COSTCO APALITE members are seeing a big shopping problem

When Costco announced earlier this year that it would expand opening hours for senior members, the reaction was mixed.

Some retail professionals and members called Costco for Offending Center Acting in additional ways. Others were quick to point out that Costco’s policy was elitist, and that treating ordinary Gold Star members like second-class citizens would only hurt the company’s business model.

Costco employees also took to the Internet to complain about starting the shipment several hours earlier.

“We’re just open,” one employee cried on the red line.

“It’s 4 am,” wrote another. “This will suck the US stocks and forklift drivers to be at 3 AM in ways that I will have to be up at 1-1:30 to work on time.”

Costco, unlike most retailers, gets a large chunk of its revenue from membership fees. Therefore it cannot lose members.

On the other hand, if Costco can convert Gold Star members into Executive Man Countel members, it could increase revenue in a serious way. So it makes sense for Costco to make a deal for higher tier members.

Related: Costco is offering its biggest membership promotion ever

And using the first hours of shopping is not the company’s only strategy. Costco recently added an incentive for members of the executive committee to order the delivery of the same organic products – $10 off any order of $150 or more. That a -every month $10 credit that automatically renews.

While some would argue that opening the store early only to select members is not a very good idea on Costco’s part, the company is not right to reward shoppers who sell to shoppers who participate in the platform.

“The early hours add another benefit to the high-end nature of the membership program. Yes, it can create a little confusion (and it can encourage some people to sell the top tier,” said Neil Saunders of Globaldata’s Restail Division, in a consumer interview.

And, as Saunders pointed out, “it’s not like the other tiers are losing anything as the opening hours will remain the same as they are now.”

As good as it can be to go shopping while the store is in full swing, senior members note that they should get to Costco as soon as you open a serious bargain.

For one, customers who arrive early may be long gone before Costco’s popular free samples roll out. But perhaps the biggest annoyance is honestly that shopping early can lead to long waits in the checkout aisles.

Related: Sam’s Club makes bold move to win over Costco members

Recently, COSTCO Executives in Central New Jersey noted that when they went to check out the first two hours of shopping, there were only two or three open registers – whereas normally there would be two where most are available.