4 ms·

This is about 80% spot on, but the last 20% fails to mention that you can avoid the in store experience if it isn't for you, and in fact get the stuff you want

This is about 80% spot on, but the last 20% fails to mention that you can avoid the in store experience if it isn't for you, and in fact get the stuff you want delivered to your door in a short period of time, using services like instacart. Costco even partners directly with instacart for same day delivery. You can use your membership to get same day delivery shopping on costco's website and they will use instacart to fulfill it for you. Or you can use instacart directly, in which case you don't even need a membership yourself.

borski 4mo ago
True, but at higher prices (and with delivery fees), which somewhat defeats the purpose of the cost savings at Costco.
- SoftTalker 4mo ago
  But saving the cost and time of you driving there yourself, which if you're honest is probably worth the delivery fee.
- furyofantares 4mo ago
  Sure, although personally the comparison would be to delivery from other stores.
- abawany 4mo ago
  Yep, around 18% higher not including tip, in my estimate. HEB (local Texas grocery chain featured here a few days ago) puts in just a 3% margin for pickup or delivery (before tip.) Walmart and Sams have no special delivery/pickup margin but instead charge delivery fees that can be avoided by membership levels or order amount thresholds.
- drudoff 4mo ago
  There's free 2-day shipping from Costco for purchases over $75 (at least in Seattle). It's not hard meet that requirement. Right now, I only tend to go to Costco if I need to buy refrigerated or frozen items.
  - foolfoolz 4mo ago
    “costco delivery” is basically amazon with a higher minimum spend and no perishables. “costco same day” is delivery costco via instacart, with adjusted prices. i use costco delivery a lot because a good portion of what i buy there can be delivered with it
- thijson 4mo ago
  Just got a window air conditioner on the Costco web site, delivered to the home. That was 25% cheaper than in the store.
insane_dreamer 4mo ago
I honestly like the shopping experience at Costco -- there aren't a million variants of the same thing to choose from, you find really good deals sometimes (on already good prices), they have new random and sometimes good things all the time (I'll sometimes spontaneously buy, then confirm with my wife at home and if not, return on our next trip), and my kids go to the food court and enjoy the pizza and hot dogs that are decent quality and low priced. We go every ~2 weeks.

borski 4mo ago

True, but at higher prices (and with delivery fees), which somewhat defeats the purpose of the cost savings at Costco.

SoftTalker 4mo ago
But saving the cost and time of you driving there yourself, which if you're honest is probably worth the delivery fee.
furyofantares 4mo ago
Sure, although personally the comparison would be to delivery from other stores.
abawany 4mo ago
Yep, around 18% higher not including tip, in my estimate. HEB (local Texas grocery chain featured here a few days ago) puts in just a 3% margin for pickup or delivery (before tip.) Walmart and Sams have no special delivery/pickup margin but instead charge delivery fees that can be avoided by membership levels or order amount thresholds.
drudoff 4mo ago
There's free 2-day shipping from Costco for purchases over $75 (at least in Seattle). It's not hard meet that requirement. Right now, I only tend to go to Costco if I need to buy refrigerated or frozen items.
- foolfoolz 4mo ago
  “costco delivery” is basically amazon with a higher minimum spend and no perishables. “costco same day” is delivery costco via instacart, with adjusted prices. i use costco delivery a lot because a good portion of what i buy there can be delivered with it
thijson 4mo ago
Just got a window air conditioner on the Costco web site, delivered to the home. That was 25% cheaper than in the store.

insane_dreamer 4mo ago

I honestly like the shopping experience at Costco -- there aren't a million variants of the same thing to choose from, you find really good deals sometimes (on already good prices), they have new random and sometimes good things all the time (I'll sometimes spontaneously buy, then confirm with my wife at home and if not, return on our next trip), and my kids go to the food court and enjoy the pizza and hot dogs that are decent quality and low priced. We go every ~2 weeks.