Costco is the world’s third-biggest retailer, after Amazon and Walmart. It offers significant savings and bulk deals on items that are more expensive on Amazon and often unavailable. Skip buying these 18 items from Amazon and get a better deal at Costco.
Pet Supplies
Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand offers a wide selection of pet supplies, including dental chews, beds, and flea treatments. It also allows its members to see high-quality pet brand products in person across hundreds of stores nationwide, compared to just 23 Amazon Go stores.
Bulk Pantry Foods
Costco is known for its seemingly endless bulk purchasing options. Its non-perishable bulk goods are often significantly cheaper than Amazon’s. Business Insider argues that Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand is “not only cheaper than other national brands but also has a reputation for being good quality” and that Amazon’s prices for bulk pantry staples are higher.
Organic Produce
Thanks to its bulk purchasing, Costco often has better deals on organic produce than Amazon Fresh, which leads to low prices. The big box stores focus on quality control and turnover, which ensures their organic produce, including seasonal items, remains fresher than Amazon’s.
Kitchen Appliances
Costco offers competitive prices on Bosch, KitchenAid, LG, and other major kitchen appliance brands. The big box includes delivery, installation, haulage, and a two-year warranty on the price of kitchen appliances. It also offers exclusive models that are not available on Amazon.
Electronics
Amazon extends the manufacturer’s warranty on electronics by a year, which is one year less than Costco. Through its membership, Costco also offers lower prices on some major electronics brands and provides free tech support for purchased electronics.
Wine and Spirits
Kirkland Signature offers a huge range of high-quality wines and spirits at lower prices than Amazon. Its own-brand wines are often close to half the price of branded wines from the same region.
Tires
Costco offers its members cheaper tires and installations than most of its competitors. The warehouse also provides balancing and rotation, along with flat repairs for the tire’s lifetime, a convenience Amazon can’t provide.
Prescription Medications
Costco Pharmacy’s prices for prescription medications are often lower than Amazon Pharmacy’s, and it also offers health clinics with screening services. Business Insider explains that Costco members can “take advantage of the retailer’s massive drug discounts.”
Fitness Equipment
Costco’s bulk business model offers fitness equipment with periodic special offers and members’ discounts. The retailer has a wide selection of benches, free weights, weight accessories, and weighted home gym machines that can offer substantial savings over Amazon’s prices.
Gasoline
Costco gas stations are renowned by their customers for their lower prices per gallon than most local stations. According to Business Insider, in 2022, Amazon was considering launching 10,000 branded gas stations at its Go stores, but it hasn’t rolled them out yet.
Batteries
Duracell manufactures Costco’s Kirkland Signature AA batteries, which are significantly cheaper than Duracell-branded alternatives. The retailers’ other bulk package batteries also offer significant savings compared to Amazon’s selection.
Camping Gear
Costco has a wide range of high-quality branded outdoor and camping gear and cheaper generic versions. Its stock of outdoor gear brands like Cascade Mountain Tech, Eddie Bauer, and LifeStraw are often more affordable than Amazon or the brands’ websites.
Books
Jeff Bezos famously founded Amazon in July 1994 as an online book marketplace, but today, Costco offers better savings. Members can access significant discounts on a wide range of children’s books and bestsellers, and its bulk purchase options are perfect for book clubs.
Eyeglasses
Costco Optical offers substantial savings over Amazon, with a mix of its Kirkland Signature glasses and designer labels. The Motley Fool points out that Consumer Reports ranked Costco Optical as the “best place to buy eyeglasses” and that it “accepts most vision insurance plans.”
Office Supplies
Costco Business Centers allow executives and Gold Star members to buy office supplies for small businesses or homes. The centers are smaller and less crowded than regular Costco warehouses and deliver to ZIP codes nationwide in around 20 metropolitan areas, often at lower prices than Amazon.
Seasonal Décor
Costco often has lower prices for its in-store and online seasonal items than Amazon. Shopping at Costco for parties or business decorating needs offers bulk purchasing options that can lead to significant savings.
Furniture
Costco marks furniture up by at most 14% and often includes delivery and setup charges for large items in the purchase price, while Amazon usually charges extra for those services. Shopping for furniture at Costco also allows shoppers to see and test it, something that Amazon’s online-only presence can’t offer.
Beauty Products
RebateKey argues that, like its grocery options, “Costco beats Amazon in the beauty category because of its value pricing on bulk products.” Costco likely has a better deal if you want to buy a large amount of your favorite lotion.
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