What is the hype over Costco?

[Anonymous]

If you stick to ONLY the deals, then it's okay, but their trick is to lure you in with the deals, then have you blow money on everything else.

We did a big warehouse run and bought a bunch of crap. Razorblades? Great deal -- worth the annual fee. Everything else? We paid more.

[Anonymous]

Another thing, there was a long article in the NY Times last year about ground beef and food safety, and I don't remember the details, but one of the things discussed was that Costco has much better procedures and controls over their ground beef than any of the supermarket chains. Plus it's lean and much less expensive than at the grocery stores.

Agree with much of what the PPs have said about what they save money on. Costco also sends out coupons every month or so and if you use them to stock up it saves even more.

And we bought DH's platinum wedding band at Costco--WAY better deal. His big Men's ring cost the same as the jeweler charged for my much smaller plain platinum band.

Fresh flowers are nice there too.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Here's the link to the NY Times article I mentioned. The Costco mention is halfway down. Of course, after you read this you may swear off ground beef altogether. Btw, our Costco carries organic ground beef and chicken breasts too. And bison.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html?pagewanted=all

[Anonymous]

Costco also treats their employees very well compared to Target, Walmart, etc. If you care about labor practices, Costco is a good place to shop.

[Anonymous]

I am a member of both BJs and Costco. I like them both for different reasons. I think I'd like Costco a lot more if I lived in a different area. Costco around here is just a zoo. It stresses me out just to think about the word Costco. I like the fact that BJs is open until 10 all week. I can go there late on Sat night and have some more peace.

I just like how on most items they sell, they are better than the normal consumer grade. So you get a quality item for a good price.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Costco also treats their employees very well compared to Target, Walmart, etc. If you care about labor practices, Costco is a good place to shop.

That's what I thought. But some of their employees are terrible. They act like they are treated like crap and hate their job and hate the customers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a member of both BJs and Costco. I like them both for different reasons. I think I'd like Costco a lot more if I lived in a different area. Costco around here is just a zoo. It stresses me out just to think about the word Costco. I like the fact that BJs is open until 10 all week. I can go there late on Sat night and have some more peace.

I just like how on most items they sell, they are better than the normal consumer grade. So you get a quality item for a good price.

But some of their supposedly higher quality stuff sucks. Ex, I got some socks and got holes after a first wearing of regular wear. We returned a memory foam mattress topper because it was poor quality and uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

We used to get diapers there until we discovered that Target's Up and Up brand diapers are cheaper than Costco's Kirkland and we like them just as much.

[Anonymous]

I had to let membership lapse. I could not justify $50 for milk, razor blades, cheese, bread and garbage bags.
Don't need diapers or formula.

And the crowds of people buying for their stores, rude employees and horrible parking situation in the Arlington store turned me off.

[Anonymous]

I have had a Costco membership for many years. There are things I get there and things I get cheaper elsewhere.

Things I get:
Toilet paper
paper towels
contact lenses
milk (so much cheaper than even Target)
Morning Star Farms veggie products
Lox
Chicken
Pizza (in the back you can get a whole pizza for $9--same ones they cook upfront)
Batteries
Children's clothes (the kirkland Pj's are Hanna Andersson made for Costco, dresses, coats, shorts etc...)
laundry detergent (the kirkland free and clear that does 120 loads is $13. I can't even get that price for the number of loads onsale at Target)
dish detergent
napkins
oral B toothbrush heads
razors (much much cheaper)


The one thing that I'm not sure if ppl know is that when Costco features something on an endcap they up the price. If you want until it's put in the aisle, the price goes down (hence one of their marketing strategies b/c ppl buy from the endcaps first).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Costco also treats their employees very well compared to Target, Walmart, etc. If you care about labor practices, Costco is a good place to shop.

That's what I thought. But some of their employees are terrible. They act like they are treated like crap and hate their job and hate the customers.

I think that's mostly a function of location. Customer service in the DC area in general is terrible.

[Anonymous]

My mom and I share a membership (plus she takes friends there), so we pretty easily get enough of a rebate with the Executive membership to cover the yearly fee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We used to get diapers there until we discovered that Target's Up and Up brand diapers are cheaper than Costco's Kirkland and we like them just as much.

I was going to say the same thing. Target's generic diapers are MUCH cheaper, and I think you can get a better deal on huggies through amazon mom subscribe and save.

[Anonymous]

I get alot there. In addition to buying in bulk on paper goods and detergents (earth friendly), I buy kosher foods, speedo suits for my daughter in the summer ($12.00 per suit), warm up robe ($12.00)) packs of goggles for me and daughter, CHEAP 3 half gallons of ORGANIC milk (3 for $10.00).

You can have your printer cartridges refilled there...much, much cheaper than buying new.

$5.00 for large ream of printer paper.
books and more. Gaithersburg is crazy crowded so go during the week if you have this luxury.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We used to get diapers there until we discovered that Target's Up and Up brand diapers are cheaper than Costco's Kirkland and we like them just as much.

I was going to say the same thing. Target's generic diapers are MUCH cheaper, and I think you can get a better deal on huggies through amazon mom subscribe and save.

Yep...I frequently hear people say they only go to Costco for the diapers. Target's are so much cheaper, and even more so when you factor in the membership fee.