I went shopping at Costco for the first time in about ten years yesterday and now more than ever I don't get the hype. It was loud, overcrowded, disorganized and the only non-grocery items that were actually cheap were either Kirkland (admittedly they're very good for a store brand but not better than name brand like many people claim) or no-name knockoffs. Most of the name-brand stuff was either going for the same MSRP as everywhere else or were the lower-quality corner-cut "derivative" models made exclusively for sale at discount retailers like Costco. My family never shopped at these places growing up so I have no sentimental attachments or nostalgia. I don't get why people would voluntarily subject themselves to that kind of inefficiency and inconvenience, much less pay constantly for the privilege.
costco is definitely feeling this inflationary environment and their prices have gone up in the past few months for sure I'm a costco fan but we're trying to avoid it at the moment because of this
Their TVs are cheap. Just got an 86' inch LG for 1k
See what I said above about "derivative models". Those super-cheap flat screen TVs you always see for sale at Costco and during big sales are the poster children for it. Bet you anything that TV won't last very long. Look up the warranty and reviews for your EXACT model number. Derivatives usually have model numbers only one or two characters off from a well-liked non-derivative model and look externally almost identical but have much worse build quality and majorly reduced warranty coverage. In short, they're a scam.
Nice observation. Noticed that Costco also has some of the lesser desirable flavors in variety packs for things like Gatorade or cliff bars.
The "hype" is for the groceries and service. The perceived disorganization is on purpose so that customers hunt and discover more than what they were looking for.
It's important to be selective about what you buy at Costco. 2 rules 1. Buy only the stuff that you are prepared to use in bulk and have the storage space for it 2. Buy only the stuff that is cheaper than else. It is easy to get carried away because you *think* you are getting wholesale prices. Supplements, paper goods, laundry and cleaning stuff, 🍷,🥃, dairy products (or their non dairy subs) and some organic produce. No candy, no ginormous bags of chips or clothes for that matter.
Agree with this but you can’t beat the clothes there, unless you’re a brand name snob. I also like their SKUs for kitchen appliances. Comes with more accessories compared to buying from a department store
Yeah, their always got cargos and jackets from there. Best bang for the buck.
Still cheap and good return policy.
Go during the weekday if you want to avoid crowds. Luxury and Korean skincare tends to be cheaper than I can find anywhere else, and as someone else mentioned above, the kombucha is a great deal. It comes out to less than two bucks a bottle when it's on sale.
Costco sells decent quality stuff at not bad prices. You can save money by shopping at a regular grocery store but I find it's pretty easy to get what I need from Costco and I appreciate that if I pick up some random item they sell it's been curated. I don't need to worry about it being absolute junk. The membership pays for itself at the gas pump.
I shop at Costco for their great service and end user protection. I will pay a higher price at Costco for the same product sold at cheaper price anywhere else. I am a loyal Costco customer for more than 22 years.
Their gas is cheap and the kombucha I buy there is cheaper than buying direct from the same manufacturer.
Their gas is the cheapest around right now but we had to wait in line almost an hour at the pump and almost got hit five times between people constantly trying to cut in the pump line and getting out of the madhouse that is the parking lot afterwards. I'd rather pay a few more cents per gallon if it avoids thousands in potential damage to myself or my car.
A lot of your problems can be solved by going to costco at better times, eg not the weekend.