If you’re someone who pays $65 or $130 a year to get access to Costco, you’re no doubt doing it for the savings involved.
After all, why pay an annual membership fee to get into Costco when you could instead waltz into your local Walmart or Target and shop to your heart’s content?
The reason so many people are willing to pay Costco’s membership fees is that they get great value in exchange. And that value comes in the form of not just low prices, but also outstanding customer service.
There aren’t many retailers with a return policy as flexible as Costco’s. With very few exceptions, any item that doesn’t meet your needs or expectations can be brought back to the store for a complete refund.
And if you’re worried that returning a jacket you bought a year ago will result in some major customer-service stink eye, think again.
Costco wants members to be happy with the products they buy. And the company has no problem processing returns that are reasonable in nature.
It’s one thing to buy a piece of furniture, use it for two years, and then bring it back to the store on the basis of not being satisfied now that it’s worn and tattered. But if you’re returning items in store-bought condition long after the fact, there shouldn’t be any issue.
Costco’s low prices are a huge benefit
While it’s nice to be on the receiving end of great customer service, the main value of a Costco membership lies in the savings you can reap.
Most of us go through things like milk, eggs, toilet paper, tissues, and cleaning products on a regular basis. Being able to pay less for those items is a great way to stretch your budget at a time when life seems to have gotten obnoxiously expensive.
Plus, Costco offers savings on more than just groceries and household staples.
If you’ve ever shopped for clothing or outerwear at Costco, you may have saved yourself a small fortune compared to buying similar items at a department store.
And if you’re someone who has the budget for travel, booking a trip through Costco could save you hundreds of dollars. The savings on a single vacation, in fact, could be enough to cover the cost of a membership for many years, making your $65 or $130 investment more than worth it.
Costco’s little-known savings program could save you even more
Even if you’ve been a Costco member for many years, there are certain lesser-known benefits you may not be aware of. And one of them could save you a boatload of money.
We’re talking about Costco Next, and it’s a program that gives you access to different suppliers from which you can buy goods directly.
You can access Costco Next through the company’s website or app. From there, you can browse to see what items are available and purchase the products you want or need directly through Costco’s curated list of suppliers. It’s that simple.
The reason Costco Next offers so much savings is that it cuts out the middleman, so to speak. Because you’re buying directly from a vetted supplier, you’re actually taking Costco out of the equation.
When Costco sells you products at its stores, it’s making a profit by charging you more than the cost of acquiring those goods. That doesn’t happen with Costco Next.
Now you may be wondering: What’s in it for Costco? And the answer is simple.
First, Costco benefits by providing a service to members that’s likely to increase customer loyalty. Secondly, with Costco Next, Costco gains information on member purchasing trends.
One thing Costco always strives to do is keep its inventory fresh and exciting. By using data from Costco Next, the company can make strategic decisions on what items to bring into its warehouse club stores.
All told, Costco Next is a win-win for everyone involved — Costco, suppliers, and members. It pays to check it out so you can get even more value out of your membership.
