What is the Costco Cart Pusher Job in 2024?

Costco cart pushers play an integral behind-the-scenes role in keeping shopping carts readily available for the floods of customers visiting the popular big box chain daily. As per recent job posts, they earn an average starting rate of $17.35 per hour as of January 2023.

But what does the job actually entail on a day-to-day basis? And what qualifications must applicants have in order to land the role and succeed? Let‘s take a more in-depth look at what it‘s really like working as cart attendant at Costco warehouses across the country.

Key Job Duties and Responsibilities

The core daily duties include:

• Safely operating motorized cart caddies to haul trains of up to 30 shopping carts at once from the parking lots back to store front entrances
  • Following equipment safety protocols like wearing high-visibility vests when driving caddies
• Manually pushing rows of 10+ carts short distances when needed
• Assisting customers in moving carts to/from their vehicles and loading purchases
• Monitoring parking lots for stray carts and returning them to designated cart corrals
  • Reporting damaged corrals, holes/cracks on pavement, etc to facilities team
• Providing exemplary customer service by answering product questions, giving directions to items
• Performing additional cleaning or stocking tasks during less busy periods or per manager requests

The cart pusher role is best suited for those who like lots of physical activity and don‘t mind working outdoors in all weather conditions. Applicants should be comfortable being on their feet 7-8 hours a shift with the CDC estimating that retail workers walk an average of 4 miles per day. Proper footwear and stretching is crucial to managing this level of activity.

Cart pushers act as one of the first faces customers see when entering stores, so strong customer service skills are a must. Key soft skills for the role include:

• Communication abilities – giving clear directions to shoppers when asked
• Patience – when dealing with stressed customers like parents with young kids
• Time management – to juggle cart retrieval with other duties
• Attention to safety – spotting potential hazards in parking area

During peak sales holidays like Black Friday, cart attendants play an integral role in keeping ample carts available despite surging customer volumes.

Position Requirements and Qualifications

To qualify for the cart pusher job at Costco, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• At least 18 years of age to operate motorized equipment
• Eligible to work in the United States
• Valid driver‘s license with ability to drive caddies
• Ability to exert well over 100 lbs of force occasionally to push heavy rows of carts
• Willingness to work outdoors year-round in both cold and hot weather
• Pass the company‘s background check

Retail experience, while not mandatory, is strongly preferred to demonstrate your customer service abilities.

What‘s the Work Schedule Like?

Cart pusher roles at Costco are part-time positions with variable hours based on location and seasonal needs. Here‘s an example breakdown:

Weekday Shifts

Shift 1 – 7:30am to 1:30pm
Shift 2 – 1pm to 7pm

Weekend Shifts

Early – 7am to 3pm
Mid Day – 10am to 6:30pm
Close – 1:30pm to 9:30pm

So late morning and afternoon shifts tend to be most common. However, attendants need to remain flexible to work earlier openings, closings, overnight restock shifts and extended weekday hours as dictated by management, product deliveries, and patron traffic.

Hours per week depend on seasonal needs, but usually range from 15 to 30 hours on average. And that expans up during peak holiday sales of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas when stores can be open extended hours.

Salary and Benefits Package

According to recent job postings, the current average hourly wage starts at $17.35 though pay varies depending on experience, tenure, and geographic region. Exact compensation offered will be listed in job postings.

In terms of employee benefits, part-time cart workers qualify for:

• Employer Healthcare Insurance
• Merchandise employee discount
• Employee assistance programs
• Accrued paid vacation time
• 401(k) retirement saving plans after qualifying periods

Certain locations also provide attendance bonuses after working peak holiday sales events without missing any scheduled shifts.

As a real world example, here is a breakdown of Year 1 potential earnings for a cart pusher working an average of 25 weekly hours in Virginia:

• Hourly Wage – $16.50
• Average Weekly Hours – 25
• Yearly Wages – $21,420
• Healthcare Insurance – $720 annual premium with 75% employer coverage so $180 out of pocket
• Merchandise Employee Discount Savings – Estimated at $1,000+ in annual savings
• Total Year 1 Value – $22,420 annually

Clearly the ability to qualify for health insurance and retirement benefits on a part-time schedule offers invaluable security.

Pros and Cons of the Role

Pros

• Higher compensation than typical retail associates at over $17 per hour
• Ability to qualify for healthcare benefits despite part-time status
• Opportunities to advance within to managerial roles
• Gain customer service skills

Cons

• Physically exhausting with 7+ miles walked daily
• All outdoor work in unpleasant weather year-round
• Repetitive retrieving and pushing motions
• Irregular hours with late nights and weekends

So it can be suitable job for those seeking flexibility from school or second jobs. But for long-term career potential, many use it as stepping stone towards leadership positions. Checking Costco employee feedback sites like Indeed, you‘ll see many GMs and assistant managers started as cart attendants.

Applying and Interview Prep Tips

If interested, you can complete a Costco online application or apply in-person at a warehouse location.

Be prepared to answer questions on:

• Why you want to work for Costco specifically
• How you‘d politely handle agitated shoppers
• Scenarios of going above and beyond for customers
• Your comfort working outdoors extensively

I suggest emphasizing any retail experience interacting with shoppers. Quantify past achievements like employee awards won, peak sales volumes handled, etc. to position your work ethic and customer service diligence.

Based on my conversations with store GMs while working at other big box retailers, key qualities they target in applicants include reliability, self motivation, teamwork skills and composure under pressure. Bringing examples that demonstrate these assets can really help your candidacy stand out.

The Final Verdict

In summary, Costco clearly offers extensive advancement possibilities for long-term employment. In the short term, the cart pusher role proves less glamorous with extensive manual labor required outdoors daily. But impressive hourly wages and opportunities to qualify for benefits in a part-time status make it worthwhile for those seeking flexibility or ring the first rung on the retail leadership ladder. Just come prepared for lots of physical activity!