Makro Membership Requirements?

[autolover]

Many years ago when there were no hyper markets like Tesco Lotus or BigC. There was only one wholesale market which is Makro so it was really limited for business members who mostly are grocery or minimart owners would buy things from here to resell.Right now, to beat the competitors, they will need to be easy-to-access and they are now open for most buyers to shop there. One who wants to buy will have to ask for temporary id for one time buy or you can apply for a member easily which you will not need to be a grocery shop owner anymore.

[bluemoon58]

This is Thailand. They're not big on rules. Just go and join. I did...

[deesquared]

I've shopped there for years and never had a card. At check out they ask and I just tell them that I don't have one. No problems. It's the same at Tesco Lotus. They ask me every time if I have a member ship card and I just say that I don't. Other than mailings (yea!) does anyone know the benefits?

[silverhawk_usa]

I don't shop at Makro often, but the times I have, both Mae Rim and Super Highway, I never had a card. I didn't know it was supposed to be required. Ignorance is bliss.

[Farma]

We were told that to get a business card you had to first deposit 10 000.-, presumably they get credit up to that limit and a bill every month.

My wife has 2 makro business cards. Deposits were not required.

[Saan]

Never bothered about a card nor been asked for one. In my early days in Thainland I was not really aware of the inane licensing hours and tried to buy a cask of wine after 2. Manageress called over and she simply took it over to another cashier and asked a shopper with a cart piled high with alcohol purchases if it could go on his receipt. Good bit of lateral thinking - he could claim it on tax and I got my wine after hours. Everyone happy.

[AjarnMartin]

Like most things in Thailand there are different ways of skinning a cat. Makro Phitsanulok membership is open to both businesses and individuals. It makes no difference if you are Thai or farang. Best bet is to go to the information desk of the store and ask! Here, I had to show receipts for 3000 THB of previous purchases and they gave me the card on the spot. Good luck.

[Sparkles]

I've shopped there for years and never had a card. At check out they ask and I just tell them that I don't have one. No problems. It's the same at Tesco Lotus. They ask me every time if I have a member ship card and I just say that I don't. Other than mailings (yea!) does anyone know the benefits?

No other benefits but for some of us a few years ago,not having a card,meant you had no right to purchase.No big deal at the time, it took 5 minutes of our time. I don't mind the Makro mailing its a heads up for any specials rather than wandering around the entire store.

Big C and Tesco run discounts if you have their free membership card.Tesco mail out discount coupons Spend 500 b plus at Big C and they give you a 5 baht discount receipt to use at next purchase which obviously increases the more you spend. Alternatively you can go to Tops and Rimping and pay more for some products but a bigger choice of imported products its all a matter of choice.We are lucky we have so many choices and for fruit and veges, loads of markets.

[Bagwan]

Things may change soon anyway. From a few weeks ago:

Billionaire Dhanin

Chearavanont’s CP All

(CPALL) Pcl, owner of Thailand’s 7-Eleven chain, offered to pay about $6.6 billion

for discount retailer Siam Makro Pcl

(MAKRO) in the biggest takeover announced in Asia this year.

CP All, controlled by Dhanin’s Charoen Pokphand Group, agreed to pay 787 baht

a share for the 64 percent of Siam Makro owned by SHV Holdings NV, the company

said today. It will also make a tender offer to other shareholders at the same

price, a 15 percent premium to Siam Makro’s share price of 682 baht before it

was suspended from trading yesterday.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-23/cp-all-offers-6-6-billion-for-thai-retailer-siam-makro.html

If they start charging 7-11 prices they're finished

It isn't always cheaper to shop at Makro. Always check the prices and for some items two smaller sizes are cheaper than one big one.

[BradinAsia]

I would think the requirements would be that the applicant be breathing in and out.

Best post I've seen in many moons.

Thanks for that. It says it all.

[NoshowJones]

I use the Makro on the superhighway near Narwarat and I don't have a membership card, simply say that you don't have it with you, end of story.

I just go to the checkout at Makro in both Phitsanulok and Nakhon Sawan and pay for my purchases no problem. What is the advantage in having a card anyway if you are not buying in bulk?

[bobl]

I've shopped there for years and never had a card. At check out they ask and I just tell them that I don't have one. No problems. It's the same at Tesco Lotus. They ask me every time if I have a member ship card and I just say that I don't. Other than mailings (yea!) does anyone know the benefits?

Lotus - I could be wrong but I think it's 1%

As in, the 'cash' coupons they send in the post every month are for 1% of what you've spent, plus a bunch of other (mostly useless) coupons for discount on products they have on promo.

[Scorpio1949]

Same as most of the people who replied. My wife has one with her ID so nothing special ..........

[bigbamboo]

We got ours because we have a homestay. All that was required initially was ID.

However, we usually just use an old receipt as proof so if you know someone who has a card just use one of their old receipts and Bob's your uncle.

[chuenyongman]

Hi,

Shopping at Macro. My wife's niece gave us a card several years ago. She does not use it anymore. When we have shopped there we give my wife's brother the large receipt.He owns a shop and at the end of the month he gets a discount from all the receipt's he has accumulated including ours.

[chuenyongman]

Hi , After we have shopped at Macro we give my wife's brother the receipt and at the end of the month he submits them including his own receipts and gets a bonus or discount. He owns a food outlet. We received our Macro card from my wife's niece who has a business but does not use the car anymore.

[johnlandy]

I have always wondered what was the purpose of this card.

It is used by Macro to collect data about buying habits and to tell the police what time you checked out.

The coppers can't even do the job that they should be doing now, without needing to know what time you walk thru the door of Makro.

Oh well, it is a police state isn't it. More controls than the KGB or FSB

Edited May 21, 2013 by johnlandy

[starkey_rich]

Some stores want proof of business some don't.Phuket I had to show.

Don't forget T.I.T the left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing and on many ,many occasions the right hand doesn't even know what the right hand is doing.

Mai pen ria lets just have another 3 day holiday and throw in another ban on alcohol that will work.

[isaanpaul]

Makro Membership Requirements: Money

[skippie999]

we have a makro card and Makro just called us yesterday that they want to come and visit our business! they want to come along to see the business......

Things might change after the take over by CP.

Makro originated from The Netherlands where a card is needed for 100% sure and it even hard to get a card there! the shops in The Netherlands complained at the government that if lower prices are offered than normal shop prices They are not allowed to sell to the public to avoid loss of customers for normal shops. Of course Thailand do not have such a regime (luckily) so they just sell to anyone that has money to buy. Unbelievable that they do not accept credit and debit cards since the majority of people buy here for ten thousands of bahts per time!!!!!! so stupid to pay cash with 30 or 40.000 baht!

[Angeledge777]

I am a member at Makro and it is very simple to get the card.

The first step is to buy for more than 2500 baht. Once you did that, show your receipt at the customer service counter along with a valid Thai ID (yellow book, driver license). You shall receive your member card within 2 weeks.

[Suradit69]

Things may change soon anyway. From a few weeks ago:

Billionaire Dhanin

Chearavanont’s CP All

(CPALL) Pcl, owner of Thailand’s 7-Eleven chain, offered to pay about $6.6 billion

for discount retailer Siam Makro Pcl

(MAKRO) in the biggest takeover announced in Asia this year.

CP All, controlled by Dhanin’s Charoen Pokphand Group, agreed to pay 787 baht

a share for the 64 percent of Siam Makro owned by SHV Holdings NV, the company

said today. It will also make a tender offer to other shareholders at the same

price, a 15 percent premium to Siam Makro’s share price of 682 baht before it

was suspended from trading yesterday.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-23/cp-all-offers-6-6-billion-for-thai-retailer-siam-makro.html

CP are just buying back what they used to own,but had to sell when the bubble burst,in what was it 1998 ?

regards Worgeordie

Pretty hefty multiple (53 times) for a traditionally low margin business. Walmart and Carrefour trade at about 12 to 15 times and, as noted in the Bloomberg article, the median in this part of Asia has been 21 times in the retail space. I know the baht appreciation has facilitated take-overs and buy-backs, but I have to assume they intend to cut costs and/or increase margins to make this price rational.

"The bid values Siam Makro at about 53 times its 2012 earnings per share of 14.82

baht. That compares with a median multiple of 21 times profits paid in 22

takeovers of retailers in emerging Asia announced over the last five years.

Edited May 21, 2013 by Suradit69

[vagabond48]

I am a member at Makro and it is very simple to get the card.

The first step is to buy for more than 2500 baht. Once you did that, show your receipt at the customer service counter along with a valid Thai ID (yellow book, driver license). You shall receive your member card within 2 weeks.

I guess some of us have had different 1st steps.

When I 1st got the card, I was single. I also only rode my bicycle so I could only do limited shopping.

I probably averaged 300B back then.

Edited May 21, 2013 by vagabond48

[ramrod711]

My wife and I spend an average 7,000 baht a month there. The card was issued on the day we applied and we do not have a business. We went on vacation one month and they sent a letter asking why we hadn't been in. We shop at the super highway store.

[jaideeguy]

It used to be that I could only get a day pass in the old superhiway Makro, but when they opened the new Makro on Hang Dong road, the office in front called me over and offered me a plastic card.....the wife was with me and she got jealous. Who says that they favor Thais here??

[Tywais]

I've only gone to the Makro near BigC Mae Hia, though not often, and haven't had an issue regarding not having a card. Though today I went and she asked me if I had a card and I said no she did give me the evil eye for a brief moment.

[sugar2009]

makro card

I had one from the company store on hang dong road chiangmai I moved north and asked for a card from chiangrai makro store even given I was on their computer they issued a temp card asking me when next in chiangmai to get a full replacement card OK fair enough called into Mae rim makro with friends they shopped I asked about a new card so sorry you must get from a chiangmai store ??? but this store is in a suburb of chiangmai ? no "This is Mae Rim not chiangmai" please get the card at chiangmai hang dong company store but do I show on the computer as i did in chiangrai oh yes so whats the problem ? well sorry we don't know you ? we have details but its better to get the card from that store as they will remember you more as we have had no dealings with you??? well now I use local "talats" markets and as I live 300 kilometers away from hang dong makro it could be a while before I get a new card. what a way to show customer service at its best aye

[unclueng]

Just speak with GM at any store.

[Sparkles]

I've only gone to the Makro near BigC Mae Hia, though not often, and haven't had an issue regarding not having a card. Though today I went and she asked me if I had a card and I said no she did give me the evil eye for a brief moment.

So why not get a card ? 5 minutes out of your life,don't understand the reluctance of many to get one.Its not an ID card, no one is going to come looking for you, are they ?

[ALFREDO]

I understand that at the one here in Patong you just have to go to the security type desk as you go in, tell them you don't have a card and they issue a visitor pass for that visit only.

Not tried it myself to be honest as I am still pretty well stocked up but next month...yes, I'll. have a go.

Same. I just walked to the ladies sitting near the entrance and asked for a temporary visitor passfor taht visit. They gave me a number on a paper, which I had to show at the cashiers desk later when paying. Done so at any shopping in MAKRO Khon Kaen and Udon Thani.

Do not know they have a Makro in Patong, you mean Phuket, or?

Edited May 21, 2013 by ALFREDO