what is your opinion of costco lately (Peoria: insurance, home)

[ibarrio]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

I've never understood the fascination with Costco in Arizona. I think it's a West Coast thing since Costco was founded in Kirkland(Seattle), Washington.

Ironically, Sams Club is the Target of whole sale clubs and Costco is the Wal-Mart in my opinion. Like Wal-Mart, Costco always seems busier and the crowd seems seems more blue collar. Sams Club tends to carry more name brands while Costco seems to have their cheap Kirkland brand of everything. The layout of the store just seems cleaner and more organized in Sams Club much like Target seems cleaner and more organized than Wal-Mart.

I suppose the advantage of Costco is their return policy and cheaper membership which people have abused for years particularly with electronics. I knew a guy who would buy a computer, keep the box and paperwork, use it for 6 months and then return it and use the proceeds to buy a new computer. He basically kept upgrading his computer for free. Others I know have bought televisions, used it for 1-2 years and then returned it for a full refund. So Costco has become an urban legend among college kids and scam artists who have devised ways to cheat the system. Sams Club was smart enough not to engage in these tactics.

One advantage to Costco is their use of the American Express Card. If you are an AMEX user, Costco takes it whereas Sams Club takes Discover. I think AMEX is a great card with great benefits but the problem is no one takes it but Costco does.

I advocate the use of a whole sale club like Sams Club or Costco. The money you will save on using their gas stations will pay for your membership. Costco is 2 cents cheaper at the pump than Sams Club but has MUCH LONGER lines and can be a zoo whereas Sams Club's gas pumps function like regular stations without long lines. You can save a lot of money on basics like shaving cream, toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towel, bottled water, meat. And if you get a business membership, it's usually cheaper and allows you priority shopping by opening their doors 2 hours earlier for business members. I have membership to both and I recommend Sams Club. It's less crowded, offers a better layout, is cleaner, and carries more high end and name brand products

There are tips to beat the long lines at Costco gas pumps. Go early (6-9am) and you will have no wait.

[blisterpeanuts]

Costco was the top rated warehouse store in Consumer Reports a couple of years back, ranked better than Sam's or BJ's. They were voted the best in a poll of CR subscribers, and their Kirkland house brand consistently earns high ratings in product comparisons.

I've been shopping at Costco for years, back east and in Arizona, and have had only positive experiences. Occasionally a product is a dud--the wrong size shoes, or the produce went moldy too fast, or something--and they took it back, no questions asked. Well, they asked why, but they always took it back. You don't even need a receipt; they scan the bar code, and I guess they have your purchase information in their records. One time I forgot to bring the clementines in from the car and they said don't bother, we'll give you a refund anyway.

I guess there are jerks who take advantage of a store's trust, but it generates so much good faith among the customers that it's worth it to them. It's like the famous incident at Nordstrom's when they gave a man a refund for a set of tires--when they didn't even sell tires.

As for coupons, I watch prices like a hawk, and I have never seen a coupon item go up in price as someone here claimed. Show us one example.

It's true you can sometimes find comparable deals around town. It's been my experience that coupon specials at Fry's, or sale items at Walmart's can be equal to Costco's regular pricing, but rarely better. Costco's prices and quality are very competitive. I've not shopped at Fresh'n'Easy so can't compare, but I do read their mailbox stuffers and the prices don't seem better.

Costco carries lots of organic frozen vegetables and fruit now, and organic milk, also natural organic eggs. It's great for families with children. I would say, if you are single, you might not benefit from the membership, but if you are shopping for a family (or for a couple of roommates) then it's worth it. Diapers, bulk paper towels and toilet tissue, dog food, Arrowhead water, crates of diet Coke--this kind of stuff is cheaper there than anywhere else.

If you shop at the one in Peoria, watch out for the Sun City West crowd, who definitely congregate around the free samples kiosks. Some of them also have questionable shopping cart navigation ability so play it safe and stay out of their way.

If you're ever shopping for a birthday party or similar occasion, a warehouse store is definitely the way to go. You can order a cake, and pick up tons of useful stuff--paper plates, plastic forks, paper cups, mega munchies and drinks, etc. It's all there. We shopped there for our wedding reception and it was a lifesaver.

No, I don't own Costco stock, although probably I should.

[twiggy]

Yea, all stores do the price hike before coupons, depends on the item as well. Costco included. If you want some confirmation just get a job there. lol And yes, I've noticed that their prices have increased but to be fair I've noticed this at Fry's and just about everywhere else I've shopped. I would say our groceries have almost doubled in price since the recession, I usually buy the same things weekly for 6. I use coupons as well but have noticed that most store brands are cheaper than the coupon item. I think it's going to stay high for awhile, maybe forever.
I would ban Costco from my life if it weren't for the bakery there. he he yummy!

[artvandelay]

Staples that I always buy at Costco because they're consistently cheap:
Bottled Water
Roasted nuts
Salad Greens
Milk, string cheese, eggs.
P.B, condiments, garbage bags, etc.

Items at Costco that are often loss-leaders at grocery-stores, I never buy there, like:

Chicken
Cereal
Canned veggies, tomatoes, pasta sauces, soups.

Costco is perfect for a specific set od staples, but loss-leaders at Fry's are a way better deal.

[redjan1225]

I am a frequent shopper at Costco and have very few complaints.

For posters above who feel Wal-Mart is cheaper, that is great for you but I absolutely refuse to set foot in any Sam Walton-owned establishment.

Items we regularly buy from Costco:
Gas
Organic ground beef
Organic canned tomatoes
Dog beds and treats
Paper towels
Foil
Organic chicken broth
Kirkland trail mix
Birthday cakes
Blue ray discs

Their cakes really are delicious. We just picked one up yesterday and several people asked if it was homemade.

My only gripe with Costco is that they do away with products after a short period of time. I had enjoyed their organic apples for some time, but found them a little too waxy. I bought the apples elsewhere for a few weeks and then bought produce rinse and decided I'd pick the apples up at Costco again only to find they no longer carry them. I also don't like that their bananas are super green. They take forever to ripen and then the whole bunch ripens overnight. I prefer to buy produce at Sprouts, Fry's, or Sunflower.

[labratinaz]

Yes. Sometimes Costco changes vendors after I have grown very accustomed to a specific item. THEN I can't find it anywhere. ugh!

My only complain is their book table. Usually stacking books on top of one another so that I can't see all the titles makes me walk away. I used to buy a paperback or two when they had a better display. I just wished they put them up so it would be easier to see and find. Whatever!

Remember Costco isn't for everything all the time. We go for specific items. Because we have found...it isn't always cheaper at Costco.

[Jukesgrrl]

Like many here I buy for a small household, so no sense buying everything at Costco -- mostly things I can freeze. But the big ticket items I've purchased there over the years (computer, printer, TV, leather day bed, phone system, patio furniture) more than pay for my membership without my semi-weekly trip for food and household items figured in. Nobody is lower on Cheerios, which are consumed daily in my house. Also, a dozen Einstein's bagels are only five bucks. Add Skinny Cow treats to that grocery list and that trio would probably also pay for my membership.

Cleaning products I use regularly I save tremendously buying in bulk, as well as paper towels and toilet paper. If a drugstore item you use regularly comes in a Kirkland version, it's a steal. I've saved big on prescriptions there, too, although I don't have many. My mother's hearing specialist recommended she use TV ears and he wanted to sell them her for over $200. I told her to wait, thinking I'd be able to get a better price online. Turns out Costco had them for $80. Instant gratification.

I got the Costco AmEx card recently and I'm now toting up how much I'm saving on gas. I don't have to wait a long time because I make it a practice never to go to Costco except on weekday evenings. I find it to be quietest then, especially Monday and Tuesday.

My Costco find of the week: Fresh (not dried) cheese tortellini. I divided the package into fours, cooked one and froze the other three. Absolutely divine with either pesto or tomato sauce. I do fresh fruit, vegetables, canned goods, etc., at Sunflower Farmer's Market and I grow my own herbs.

[bluenoter]

I refuse to buy anything from a company based in Washington state. I guess its political. I drink Dr. Pepper because it's headquartered in Texas.

[azriverfan.]

I will say this though, depending on where you live, the stores can be better or worse. I like the Peoria Costco better than the Sams Club on 83rd and Union Hills. In general, I felt like the Costcos were superior to the Sam Clubs in the North and Northwest Valley. In the Southeast Valley where I live, the Sams Clubs are by far better in my experience.

Either way, for $40 extra dollars a year, you can have a membership to both and it pays for itself. You will always have access to an additional cheap gas station if a Costco or Sams Club is nearby. Each store carries products the other one lacks and has deals on products the other one lacks.

I refuse to buy produce at these wholesale clubs. They look great in the package but you don't know how long they've been there and in my experience they tend to go bad pretty quickly. The same goes for their dairy.

I buy my produce at Sprouts (ideally) and Frys. I buy chicken breasts at Fresh and Easy (best chicken in the valley). I buy beef(steaks) at Albertsons, or AJ's (expensive but good). I buy ground beef at Trader Joes. I buy fish and seafood at Sams Club (it's not fresh but it's good). For fresh seafood, Whole Foods is great. I buy deli meat at Frys. For dairy, Frys works great! The best tasting milk in my opinion is the Shamrock Farms Organic...it's local and good!

[zox]

Originally Posted by KatrynS

Costco is often used as a model in business school. Unlike your local chains or Walmarts that lure you in with cheap prices on a few items and then more than make up for it by charging more for others, Costco has a simple model -- no more than 15% profit markup on ANY item!!!

Costco similarly resorts to less than honorable practices. By increasing its Kirkland line and limiting its competitors' products, Costco offers less choice to consumers and increases profits. Although Walmart offers Sams Cola and other Walmart manufactured products, they continue to offer competitor products thereby providing choice for consumers. In my experience, Costco continues to increase its Kirkland line often making it the only option for certain products. Walmart offers lower prices on all of their items not just a select number to lure people into their stores. The reason they are able to offer lower prices than their competitors is due to their vastly superior distribution system and special manufacturer rates. Indeed, their distribution system is world famous and recognized for it's efficiency and ability to track and replace products better than other companies. If manufacturers want to sell their products at Walmart, they have to agree to provide Walmart with prices lower than their competitors. And manufacturers have to concede to Walmarts' demands because they are the largest retailer in the country.