Comments on: Is a Costco membership worth it?

By: Danming

Danming — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:19:23 +0000

We shop at Costco and will keep the membership. We really like the quality of the merchandise and meat there. The meat is ten times better than competitive stores and we just cannot find that quality anywhere else. People need a variety and while we don’t do all our shopping at Costco our purchases are bigger because of the bulk factor. Not all of the items there appeal to me but I have not had to buy computer paper in years and the toilet paper is far superior to other brands. I get rather tired of the multitude of choices in a Walmart where there is never any help to find anything and the sheer size makes me dizzy not to mention that they really are not the cheapest place to shop….Nor do I like to sort through racks and racks of clothing to find the Costco jeans and pants I buy regularly for 15.99 and last a good long time. Far better than other stores where yo might pay 2.-3.00 less but then have them last only five washings.
I am confused by the tactical pricing of vegetables and fruit at the major chains…One day 99 cents and the next day 2.49 for a pound of grapes…give me a break.
I do like the fact that Costco weeds out a lot of substandard products that might be cheaper but undesirable….But we all need some variety and Costco does that for me well.

By: Canuck

Canuck — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:51:59 +0000

Having been a ‘member’ (clean gross for Costco, dues, or covercharge essentially…) for many years, I’m not renewing. Costco is not the ‘value’ it once was. Anything I ‘need’ I can get at a Walmart Supercenter, Canadian Superstore or even a Canadian Tire at better prices in most cases. The household basics prices are actually higher at Costco (before even adding the yearly dues and poor shopping experience while recycling for them in the end) than other retailers. Factor in cash only or tied-selling via the AMEX only policy (more debt-service ratings anyone?) and you haven’t got much to brag about. Yes, some items are national brands but these same national brands MAKE generic brands available elsewhere or even for Costco itself. We also do 1/2 of Costco’s recycling free of charge (yay! boxes, where’s my fee?), we cannot use our OWN reward cards or VISA, MC or whatever, the hours are bad (mentioned), parking sucks, no plastic bag option, no carryout option and last, the other membership services are generally MORE expensive (and useless) than sourcing oneself (ever price eyeglasses, tires and their reno stuff??? thumbs DOWN). Tell them at checkout WHY they only take AMEX and they can’t admit they just have a better transaction rate deal over VISA & MC and AMEX pays THEM for everyone who applies, even if NOT approved. They just say something like “oh, applying is EASY for our AMEX card blah, blah…). Watch the blank stare when you ask them if it has to do with rates, agreements or generally just controlling the consumer. They’ll walk away after that. I won’t get another Costco membership but I’m okay with everyone else staying with Costco because the world needs sheep.

By: Gavin

Gavin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 01:53:00 +0000

For those interested in cheap diapers, have you tried diaper city in Toronto?

120 diapers for around 20$ CAD. It’s much cheaper than Costco/ Walmart.

However, I did buy a box from Walmart once when the price was on sale, and only then was cheaper than Diaper City.

By: Mo

Mo — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:01:04 +0000

The business model of costco is simple:
- bulk sale
- no credit (cash or bank debit only)
- no salesman
- no fancy display

Its target customer is a big family with good purchasing power. If u have a small family, it is not for you.

By: moose

moose — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:44:37 +0000

I dont think I will renew my costco membership next spring because of the following reasons:

1) Starting this fall, they will charge $6 per tire to take off your summer tires and put on the winter tires. It was free before, as long as you bought the tires from them, not anymore. This benefit WAS the only reason that I kept my membership. Now, I have bought the impact gun and sockets to install the tires myself, and that will save me time and over $100 a year for 2 cars.

2) One of the business strategies of costco is to sell in bulk or in large package (30 double AA batteries, 3 bottles of pasta saurce, etc.). Unless, you have a big family with lots of young kids and babies, e.g., diapers, it is not worth the membership fee.

3) If you look at the weekly flyers from local stores, you will find better prices than those in costco.

4) There are certain items in costco that I used to buy (nuts and salmon), but their prices have gone up over 30% in the past 3 yrs.

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:46:57 +0000

I would apply a simple rule of thumb to Membership (or Executive membership) at Costco: It makes sense if you have a middle class or higher income. This realization comes from personal experience:
When I was still a student, and my wife’s modest income supported us both, we were given a free one year membership. The verdict at the end of that year was a thumbs down. When your cash flow is a limiting factor, you cannot effectively take advantage of what Costco offers. Now we have a much higher income, a family, and spend much more on the types of things Costco offers. Membership with the Executive cash back option turns out to be a big fiscal advantage now.

By: Colourful Money

Colourful Money — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:45:13 +0000

My answer is simple…only if you buy in bulk and need it.

In response to Janina’s reply, the online Costco tacts on an extra fee which is like a percentage of a membership fee. Better to go off to a brick and mortar Costco lol.

By: The Costco Debate - Thoughts and Tips | Million Dollar Journey

The Costco Debate - Thoughts and Tips | Million Dollar Journey — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:31:05 +0000

[...] Canadian Capitalist [...]

By: Jean B

Jean B — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 02:12:05 +0000

Disposable diapers a necessity? How about cloth? Think of the money you save on a one time purchase versus weekly . Also disposable diapers will be in the landfill long after the child who soiled them has died and gone.Does CostCo sell cloth diapers?

By: Phil

Phil — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:40:23 +0000

Six years after canceling my membership I decided to give Costco another try; I soon realized it was a huge mistake. I say this for the following reasons:

* Waiting lines. I found a book that I liked during my lunch hour. I turned the corner and saw only 3 tills open with a dozen customers in each line with half to full carts. Not willing to wait 20 minutes in line to buy at $10 book. It gets much worse during their busy hours.

*Limited selection. I saw a bed I really liked for my daughter but it only came in dark brown that Costco likes so much. You notice the difference when you browse the American website – seem to have a much better selection.

*Value. Most of the items can be found elsewhere at comparable or cheaper prices. It’s a matter of shopping around – especially online.

*Distance. Our Costco is at the other end of town for us – it’s an easy 20 minute drive one way. With gas prices being what they are today…

*Parking. On a busy day – good luck!

*Crowds. Trying to maneuver carts through cramped aisles is frustrating.

They do have some good deals on specific items at specific times but not enough to justify the membership fee.