BJs to individually negotiate it’s terms of membership with every individual member? I’ll ask you the same thing I asked him. Should other industries work this way? Should you be able to pay your credit card bill whenever you like and not have a late fee? After all, “business agreements are ones of joint acceptance”. You guys are such special little flowers? Are you both millennials? The terms of the BJs membership agreement are for the common people! Not you. You are too important to pay the $9.17. The rules don’t apply to you, especially if you decide you don’t like them. Let me guess: You always got a trophy in sports, even if you lost. Pay your bills, penny-pinchers. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/51 "2013-07-18T15:03:55Z")
My contract with you expired, I’m not paying you money, that means I’m not a member of your club, and therefore, I’m not subject to whatever terms you have dreamed up for your membership. BJs does not get to set terms for their membership agreement and apply them to non-members. They don’t need special snowflake terms, just set the membership start date at the time of payment, just like they did when he first signed up. BJs is the one complicating the process by backdating the start date of the renewal. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/52 "2013-07-18T15:09:16Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > They don’t need special snowflake terms, just set the membership start date at the time of payment, just like they did when he first signed up. Do you not see how the second half of this sentence contradicts the first? **They don’t need special snowflake terms** , _just change everything around to exactly how they want it to be, which is different than the deal that everyone else gets._ Sorry if I got whooshed there. If that’s a parody post, it’s a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/53 "2013-07-18T15:13:44Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > **They don’t need special snowflake terms** , _just change everything around to exactly how they want it to be, which is different than the deal that everyone else gets._ I’ll try and make it simple, just for you. > [@](#): > > Because the reason is that it would not make sense for BJs to have different agreements with each of it’s customers. They need to have one policy (or maybe several) for all members. One policy… your membership end date is 12 months from the day you sign up/renew your membership. It’s extremely simple, they don’t do it because they figure they can make more money by backdating renewals. It’s not because backdating is more sensible or logical, or ethical, it’s because it makes them more money. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/54 "2013-07-18T15:23:19Z")
You really need that nine dollars and seventeen cents, don’t you? It’s not “backdating” the membership. It’s renewing the membership at the date the old membership expired. The fact that you’re paying late is hardly their fault. Sure, I concede that they are doing this to make money. They’re a business. There’s nothing wrong with that. Plus, as I’ve pointed out this is the way that just about every membership or subscription based business runs. We’ve yet to see a single example in this thread of your proposal actually occurring in real life. You are a special snowflake, indeed. You want to change the way the whole world works so you and the OP can have your $9.17. Pay your bills, tightwad. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/55 "2013-07-18T15:44:14Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > You really need that nine dollars and seventeen cents, don’t you? I know someone else who really covets that $9.17. Interesting, though, when BJ’s specifically adjusts their renewal process to capture it, we get: > [@](#): > > They’re a business. There’s nothing wrong with that. When a human being covets $9.17, we get: > [@](#): > > Pay your bills, tightwad. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/56 "2013-07-18T15:53:34Z")
The only one wanting an adjustment is you and the OP. BJs gets to make the terms of their membership agreement, just like any other company. You are free to join or not to join. It’s up to you. But if you don’t like it then just go somewhere else. You don’t get to make up special rules about how you get to pay because you are so cheap. Pay your bills, Scrooge McDuck. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/57 "2013-07-18T16:33:26Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > BJs gets to make the terms of their membership agreement, just like any other company. You are free to join or not to join. It’s up to you. I’m not a member, so their terms don’t apply to me. Or do they? The question is whether a person who has let their membership agreement expire is a member or not. I think it’s perfectly logical to state that such a person is not actually a member anymore. If they are not members (like me) do BJs terms apply to them, when they do not apply to me? If they are not members (like me) then they should be treated the same way when they choose to shop at BJs this weekend, as I would be treated if I made the same decision. They are not, however. We pay the same amount in fees, but my membership ends later than theirs does. Where is the logic in that? ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/58 "2013-07-18T17:10:59Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > The logistics of wholesaling BJs must be quite challenging. Not mention, who really wants like a dozen at once? ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/59 "2013-07-18T17:23:22Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I’m not a member, so their terms don’t apply to me. Or do they? Then why do you care? > [@](#): > > The question is whether a person who has let their membership agreement expire is a member or not. I think it’s perfectly logical to state that such a person is not actually a member anymore. I don’t care what you think, and neither do the people at BJs who set up the terms of the membership agreement. The world does not revolve around you and what you think. > [@](#): > > If they are not members (like me) do BJs terms apply to them, when they do not apply to me? They are members renewing, you are a new member joining for the first time. > [@](#): > > If they are not members (like me) then they should be treated the same way when they choose to shop at BJs this weekend, as I would be treated if I made the same decision. They are not, however. We pay the same amount in fees, but my membership ends later than theirs does. Where is the logic in that? There has to be a cutoff point somewhere. BJs decided on two months. That’s completely reasonable. That allows members who genuinely leave for a long time to rejoin like a new member. It also prevents the sort of scam that the OP is trying to pull and save nine dollars. It’s perfectly reasonable, and there is nothing illogical about it. [You’re not special.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f2j53aXDUQ) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277/60 "2013-07-18T17:24:07Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > The question is whether a person who has let their membership agreement expire is a member or not. I think it’s perfectly logical to state that such a person is not actually a member anymore. If they are not members (like me) do BJs terms apply to them, when they do not apply to me? Well their membership agreement states, “Memberships renewed within 2 months after expiration of the current Membership year will be extended for 12 months from the expiration date. Memberships renewed more than 2 months after such expiration will be exteneded for12 months from the renewal date.” So the bit that the OP is complaining about is part of the deal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-annoyed-at-bjs-wholesale-club/663277.md?page=4)