NILES, IL - MARCH 8, 2002: (FILE PHOTO) Sales associate Don Ebert (R) checks a shopper's purchase March 8, 2002 at a Costco Wholesale store in Niles, Illinois. Warehouse retailer Costco Wholesale Corp. has reported higher quarterly profits as the promise of bulk goods at bargain prices resonated with consumers in the U.S. recession. Warehouse retailers charge customers an annual membership fee, typically $35 to $45, to shop at clubs that offer deep discounts on bulk quantities of items like food and household cleaners. Costco, the largest U.S. warehouse club operator, reported May 28, 2003 an 18 percent jump on higher sales in the third quarter, causing its stock to go up seven percent. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)
